Free Not Your Sidekick by C.B. Lee Page A

“Little bro was hungry. Thought we’d come by and say hi.”
    â€œOf course,” Bells says with a wink.
    Brendan makes a high-pitched noise that could be a greeting.
    â€œLike your hair, dude.” Bells smiles at Brendan and then flicks off the holo projected on the table. “The usual?”
    â€œYes, please,” Jess says in the wake of Brendan’s stunned stupor. She and Bells share amused looks and Bells heads off, chuckling to himself.
    â€œShut up,” Brendan mutters.
    â€œDidn’t say anything.”
    Their food arrives quickly: the jambalaya special for Jess and red beans and rice topped with a heap of green onions for Brendan. Bells comes back with a generous chunk of cornbread for them to share and sits down, knocking Jess’ shoulder companionably before he has to get up and fetch things for other tables.
    Jess savors the way the textures and flavors come together on her tongue: the crunch of the green peppers and the vibrant flavor of the soft rice contrasting with the eggplant and zucchini. She drinks a sip of water and dives back in for more of the delicious spicy dish. The Broussards have their own way of spicing the protein that makes their “sausage,” and it tastes good, almost passes for meat.
    The vegetables are fresh and delicious, and Jess settles back in her seat with a happy sigh. She waves at the open window to the kitchen where she can see Bells’ older brother Simon working at the grill, and he gives her a jaunty wave.
    â€œHow’s everything tasting?” Simon calls.
    â€œDelicious, as always,” Jess says back.
    â€œHome grown and organic, can’t go wrong with that,” Simon says, waving a pair of tongs at her. The Broussards have their own greenhouse where they grow all their produce despite the Collective guarantee that crops are stable and will continue to be stable. Bells’ great-grandparents survived the Disasters because a combination of paranoia and self-sufficiency led them to stockpile supplies. They’re still quite suspicious about the government. Bells and his siblings think that their dad’s rants about privacy and government meddling in farm management are silly, but they work the greenhouse and the restaurant anyway.
    â€œI like having fresh vegetables,” Bells said the first time Jess asked about it. “I don’t believe in all the theories my dad has about the government, but everybody’s got to have a hobby, right?”
    And all of Andover adores the Broussards’ “hobby.” Home Away from Homehas been a beloved restaurant for years and was even featured in a newsholo feature in New Bright City.
    Brendan polishes off his dish with a happy sigh, stuffs a chunk of cornbread in his mouth, and mumbles something about winning prizes before he ambles over to the crane game machine in the corner.
    Jess watches him as he keeps swiping his DED for attempt after attempt at winning a stuffed animal.
    The dinner rush is over; they’re the only ones left in the restaurant. Bells sits down next to her, chuckling. “You wanna tell him that machine hasn’t given up a prize for anyone in ten years?”
    Jess leans back. “Nah.” She pokes Bells’ shoulders playfully, surprised at the firmness of the muscle. “You’ve been working out?”
    â€œHuh? Yeah, my brother was complaining that he didn’t have anyone to do weights with.” Bells shrugs.
    Something else is different, too, something that Jess can’t quite place. His tank top is well-fitted, stretched over his chest—
    â€œOh, dude,” Jess says, nudging him with her hip. “It’s really late. You’ve been wearing your binder all day. Feeling okay?”
    Bells blinks. “Oh. Yeah, I’m good. Took a break after school.” He steals a bite of cornbread, talking as he chews. “Hey, first day of your new job is tomorrow, right?