“I was just talking with the guys about that.”
“Should we talk about our applications?” she asked, eyes very carefully finding a speck on the table.
“I don’t really think it’s necessary right now,” Lee said, also finding a speck of interest to monitor.
“Right. Me neither,” she said quickly. But he could hear the slight tremor in her voice.
“But if we were to talk about them,” he said, carefully backtracking, “I suppose we’d want to make sure we had our alternative posts aligned, just in case?”
“You really think there’s a chance they don’t put us exactly where we apply? Have you seen our rankings?”
Lee shrugged. “Always the chance. Dad would probably tell me it’s smart to have a backup plan anyway…” Which wasn’t a total fib. While he doubted Thea Waters had ever seriously considered a backup plan for him or his son, it seemed like something sensible his dad could have mentioned sometime in his life. And on the chance of a delay occurring for one reason or another…
“So, what. We, like, pick some alternatives?” Kat asked. Her ponytail swayed behind her, as astounded by the abstract possibility as she was.
He watched the pendulum slow. “Something like that.”
They picked through his lunch in record time. But even so, the Canteen was already starting to empty out by the time they were standing up.
“Hey, I was going to run my holoblock upstairs really quick before the showcase. Want me to take yours too?” Kat asked.
“Sure, thanks,” he said.
But as he dumped his tray, falling into step with the flood heading back over to the training levels amid even more snippets of conversation about Placement, Lee siphoned off to the side, sighing. Screw it. He couldn’t handle that today.
Changing plans, Lee slipped up into the Hideaway.
It was extra quiet this afternoon. Aside from him and a couple Micros with their heads in their holoblocks catching up on course work, Lee had the place to himself. He peered out over the railing into the Canteen to watch the stragglers finishing up lunch. Just to give him something to do, he slipped over to the vending machines. He didn’t bother to check any of the flavor options as he punched in the code for the skinny can.
“You’re missing the showcase.”
Lee glanced over sidelong as Zane approached, very conscious of how their last conversation had gone and the things to which they’d each admitted. But Zane’s focus was on the contents inside the machine. So bending down swiftly, Lee scooped up his drink. “They’ll live.”
He was going to take his drink up to his dorm, but stopped himself. He didn’t really have anywhere he wanted to be, anyway. “Why aren’t you down there?”
“It’s as you said. They’ll live.” Zane punched in the code for a drink.
“Could hurt your chances with Placement if you dip a few points,” Lee said, testing that tension a bit.
“And yet, I don’t see you scrambling,” Zane fired back as the machine spit his drink out.
“Touché.” Lee tapped his drink against Zane’s. And the two of them stood there in tin-punctured silence as they each cracked their drinks open. There really was no hurry to get anywhere if they weren’t rushing to make the showcase.
“Have you sent in your applications yet?” Zane asked casually, while Lee took a swig. “You have been… quiet, despite the recent turbulence.”
Lee scrutinized the ingredient label. Strawberry, how lovely. But Zane had always been upfront with him. He could be trusted with this.
Lee lowered his drink. “I haven’t.” He wouldn’t speak for Kat—not here, not about this. Nor about the fact that if he and Kat held out too much longer, there would be no raider future waiting for them at the end of this. At least not together. Not siphoned along the same path. He sighed. “It’s complicated.”
“You really haven’t decided, have you?” Zane asked, the golden-brown skin of his brow furrowing. “Leland Waters, of all the cadets…”
Lee shot him a look, warning him about slagging his name—especially right now.
“I’m just surprised, that’s all.”
“What about you?” Lee cut in.
“Working on it,” Zane said, quietly. And this time it was Lee’s turn to be surprised. He was certain Zane had submitted his application weeks ago. He could only imagine the pressure on his shoulders right now. But then again, he didn’t have to imagine much, they were living the same nightmare.
