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Authors: Lisa Papademetriou
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coming.”
“Yes, you are.”
Will shook his head and glanced over at Angus, who was watching the argument with amusement. Gretchen didn’t seem to understand that Will wasn’t like her. He couldn’t just go to parties and act happy all the time. Sometimes, being near people made him feel like he was going to break apart. Okay, sure, he had to work at the stand. His family needed him. But he didn’t have to go to a party and pretend to drink vile beer and endure everyone’s sympathetic looks and sad murmurs.
“You’re coming.”
“No.”
“Okay, I’m glad we’ve discussed this. I’ll pick you up at nine.”
“Forget it, Gretchen.”
Gretchen just smiled and took her tray of half-eaten blackberries, tomatoes, and lettuce. “Thanks forthe invite, Angus. See you! And remember, Will—nine on Friday.”
“Gretchen, I’m not—”
But she was sashaying away, singing at the top of her lungs. Her long Indian skirt swayed as she walked. Her hair hung halfway down her tan back, barely skimming the top of her lavender halter.
“She’s so freakin’ hot,” Angus said, half to himself. Then he sighed and turned back to Will. “Hey, dude, so I checked with my uncle.”
“Which uncle?”
“Barry.”
“Right.”
“The police chief. About the …” He dropped his voice to a dramatic whisper. “Dead body.” He stared at Will with wide brown eyes.
“And?”
“He wouldn’t tell me anything.”
Will snorted and went back to shelling beans.
“But don’t you think that’s weird?”
“That the police chief wouldn’t tell the biggest gossip in town details of a murder case? Um, not really.”
“Dude, he’s my
uncle
. I’m telling you—something’s going on. This is like that whole deal in
Jaws
where nobody wants to freak out the tourists, but there’s this giant shark just, like,
out there
. And it’s just
waiting
and
planning
and hoping for a tasty snack.”
“Is it mechanical and made of rubber?”
“Dude.” Angus shook his head. “I’m telling you. Something’s up. This town has secrets.” He hopped off the table. “And I’m going to find them out.”
“Maybe your uncle is trying to protect you.”
“Whose side are you on? I don’t need protection. I need answers.” He waved over his shoulder as he walked back to his car. The salt had gotten to it near the bottom, and orange rust was making its way up the car in a pattern that looked like a gentle wave. “I’ll see you at Ansell’s party, if not before!” he called as he folded himself up into his little clown car.
Will didn’t even bother shouting that he wasn’t going to Ansell’s.
Nobody listens to me, anyway
.
“So then I was like, ‘Nice wedding ring,’ and I thought he was going to
die
,” Trina said as she rubbed SPF 15 on her legs. “Gia just about fell on the floor laughing, and the guy just sort of crept away like a lizard. I kind of felt bad for him, but, like, don’t hit on seventeen-year-olds while you’re wearing your evidence, you know?” She spread lotion over her bronze arms and twisted her long brown hair into a clip. Trina was short, but she had lush curves, thick hair, and golden skin that attracted a lot of attention. “What an imbecile.”
Gretchen made a small
hm
noise that she hoped would make it sound as if she was still awake. Trina went to her school, and they used to be close friends. But lately all of Trina’s stories seemed to revolve around partying and the guys who were desperate to get with her. Whenever Gretchen listened to her, she felt irritated, so she didn’t listen very much.
Gretchen adjusted her sunglasses and looked out over the crashing waves. They were pretty large for theAtlantic. Their rhythm seemed to beckon to her cheerfully, but Gretchen wasn’t fooled. It was still early in the season; the water would be cold.
Will could never understand why Gretchen refused to go into the ocean. She liked the beach, but not the water.
Tim had always teased
“Yes, you are.”
Will shook his head and glanced over at Angus, who was watching the argument with amusement. Gretchen didn’t seem to understand that Will wasn’t like her. He couldn’t just go to parties and act happy all the time. Sometimes, being near people made him feel like he was going to break apart. Okay, sure, he had to work at the stand. His family needed him. But he didn’t have to go to a party and pretend to drink vile beer and endure everyone’s sympathetic looks and sad murmurs.
“You’re coming.”
“No.”
“Okay, I’m glad we’ve discussed this. I’ll pick you up at nine.”
“Forget it, Gretchen.”
Gretchen just smiled and took her tray of half-eaten blackberries, tomatoes, and lettuce. “Thanks forthe invite, Angus. See you! And remember, Will—nine on Friday.”
“Gretchen, I’m not—”
But she was sashaying away, singing at the top of her lungs. Her long Indian skirt swayed as she walked. Her hair hung halfway down her tan back, barely skimming the top of her lavender halter.
“She’s so freakin’ hot,” Angus said, half to himself. Then he sighed and turned back to Will. “Hey, dude, so I checked with my uncle.”
“Which uncle?”
“Barry.”
“Right.”
“The police chief. About the …” He dropped his voice to a dramatic whisper. “Dead body.” He stared at Will with wide brown eyes.
“And?”
“He wouldn’t tell me anything.”
Will snorted and went back to shelling beans.
“But don’t you think that’s weird?”
“That the police chief wouldn’t tell the biggest gossip in town details of a murder case? Um, not really.”
“Dude, he’s my
uncle
. I’m telling you—something’s going on. This is like that whole deal in
Jaws
where nobody wants to freak out the tourists, but there’s this giant shark just, like,
out there
. And it’s just
waiting
and
planning
and hoping for a tasty snack.”
“Is it mechanical and made of rubber?”
“Dude.” Angus shook his head. “I’m telling you. Something’s up. This town has secrets.” He hopped off the table. “And I’m going to find them out.”
“Maybe your uncle is trying to protect you.”
“Whose side are you on? I don’t need protection. I need answers.” He waved over his shoulder as he walked back to his car. The salt had gotten to it near the bottom, and orange rust was making its way up the car in a pattern that looked like a gentle wave. “I’ll see you at Ansell’s party, if not before!” he called as he folded himself up into his little clown car.
Will didn’t even bother shouting that he wasn’t going to Ansell’s.
Nobody listens to me, anyway
.
“So then I was like, ‘Nice wedding ring,’ and I thought he was going to
die
,” Trina said as she rubbed SPF 15 on her legs. “Gia just about fell on the floor laughing, and the guy just sort of crept away like a lizard. I kind of felt bad for him, but, like, don’t hit on seventeen-year-olds while you’re wearing your evidence, you know?” She spread lotion over her bronze arms and twisted her long brown hair into a clip. Trina was short, but she had lush curves, thick hair, and golden skin that attracted a lot of attention. “What an imbecile.”
Gretchen made a small
hm
noise that she hoped would make it sound as if she was still awake. Trina went to her school, and they used to be close friends. But lately all of Trina’s stories seemed to revolve around partying and the guys who were desperate to get with her. Whenever Gretchen listened to her, she felt irritated, so she didn’t listen very much.
Gretchen adjusted her sunglasses and looked out over the crashing waves. They were pretty large for theAtlantic. Their rhythm seemed to beckon to her cheerfully, but Gretchen wasn’t fooled. It was still early in the season; the water would be cold.
Will could never understand why Gretchen refused to go into the ocean. She liked the beach, but not the water.
Tim had always teased
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