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"DO YOU THINK MOM AND DAD would find out if I take today off?"
A quarter past eight in the morning found the two Reid siblings consuming their respective breakfasts beneath the glare of sunlight, nature's promise that the ensuing hours would be just as muggy as the day before. But while Amara had the perk of free ice cream at her disposal, Kevin was stuck working at Melvald's where the budget was too low to cover air conditioning anymore. He was sure that his girlfriend had a better job working as a camp counselor in her hometown of Marquette even if she had to contend with dozens of rambunctious kids – he'd take that over Hopper any day.
"They probably wouldn't, but you'd end up feeling guilty," Amara murmured, hazel eyes fixed on her fruity pebbles. "Besides, what else would you do all day? Your friends and girlfriend are all working as well."
"You weren't supposed to say that," Kevin objected, draining his coffee. "You were supposed to tell me that it won't make any difference because we have an average of three customers each day – in the words of every economics course we've both taken, we have such high supply and low demand that my not going there won't change anything. Plus, it's hard to take you seriously in that ridiculous outfit."
Amara glanced down at her obligatory Scoops uniform, the royal blue and white embellished with streaks of red as if to symbolize an American flag, similar to her battered converse crammed into a nook in her closet ever since she'd bought a new pair a few days after the skirmish with the Demodogs. "True, but if you don't go to work you won't get paid, even if it's less money than before. Also, I'm the person who gets you free ice cream whenever you want, so you don't get to talk," she reminded her brother with a scowl.
"And I'm very thankful for that – "
"But," Amara cut Kevin off with one raised palm, "I'm sure Mom and Dad wouldn't mind if you went to that protest against the mall tomorrow."
Kevin's eyes lit up. "Really?"
"Yeah, just don't mention you have a sister who works at the mall," Amara advised, to which Kevin nodded. "You still have to go to work today, though."
Kevin grumbled, dropping his head in his hands. "Fine, fine," he conceded. "Can you do me a favor and grab some more mint chip ice cream today?"
"Sure, as long as we watch a movie of my choice tonight," Amara proposed, getting up from her chair and dumping her empty bowl in the sink. "I'm in an Indiana Jones mood."
"Of course you are," Kevin teased, standing up as well and slinging his bag around one shoulder. "It stars Harrison Ford, and he looks an awful lot like – "
"Kevin!"
"Relax, I'm just messing with you," Kevin assured Amara, ruffling her coppery brown hair before she could duck out of the way. "I'd love to watch Raiders of the Lost Ark for the millionth time."
