you’re hoping will happen tonight with Max?”
Since Becky introduced us yesterday, our paths haven’t intersected. Somehow Becky’s figured out the main reason I suggested going to the party under the pier is that I heard Max would be there. It’s not exactly a lie to confirm I’d like some one-on-one time with him.
“Okay. Yeah.”
“I knew it!” Becky exclaims. “Was it really so hard to admit you’re hot for him?”
Becky almost never tries to pry things out of me. Because I tell her everything, there’s no need. I’d like to spill about Max lurking in the forest, but something holds me back.
“This is so great.” Becky claps. “So you’re over Hunter?”
This, I couldn’t mislead her about. “I wouldn’t go that far.”
“Max is just as good-looking as Hunter, and he’s never gone out with Adair,” she points out.
Max is talking to Adair when we arrive, though. It’s low tide and the two of them are standing in the sand beside a pillar amid a dozen or so teenagers, her blonde head cocked toward his dark one. In the forest, Max claimed he didn’t know Adair. Yet it doesn’t look as though they’re strangers.
Some of our friends are drinking beer, but I’m not even tempted. Why waste calories on something that’s both illegal and bitter tasting? Becky’s driving. She snags us a couple Diet Cokes.
“Let’s make sure Adair doesn’t get your man before you do.” She grabs me by the hand and heads straight for Adair and Max. I hear pieces of conversations as we weave through the crowd, most of them about the missing Black Widow. Becky turns back to me when we’re halfway there with a mischievous smile on her face. “Watch this.”
Her meaning becomes clear pretty quick.
“Hey, Max, Adair.” Becky doesn’t let go of my hand until we’re standing in front of them. “I’ve been looking all over for Hunter. Have either of you seen him?”
“I don’t even know who Hunter is,” Max says, answering Becky but keeping his eyes glued on me. A corner of his mouth elevates.
“Adair’s boyfriend,” Becky says. “Do you know where he is, Adair?”
Adair’s smile looks frozen. “No clue.”
“So it’s true you two are taking a break?” Becky asks. “I’d heard that but I didn’t know whether to believe it.”
“It’s true,” Adair says, still in a voice that sounds dipped in sugar.
“What kind of a break?” Becky asks. “I mean, are you seeing other people?”
“Why do you need to know that?” Finally. The sugar’s dissolving.
“ I don’t need to know, but Max might.”
He laughs, a rich sound that rumbles like the ocean waves. “Nothing’s going on between Adair and me. Right, Adair?”
“Right,” Adair says. What other response can she give? “Jade, can I talk to you for a minute?”
Before I can say anything, Adair grabs me by the upper arm and guides me away from Max and Becky. She gives me the evil eye from her lofty height.
“You’re not fooling me, bitch,” she bites out. “I know you put your little friend Becky up to that.”
“Up to what?”
“Don’t play dumb with me. You must have your eye on Max yourself.” She laughs. “Poor pathetic Jade. Go for it. But know this. If I want Max, I can have him. Just like I have Hunter.”
“Had.” I can’t keep quiet when she gave me an opening a giant mutant bug could walk through. “You had Hunter.”
“We’ll see about that.” She spins away from me and stalks off, sand kicking up behind her.
Nothing is left for me to do but return to Max and Becky. As soon as I join them, Becky looks pointedly around. “I see someone I need to talk to. Catch you later.”
She leaves us alone in what has to count as one of the most manufactured exits of all time.
“What was that about?” Max asks.
“She thinks I’ve got a thing for you.”
The second corner of his mouth lifts to join the first in a full-fledged smile. “I like the sound of that.”
“Don’t get excited. It’s
Since Becky introduced us yesterday, our paths haven’t intersected. Somehow Becky’s figured out the main reason I suggested going to the party under the pier is that I heard Max would be there. It’s not exactly a lie to confirm I’d like some one-on-one time with him.
“Okay. Yeah.”
“I knew it!” Becky exclaims. “Was it really so hard to admit you’re hot for him?”
Becky almost never tries to pry things out of me. Because I tell her everything, there’s no need. I’d like to spill about Max lurking in the forest, but something holds me back.
“This is so great.” Becky claps. “So you’re over Hunter?”
This, I couldn’t mislead her about. “I wouldn’t go that far.”
“Max is just as good-looking as Hunter, and he’s never gone out with Adair,” she points out.
Max is talking to Adair when we arrive, though. It’s low tide and the two of them are standing in the sand beside a pillar amid a dozen or so teenagers, her blonde head cocked toward his dark one. In the forest, Max claimed he didn’t know Adair. Yet it doesn’t look as though they’re strangers.
Some of our friends are drinking beer, but I’m not even tempted. Why waste calories on something that’s both illegal and bitter tasting? Becky’s driving. She snags us a couple Diet Cokes.
“Let’s make sure Adair doesn’t get your man before you do.” She grabs me by the hand and heads straight for Adair and Max. I hear pieces of conversations as we weave through the crowd, most of them about the missing Black Widow. Becky turns back to me when we’re halfway there with a mischievous smile on her face. “Watch this.”
Her meaning becomes clear pretty quick.
“Hey, Max, Adair.” Becky doesn’t let go of my hand until we’re standing in front of them. “I’ve been looking all over for Hunter. Have either of you seen him?”
“I don’t even know who Hunter is,” Max says, answering Becky but keeping his eyes glued on me. A corner of his mouth elevates.
“Adair’s boyfriend,” Becky says. “Do you know where he is, Adair?”
Adair’s smile looks frozen. “No clue.”
“So it’s true you two are taking a break?” Becky asks. “I’d heard that but I didn’t know whether to believe it.”
“It’s true,” Adair says, still in a voice that sounds dipped in sugar.
“What kind of a break?” Becky asks. “I mean, are you seeing other people?”
“Why do you need to know that?” Finally. The sugar’s dissolving.
“ I don’t need to know, but Max might.”
He laughs, a rich sound that rumbles like the ocean waves. “Nothing’s going on between Adair and me. Right, Adair?”
“Right,” Adair says. What other response can she give? “Jade, can I talk to you for a minute?”
Before I can say anything, Adair grabs me by the upper arm and guides me away from Max and Becky. She gives me the evil eye from her lofty height.
“You’re not fooling me, bitch,” she bites out. “I know you put your little friend Becky up to that.”
“Up to what?”
“Don’t play dumb with me. You must have your eye on Max yourself.” She laughs. “Poor pathetic Jade. Go for it. But know this. If I want Max, I can have him. Just like I have Hunter.”
“Had.” I can’t keep quiet when she gave me an opening a giant mutant bug could walk through. “You had Hunter.”
“We’ll see about that.” She spins away from me and stalks off, sand kicking up behind her.
Nothing is left for me to do but return to Max and Becky. As soon as I join them, Becky looks pointedly around. “I see someone I need to talk to. Catch you later.”
She leaves us alone in what has to count as one of the most manufactured exits of all time.
“What was that about?” Max asks.
“She thinks I’ve got a thing for you.”
The second corner of his mouth lifts to join the first in a full-fledged smile. “I like the sound of that.”
“Don’t get excited. It’s
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