In Other Lands

by Sarah Rees Brennan

“Serene, you’re not helping me!” said Luke. “Neither of you is helping me.” “No, I know,” said Elliot, leaning toward him. “But I want to help you! I can help you! Tell me who it is.” “Drop it,” said Luke, and squirmed across the mattress, away from both of them. His shoulders were hunched again. This was a clear sign of guilt. “The fact that you’re not answering me makes me believe that there is a boy you like. You can’t fool me, because I’m extremely intelligent. Now tell me or I’ll keep pestering you to tell me.” “You’re supposed to be supportive of me!” said Luke. Serene nodded. “That’s what the pamphlets said. We studied them carefully.” Elliot’s pamphlets had been taken from him and used against him, and he couldn’t even be angry because this was more important. “I’m trying to be supportive of you!” he told Luke. “Then stop yelling at me!” said Luke. “I will stop yelling at you if you let me support you,” Elliot proposed. “Do we have a bargain?” Luke’s shoulders were still hunched in, but he glanced over and down at Elliot: there was a deep flush running along his cheekbones. “You’ll laugh at me.”