she tells me in the long lunch line for skim milk. “Nia will be there. And she’ll be looking for you.”“I don’t think she’d turn her art stuff in.” Even if her brain is pickled.She shakes her head. Her smile is triumphant. “She’ll be working the table. Don’t forget, you owe me after that.”I remember when Nia crumpled up the TAG poster. Now she’s one of them.“If she’s really there. And if she talks with me.”Mandi rolls her eyes and lowers her voice. “Of course she’ll be there. Nia’s one of my best Tagers.”When we lived in Chicago, they had a gun-swap program. People brought in guns and got sneakers instead. It didn’t seem to stop people from shooting each other. But at least they had nice shoes.These days, there are things as dangerous as guns in Candor, if you ask TAG.Markers. Glitter glue. Pipe cleaners.There are posters all over town:CRAYONS FOR CALCULATORSBring your art supplies and further your future!TAG sponsors it.My next big chance.Nia has nearly vanished.
