Orthodontics in the Zombie Apocalypse

15. Plans for the Cure Include Bad Ideas (2/2)

The longer I trudge along behind Greg, the more I fantasize about figuring out what and where the cure is. I need it. If I can just get my hands on it and get back to Dr. Juenger...

"Hey, Piper," Mikah says, "can I ask you something?"

Ah, he's so gorgeous! Am I still mad at him for lying to me? No, not right now. Not with sweat dripping through his curly hair in such a way that makes my heart melt. I respond as any girl trying to act casual would: "Yeah! Definitely--I mean...yeah, sure." Totally kidding! I'm not that awkward. I shrug and say, "I don't know, can you?"

Mikah rolls his eyes. "Geez, you sound like every elementary school teacher I ever had!" He chuckles despite the blatant annoyance. "Alright, Mrs. Laibly--she was my fourth-grade teacher and made several kids wet their pants because they couldn't figure out to say 'may I' instead--I was going to ask what your plans were after getting your braces off."

This is something I had fantasized about for eight weeks, but it largely left my mind the past couple of days. "Um...I don't know." I absolutely do know, but I don't want to seem too eager in front of Mikah. It's like responding too soon to a guy's text; makes you seem like a desperate attention whore. So I take my time, pretending to think about it. "I guess before the zombies I just wanted to finish high school, get accepted into a decent college, meet an attractive college boy, and make a successful career for myself." Now the part I actually don't know the answer for. "With the zombies around...I don't know--" already said that-- "I suppose finding an attractive college boy isn't out of the question," I add a wink to this, but it looks more like an awkward blink than anything flirty, "but my career might have to be zombie-killing rather than computer science."

"Computer science? That would have been your choice of major?"

"Well, yeah. I'm pretty good with code."

"Damn! I would not have guessed that!" His smile is so wide. Swoon.

"Too bad most servers are down with the apocalypse going on. Can't really have a job in computers when computers don't work anymore." I shrug.

"Next you're going to tell me you were a mathlete!" Mikah says, still smiling.

Oh, I certainly was, but he doesn't need to know that right now. I merely smile and say nothing. He can think what he wants.

"Computer science," he murmurs.

"I don't know why the concept is so hard for you," I say.

"You just don't seem like that type of girl."

"Right, because when we first met I was wearing a dress?"

"No. More like the fact that you seem to just jump into any situation without analysis or planning first."

"Oh."

"And you sometimes seem a little ditzy, if I'm being perfectly honest."

"Oh."

Mikah's hands shoot up in surrender. "No offense, I mean."

I roll my eyes and smirk at him. "I like to think I get things done."

"Right. Except getting your braces off, it seems."

It was a joke, of course, but instead of laughing at such a serious matter, I stare at him until his laugh turns into an awkward chuckle and finally stops altogether. He looks ahead, rubbing his neck.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to be offensive."

I pat him on the shoulder. "It's okay. You just thought you were being funny. I get that."

We had fallen a few paces behind the rest of the group, who now argue over the cure.

"You aren't seriously going to see your wife first!" Shaniya says in disbelief.

"Sure as a feather dropping from the moon, I am," Greg replies heatedly. He puffs up until his bony structure resembles a normal human, challenging Shaniya. That woman doesn't have to do a thing to appear frightening. She's tall and muscular on her own.

"Your wife has waited this long, she can wait another hour! You're putting the fate of humanity off just for a minute with your wife?"

Greg shrugs, shrinking back when the puffing-up technique doesn't work.

"I think he just wants to make sure she's okay," I say, patting Greg roughly on the back. "I can go with him to make sure he gets the cure to Bad Idea Labs. It's no big deal, really."

Shaniya shares a look with her brother. "That's a great idea. We've been heading towards the outpost for a week now. What's a few hours more to ensure the survival of the human race?" She nods to the rest of us. "Yes, I think we'll come along and make sure you get the cure safely to Bad Idea Labs."

I hardly notice Greg's expression sour through my own plummet in mood.

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A/N
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