It's been months since the virus swept the world and wiped out all the adults, leaving only children and teenagers, fending for themselves.
Alleia lives in the abandoned mall in Sector 10 with her younger brother, the safest place they've found, all...
That night, after most of the tribe has gone off to bed or is chilling in their rooms, Amber and I are upstairs doing inventory of the pantry when Sasha comes in.
"I hope I didn't push too far earlier," Sasha says, referring to the conversation about bartering for chickens.
"Nah, you're fine. Some meat that didn't come from a can would be nice for once, and besides, Bray needs to learn to get over his unwarranted ego," I smirk, and Sasha smiles back.
"Besides, if you did, a few of us would've told you," Amber chuckles, and I nod along in agreement.
"I'm probably being nosey here, but what is the whole deal with Bray?" Sasha asks, and I can't help but sigh.
"He was my best friend before the virus, and for a while when he and Trudy joined the tribe, but he kept messing with her and Salene, and giving other people credit for looking after Brady when Trudy was struggling, but I was the one raising that baby, and Martin when he deserted the Locos and joined us," I start.
"He never clued on?" Sasha prods.
"Never," I shook my head. "He seems to have an ego the size of Europe, and refuses to acknowledge neglecting and/or mistreating Martin, Trudy, Salene, me, and anyone else in the tribe. Now he's facing the consequences, and it's worse than he'd have thought they'd be because of his own selfishness and stupidity."
"No wonder he lost the right to be your best friend," Sasha whistles lowly.
"Once Trudy stopped wasting her time with him, she got better so quickly, and even while she was still struggling she was making more of the effort to build a friendship with me and be there for me, and that coupled with me looking after Brady, and that I'm about to be her stepmother, really helped that friendship along," I smile. "Regardless of the whole issue with Bray, we really are one big, kinda disfunctional family, just he's the only one who isolates or puts us in jeopardy with his disappearing acts."
I can sense that Sasha is really wanting to spend some alone time with Amber, so I hand him the clipboard and pen I'm holding.
"I might head down and go to bed, but I'll let you two continue this and I will see you both in the morning," I say, throwing Sasha a subtle wink, and he catches on.
"Of course, have a good night," he nods.
"Night, Leia," Amber says, and I head out of the café and down to Martin and I's room.
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"How did you two go last night?" I ask Amber at breakfast, the two of us and Trudy in our own little corner of the café.
"Not long after you left, Bray wandered in and interrupted our conversation, but by then we finished inventory," she sighs. "But later I was lying in bed, and I heard him come up the stairs, and he was about to come in and talk to me, or at least I think."
