My parents warned me this would happen, but for some reason, I’m still in shock. I think I just assumed that Katie and Billy would find a way to keep me on the payroll—but the diner is just my after-school job. It’s my college savings fund and gives me just enough money to make art. I’m the easiest employee for them to lay off. What will all my other coworkers do without a steady paycheck? How will they pay their rent? How will they pay for diapers or gas or food? I heard a pundit say on the news that the pandemic is the ultimate equalizer.

“We all have to stay home now,” he said from a kitchen that had one of those refrigerators that are so fancy they don’t look like refrigerators.

Equalizer, my ass, I thought.

I tell Katie I understand and that I’m here if and when they need me. I hear her voice catch in her throat as she says goodbye and hangs up the phone.

My gaze lands on my tubes of oil paint, each of them squeezed and twisted so I could get the last drops of paint out. I’m not sure when I’ll be able to afford to replace them now. Maybe if I can afford to buy a box of crayons, I can just switch mediums.

Gabriela

They just extended lockdown indefinitely.

Parisa

I know. This is so weird and scary. I heard someone on the news say that this is the biggest thing we’ve had to face since World War II.

Gabriela

That’s insane. I feel like we’re trapped in some dystopian movie. Do we have to hoard toilet paper and Top Ramen if we’re going to survive? How will anyone on a no-carb diet make it through?

Parisa

They won’t. They’ll be the first to starve to death.

I read somewhere that twice as many guys are getting sick than girls because they have worse hygiene practices. Ugh. Men are so gross.

Gabriela

LOL. I wonder if this is just some form of bioterrorism invented by elderly white dudes to kill off progressive, diverse teenagers? Make America Old Again?

Parisa

Probs.

Gabriela

Can I just say that my moms have, like, zero chill when it comes to global pandemics? The only thing they have to focus on is ME. This is why it sucks to be an only child.

Parisa

I’ll trade places. You can come live with Neda.

Gabriela

OMG. The bitch is back!

Parisa

Oh, she’s back. She’s been here for a day, and she already has all of us answering to her every ridiculous whim because she has to stay quarantined in her room.

Gabriela

I don’t want to live with her. I want to BE HER.

Parisa