Todd pulls out his phone again, probably checking an old message. “Yeah, we’re supposed to meet them at two. That way we can get to the lake on time.” Then he turns to me. “You coming, Kale?” He smiles again, teasing, and warmth spreads up from my neck.
“I don’t know if he should.” Jeremy adds, “He might run off on us. Last year my dog ran off the moment the fireworks started. We couldn’t find him for days.”
I stare back at Todd, daring him to say something.
He says, smiling, “Sounds about right.”
I take a step forward, but Bryce puts his hand on my chest, pushing me back. “Leave it alone, Kale.”
Jeremy and Todd laugh about something again, muttering words too low for me to hear. I hate the way they look at me. I hate the way my own brother looks at me.
My gaze settles on Bryce, voicing thoughts I’ve held in for too long. “Why, so you can pretend our family is like theirs? So you can pretend nothing is ever wrong?” I ask, keeping my voice low. Looking into his eyes is hard because they’re too similar to Dad’s.
I turn to go, but he grabs my arm.
Todd says from behind him, “You sure you don’t want him to come, Bryce? We could always use him to—”
“Leave him alone, Todd. He gets enough shit as it is.”
“So that’s what you see me as?” I shrug away from him. “A pity project?”
Then Bryce shrugs right back and asks, “What else am I supposed to see you as?”
His friends laugh, but this time he joins them. Jeremy and Todd grab the bags of ice and push past me and out the door.
And without saying anything, Bryce follows them.
I stand in the hallway and listen as they all pile into Bryce’s truck. They shut the doors and the engine roars to life.
Then they’re gone.
And I wish I was.
All over again.
5.
Harper
Within six hours, I’m standing next to a river in the middle of the city, surrounded by skyscrapers except for this little forgotten park where Grace said we’re meeting her friends.
There’s a wide bank along the river where people lounge in the grass or sit on coolers they brought with them. A few people are wading into the water, the ones not thinking to wear shorts have their jeans rolled up to their knees. Somewhere there’s a guy playing guitar, and there’s laughter and accusing voices from those making jokes, and water splashing from girls trying to get out before their boyfriends realize they’re wearing white Tshirts.
“Grace!”
We both turn at her name being called, but she reacts before I do—she’d been expecting it.
A guy our age walks over to us wearing a black short-sleeved button up shirt. His dark hair and angular eyes remind me of a girl back home who was Japanese American.
When he smiles at Grace, I have no doubt about their relationship with each other. Even I have to admit they make a cute couple, like the kind you always root for in those stupid TV shows you can’t help but watch. Which I would probably now be watching if I weren’t here.
“What took you so long?” he asks, giving her a quick kiss on the lips. When they break apart, he adds, “Another minute longer, and that girl over there was about to drag me into the woods without my consent.”
“You poor thing,” she says, patting his cheek, keeping one arm around his waist. “Maybe if you didn’t spend so long on your hair, you wouldn’t have that problem.”
“You love my hair,” he says low.
It feels like I’m watching something I shouldn’t be.
“Not if it’s attracting other girls.”
“You know it’s not just my hair that—”
Grace puts a finger on his lips. “We have company.”
They both turn, and I can’t tell if they’re messing with me. So I just smile and stand there, not knowing what to say.
“This is Miles,” she says. “Don’t be afraid to be bold with him.”
Miles cocks his head and looks back at me. “She must like you, because she doesn’t give that kind of advice to anyone.”
“Thanks?”
He nods assuringly.
“And Miles,” Grace smiles at me, “this is Harper.”
Some sort of recognition dawns over his face. “Wait … Harper Croft?” Miles asks. “The Harper Croft?” He quickly looks at Grace. “Are you messing with me? Is this really her?”
“Am I missing something?” I ask.
Miles says, “We never thought you actually existed. Well, Grace did—for some reason—but your name comes up so much I really thought you were imaginary.”
“Miles, he showed us a picture,” Grace says, looking up at him. “How is that not enough proof?”
“Photoshop?”
“You have serious problems.”
I finally step in. “Wait, how do you know my name?” But what I’m really asking is, how do they know me?
“Kale,” Miles says. “Sometimes your uncle, but mostly Kale.”
Grace nods in agreement.
Kale.
Miles and Grace talk again—more to each other than to me, just as before—but I can’t grasp anything they’re saying. Since I got here yesterday, I kept wondering if Kale would remember me, or even care that I’m around again. I know he’s not the same boy he used to be—just like I’m not the same girl. Time changes so many things, and I was afraid this would be one of them.
“You guys know Kale?”
Miles says, “I’ve been friends with him since I moved here a few years ago. And Grace has known him since we started dating.”
“A year next month,” she adds.
“Will he be here tonight?” I feel stupid for asking. We live next door to each other, so why can’t I just go over to see him? Or better yet, call and text him.
Miles shrugs one shoulder and glances around. “I haven’t heard from him in a few days, so I’m not sure.” Before I can ask him anything else, a few boys come over and talk to Miles and Grace—people from school I’ll probably know better in the fall. The sun has set now, and it’s almost dark enough for the fireworks to start. While Grace talks with another girl nearby, I slip away to the edge of the water, dipping my fingers in to see if it’s cold. It’s warmer than I thought it’d be.
“Harper?”
I look up to see a blond guy standing over me—someone I feel I should recognize. I stand and wipe my wet hand across my jeans, noticing the weird smile he’s giving me. “Yes?”
“I don’t know if you remember me,” he says, “but you came over to my house a few times the last summer you were here.”
I reel through the foggy memories, and a name finally surfaces. “Conner,” I say. “You always used to push people into the pool.”
Conner smiles and gives me a single nod. “I guess I’m more memorable than I thought. Your uncle was over at our house a few weeks back, and he mentioned you were coming to live with him. It’s good to see you again.”
“Yeah, good to see you, too. Now I’ll know more than two people when school starts.”
“Well, look,” he says. “I’m having a few friends over next week, and I can introduce you to more people. You won’t be the new kid at school. You can be the newish kid. Trust me, it makes all the difference.”