“That’s not a good reason, Niki.”
“It’s fine,” Taylor says.
But Jamar ignores her and addresses his sister. “We aren’t doing anything.”
“Then you can do nothing where I can see you better.”
“Why? You think a stranger’s going to roll up in his white van and offer us some candy?”
Andrew leans closer to me and lowers his voice. “I mean, itisthe apocalypse. If that happened, I’d one thousand percent take the candy. Especially if it was Sour Patch Kids.”
“We’re not going to argue about this,” Niki says, crossing her arms. “Now get to camp. Both of you.”
Jamar finally stands, and Taylor moves to walk to the camp with him, but he puts his arm out in front of her. “No.”
“Jamar.”
“Nikita.”
The siblings stare at each other, neither blinking nor backing down. I’m curious to know if this is what Andrew and his younger sister were like. From the few stories he’s told me about his life before the end of the world, it seems very similar. Only maybe his younger sister was the one who was telling him what to do.
“I’m not going to talk about this anymore,” Niki says. “Get over to the camp or else.”
“Or else what? You gonna ground me? Take away my phone? Go figure out a better way to feel important and stop making me your project.”
Even Taylor seems shocked by his words. I can’t see Niki’s face, but I do see her start in surprise. She takes two strides toward him but stops. Jamar holds his ground and so does she. Then finally she turns around and looks at us. Her face is unreadable.
“Fine. I’m coming to town with you all,” she says.
“More the merrier,” says Andrew.
“Do you want to grab your bag?” Cara asks.
She shakes her head. “Nope. Let’s go.”
“I’m coming, too,” Taylor says. She gives Jamar a look, and I didn’t have a younger sister like Andrew, but I recognize it immediately.
“Wait,” Jamar says. “Why are you going?”
“Because you were rude to your sister,” Taylor says. “She just wanted to make sure you were okay and that she knew where you were, and you were rude. And I’m not in the mood to hang out with you when you’re being rude.” She walks around Jamar—whose face has dropped in confusion and shock—and follows Cara.
“Fine,” Jamar says. “I’ll come with you all.”
“No,” Taylor says, looking back. “You can stay here. With the kids.”
Niki smiles and turns back to her brother. She points at him. “Grounded.”
Then she follows Cara and Taylor. Jamar gives Andrew and me one last look of desperation, his eyes begging us to do something. Andrew manages to shrug with just his right arm and shoulder, and we follow the others.
Once we’re a good distance away, Taylor says to Niki, “I’m sorry about Jamar. I don’t know what’s gotten into him.”
Niki laughs. “Girl, don’t feel like you should apologize for him, because it’s not your fault. I’m honestly kinda okay with it.”
“Seriously?” Taylor asks.
“Yeah.” Niki sounds different, like she’s happy about it. “Ever since the world ended, he’s been stuck to my side like glue. Always doing what I said without a word, looking for permission for every little thing. Once our mom was gone, I had to step up and take care of him and my grandma.” I glance back at them, and Niki’s smile drops before she continues. “But now he’s a little more like he was before the flu. Defiant little asshole.”
Taylor chuckles.
