Kenji stares at me, his lips making no sound as he mouths the word psychopath over and over again. “And you know, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about this for a while, actually, because I really feel that, as supreme commander, you can’t be showing preferential treatment like this, but clearly-”Īt the creak of the door Kenji’s eyebrows shoot up a soft click and his eyes widen a muted rustle of movement and suddenly the barrel of a gun is pressed against the back of his head. “See-why are you so quick to judge, huh, princess? Why assume that I was the one who did something wrong? Why me?” He crosses his arms against his chest, lowers his voice. “What did you do this time?” “See?” Kenji points at me. “Are you serious? Again with this nonsense? Jesus, Kenji.” I unlatch the holster from my back and toss it on the bed behind me. “The war? What? J, are you not paying attention? Your boyfriend is having a freaking conniption right now and you need to go handle his ass before I do.” “Kenji, what are you talking about? This isn’t about the war?” “I’m sorry-what?” I take my hand off my gun feel my body unclench.

“I mean, I knew his punkass was a major drama queen, but this is just beyond ridiculous-” “So, okay-the first thing you need to know is that this isn’t my fault, okay? I was just trying to help.” So I take a deep breath, crack my neck, and look Kenji in the eye. Every day I wake up, filled with half terror, half exhilaration, anxiously awaiting the inevitable missives from enemy nations who would challenge my authority and wage war against us-and now, finally, it seems that moment has arrived.

It’s been sixteen days since we took over Sector 45-since I crowned myself the supreme commander of The Reestablishment-and it’s been quiet. Kenji is staring at me-eyes narrowed-his hands on his hips, T-shirt taut across his chest. I silence a gasp, spin around, and, by force of habit, rest my hand on the hilt of a semiautomatic hung from a holster at my side. I’m startled at once by the sound of a door slamming open. I will never again apologize for surviving.

Restore Me by Tahereh Mafi