Zoe Rosenthal Is Not Lawful Good by Nancy Werlin

Author:Nancy Werlin [Werlin, Nancy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781536214734
Google: nGoEEAAAQBAJ
Amazon: 1536214736
Publisher: Candlewick
Published: 2021-04-05T16:00:00+00:00

At Weird World, we all got into our cosplay. For Sebastian, this meant snaking tubing under his white pajamas; the tubes connected to larger packets positioned under his arms and at his hips. Liv put on a lab coat and looped on another scarf with the stethoscope-garrote. When I gave the new scarf the side-eye, they said airily, “I’m certain Torrance likes leopard print.”

“Will leopards be extinct in the future? Reduced to patterns on clothing?”

Liv said, “Stop.”

“Sorry,” I said. “It’s just that I can’t always forget what a mess we’re in. Even when I want to. Sometimes it just . . .” I shrugged.

We were standing together, apart from the others. Liv said, “I do get it, you know. About Simon’s social-justice warrior principles and how you agree but can’t live in that space all the time. I sometimes think I shouldn’t even be planning for college and my personal future but instead learn farming and hunting and basically, you know, prepare for world disaster. I wonder if everything else is a waste of valuable time. So I’m kind of like Simon, only . . . less optimistic that politics will save us.”

Our eyes met, mine startled. Liv smiled crookedly. “And then I think, I’m only one person, so carpe diem, tomorrow we die anyway, and all that. Let the earth take us down if it must.”

“I didn’t know,” I said finally. “That you felt that way about college. So does my friend Maggie.”

“Only sometimes,” said Liv. “Not always. Sometimes I go to cons and play basketball and things and think it’ll all be okay and I might have a future and the right to personal happiness.”

“I keep hoping it’s okay to search for a middle way,” I said. “I want there to be joy in my life.”

“Well, me too, obviously. The middle way. The nonbinary way!” We both laughed. “Do you think there is one?” Liv continued.

“Simon’s very binary. You’re either with us or against us. Hey, do you know this meme: What’s your justice warrior name?”

“I’ll play. What’s my justice warrior name?”

“Your first name and your last name,” I said. “So, Liv?”

“Yes?”

“Don’t think I didn’t notice that you managed to trick me into talking.”

“No tricks,” said Liv soberly. “I’m just saying what I think. You’re not the only one trying to figure life out, and how to be.” A pause. “Even if you always phrase it as Simon thinks and Simon says.”

I blinked. It was startling to learn how I appeared to others.

“Liv?” Do you think I made a mistake bringing Josie?

“What?”

“Nothing. Just thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

Mistake or not, I had done it. Josie was here. Simon wouldn’t approve, but that didn’t mean I should substitute Liv’s opinions for his. I needed my own.

Oh, for crying out loud. I already had my own opinion! Josie was a few yards away, her face alight, looking around, in awe. Why shouldn’t she be a Bloodygit, too? She belonged in this community. Anybody belonged who wanted to be here. That was the very point.

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