Never Missing, Never Found by Amanda Panitch Read Free Book Online

place. “If I don’t know you, it basically means you don’t exist.”
    I’m not sure exactly what to say to that. She’s staring at me with an expression of utter seriousness, like someone’s just died. Or gone missing. “Okay, then,” I say. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
    She looks at me for a moment longer, then bursts into that familiar laugh again. “I was joking, obvi,” she says. “So you’re training today, huh? Who with?”
    I can’t remember her name. “She doesn’t have any eyebrows, and she’s not very nice,” I say.
    Katharina’s eyebrows go up in shock, as if they’re mourning the loss of their fallen comrades. “You gave her to Lizzy?” she says to Connor. “How could you? She doesn’t even have
eyebrows.
” Like it’s a character trait.
    “I don’t have any say in staff assignments,” Connor says defensively. It’s the first time I’ve seen him today that he doesn’t have a smile on his face. “Cynthia does them, and I can get fired if I don’t listen. It’s not my fault.”
    Katharina shakes her head at him. “Shame, shame on you,” she says, then turns back to me. “Don’t worry, Scarlett. I’ll help you.”
    “Aren’t you on the north side today?” Connor piles his fries atop the remains of his hamburger, then smashes it all down with a napkin. Ketchup oozes onto his tray.
    “Randall’s managing the north today,” she says. “Randall loves me. I’ll swap with Lizzy.”
    “I can’t approve that, you know.” Connor is staring down at the mess he made of his lunch. “You’ll have to talk to Cynthia.” To me, he says, “Cynthia’s the south-side Merch supervisor. My and Rob’s boss.”
    “Cynthia loves me too.” It might be my imagination, but I think there’s a hint of challenge in Katharina’s tone. “Don’t you worry, Scarlett. I’ll save the day.”
    “You do have very nice eyebrows.” And she does: thick (but not too thick,
obvi
), black, and perfectly arched. I don’t think I’ve ever really noticed somebody’s eyebrows before today.
    “We need to get back,” Connor says, abandoning his lunch and standing. “Scarlett, or we’ll be late.”
    “Don’t want to be late on my first day,” I say.
    “See you soon,” Katharina says. Somehow, I just now notice, she’s obtained a salad, a real salad, with dark, fresh greens and tomatoes that are more red than pink and carrot shavings and ranch dressing, and a bowl of soup.
    As we walk back and answer more park guests’ stupid questions, I can’t get the smell of grease out of my nose.
    —
    When Connor and I reach headquarters, we hit the cash registers only to discover that No Eyebrows is gone. I feel a rush of relief, but Connor’s brows furrow in confusion. “Where’d she go?” he mutters. “If she’s on a smoke break and left the register unattended, I swear to God…”
    “Hey, Connor.” I look over to see Rob falling out of the wall. “Cynthia had me send Lizzy to the arctic north.”
    “Godspeed, Lizzy,” Connor says. “Did she say who—”
    “Hey, hey.” It’s Katharina. “Miss me?”
    I force a smile, though I know it probably comes out more like a grimace. It’s not Katharina’s fault that she reminds me of Stepmother’s house. Of the basement. Of the lost years. “Hey,” I say.
    “She swapped Lizzy for Katharina,” Rob says. “God knows why.”
    “Shut it, jerk face,” Katharina says, smiling that enigmatic smile. “I bet Scarlett knows nothing about using the register, does she?”
    “She’s been training with Lizzy all morning,” Connor interjects. “She’s not stupid, Katharina. I’m sure she’s picked it up by now.”
    They both look at me. I want to sink down, down, down into Wonderman’s underground garage and ride away in the Wondermobile. “Lizzy wasn’t a very good teacher,” I say. “But I’ve picked something up, sure.”
    “What do you do if you have a return?” Katharina says, folding her arms across her chest.
    I look