Page 175 of Monstrous Serpent

“What does?”

“The sales.” His finger traces near the trend line without touching it. “When the ad spend goes up, sales usually go up too.”

“Usually?”

He looks back at the graph, then taps a dot sitting lower than the others. “This one didn’t. They spent more, but it didn’t make as much.”

“Outlier.”

His mouth twitches. “Show-off.”

“You found it.”

He stares at the screen again, quiet for a few seconds. Then he leans back in his chair and exhales. “So, it’s not saying more spending always means more sales. Just that there’s a relationship.”

“A positive relationship.”

He points his pen at me. “Don’t ruin this for me.”

I take another swig of pop, hiding my smile behind the can.

Cody rubs his eyes, then reaches for the other half of his sandwich. “How was therapy this morning?”

“Didn't have therapy.”

He pauses mid-bite. “It was one of those meetings?”

I stare at him.

He rolls his eyes, nearly shoving the whole half of the sandwich into his mouth. Our little Titan may have set boundaries when it comes to our darker shit, but it doesn't stop him from making sure we know he hates it every chance he gets.

I set the can down. “The meeting was with my advisor.”

“Oh.” He swallows, then wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. “Anything serious?”

“Picked a major.”

Cody turns toward me, shoving my shoulder. “Are you serious right now? Don't just sit there. Tell me what you chose.”

“Culinary arts.”

“What’s that?” Davis strolls into the kitchen. “Like some kind of drawing or painting stuff?”

Cody huffs, closing his laptop. “What do you want?”

Five years of breaking up fights between Atlas and his siblings. Now it's these two. Different house. Same shit. Though, most days Cody and Davis get along.

The youngest Jenkins shoves his hands in the pockets of his sweatshirt. “What’s culinary arts, butthead?”

“I’m majoring in cooking,” I say.

Cody points a finger at his little brother. “Don’t start.”

Davis not only rolls his eyes, but his head too. “I didn’t say anything. Yet. Anyway, can I go over to Lennin’s?”

Cody waves him off. “Yeah, sure. But take your key. Hunter and I are leaving for PT in an hour.”

Davis just stands there for a second, then looks at me.