Page 69 of Ordinary Secrets

“Speaking of being best friends, as your best friend, I gotta talk to you about Ari again.”

I don’t miss a beat. “Uhh, my dinner’s gettin’ cold.” I’m about to open the door when Liz pulls me back.

“Just hear me out, okay?”

With a slump of my shoulders, I remain where I am. “Fine. What?”

“Remember how I said that I think Ari’s perfect for you?”

“Yeah?”

“Well, it doesn’t change that she’s an Ordinary. If you get caught doing things with her you shouldn’t be, it’ll affect morethan just you. You’re no A-lister, but people still recognize you on the street. I’m not gonna report you, but what if someone else does? If the Enforcers take you away, what happens to the band?”

A chill creeps up my spine at the mention of the Enforcers. Keepers are the ones who make Zordi laws. Enforcers are the ones who, well... enforce them. Together, they make up the Superiors, Supes for short, otherwise known as the zovernment, otherwise known as pieces of shit.

Enforcers are known to be tough and unrelenting. Zordi parents like to use Enforcers as a threat to get their kids to behave. Now Liz is using them to try to get me to behave.

Nonchalantly, I wave a hand through the air. “Don’t worry ’bout it.”

“I can’t not worry. I just read an article on the z-net yesterday about some guy who got arrested for kissing an Ordinary behind a mall. He’s probably gonna get at least ten years, and that’s just forkissingan Ordinary. Imagine how much time you’d get for having an ongoing sexual relationship with one. We can’t hold our band rehearsals from inside a z-prison.”

“And we won’t,” I say reassuringly. “I’m being careful.”

“If you say so. Either way, I’m worried about Ari too.”

“Why?”

“Because when you break things off with her, it’ll break her heart. She’s really sweet, T. I don’t like the idea of you hurting her.”

“We’re just friends hangin’ out,” I say with a shrug. “It’s not serious.”

Liz arches an eyebrow. “You hate cooking, and you cooked dinner for her. When have you ever done that for a girl?”

“I’ve done that for you.”

“I don’t count.”

I fake a gasp. “Liz! Is this how you tell me you’ve got a wiener?”

She backhands my chest so hard, it stings. “You’re not taking this seriously!”

I rub the spot she hit. “Ow! You and Marcus should have an arm-wrestling match. I think you’d win.”

“Trey Andrew Grant!” She scowls at me so hard, I’m afraid her face will stay like that.

I’m still rubbing my chest because, damn, that shit hurt. “All right. I get it. Be careful with the Ordinary. Can we be done now?”

“Fine,” Liz says with a roll of her eyes.

Together, we head to the dining table to find Arella almost finished with her steak. I feel like a dick for leaving her to eat by herself.

“Sorry, babe,” I say. “Thanks for waiting.”

“That’s okay.” Arella shivers, and her teeth clack together.

“I’ll be right back.” I go down the hall to kick up the temp, then set it to stay in the mid-seventies from now on. It won’t affect me, but it’ll make Arella feel more comfortable whenever she’s here.

I hear Liz talking to Arella, but I can’t make out the words as I disappear into my bedroom.

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