She stalked off ahead. Daniel shrugged at me, then went back to collect Corey and Hayley. I caught up to Sam.
Dont, she said. Just dont, okay?
I was only going to say that we need to head that way. I pointed.
Right. A soft, choked laugh. Kind of ruins the dramatic effect if Im storming off in the wrong direction, doesnt it? She shook her head, then waited with me for the others to reach us.
SEVENTEEN
DARKNESS WAS FALLING. THERED been no sign of our pursuers, so we finally surrendered to exhaustion and found a sheltered grove of trees for the night.
We couldnt risk building a fire, but our clothing was long dried, and the night was warm, with the trees blocking the wind. Kenjii stretched out against my back, which was as good as a fire, and I should have dropped into an exhausted sleep. I didnt.
About a half hour passed before I heard Daniel get up. He tried to pad silently across our sleeping area, until he stopped by my head and hunkered down.
Yes, I cant sleep either, I whispered.
He motioned me up. Kenjii rolled to her feet and silently followed us. He didnt need me to take the lead. It was a three-quarter moon in a cloudless sky.
He kept checking over his shoulder, making sure I was still there. Every time he looked ahead, again Id watch him and remember what Sam said about Nicole. I imagined how hed react and that crushed any concern I had about not telling him the truth.
Hed blame himself, wonder what hed done to encourage Nicole, when the truth was that he hadnt encouraged her. Just being himself was enough. Nicole fell for Daniel for the same reasons almost every girl at Salmon Creek had, at one time or another. He wasnt hard to look atwavy blond hair, blue eyes, broad shoulders, gorgeous smile It was the smile that did it the most, because it wasnt calculated or flirtatiousit was open and it was friendly and it told you this was, as Sam said, a good guy. A really good guy. Thats why girls fell for Daniel. He could no more stop that than he could stop the sun from coming up.
So what did he get for being a decent guy? An obsessed classmate whod apparently killed his girlfriend, and was trying to do the same to his best friend because now shed decided I was the one keeping them apart.
Well, unless we encountered Nicole again, he wasnt going to find out about that. The obsessed classmate would remain a tragically kidnapped friend. The dead girlfriend would remain the victim of a freak accident no one could have foreseen. And the best friend had just panicked or been attacked by some underwater creature.
We reached an outcropping of rock far enough from the others that we could talk without disturbing them. We stretched out on our backs. Kenjii nestled down by our feet.
For a few minutes we lay in comfortable silence, enjoying the warm fall night andthe star-dotted sky.
Im sorry about Nicole, he said finally.
That startled me so much I pushed up onto my elbows.
Were you drifting off?
No. JustYou mean about leaving her behind? Dont be sorry.
Really, dont be sorry.
You were right, I continued. I was acting on emotion; you were using your head. Im sure shes on the mainland by now. A long way from here. At least, I hope she is.
I feel awful about leaving her behind.
Of course you do. But it was the right choice.
Im really glad shes alive. He looked over. That was great news. I was worried about you. Losing Rafe, and then Nicole, after you guys started being friends, and I know you werent over losing Serena yet. He paused and cleared his throat. Well, obviously. I just mean
I know. I tried to see his expression in the moonlight, but he was looking at the sky again. Thinking about Serena. After a moment, I slid my hand over his. I know youre not over her either.
Right.
The word came out thick and he turned his face a little farther to the other side. I sat up, cross-legged. When he didnt move, I touched his shoulder.
Anytime you want to talk
He sat up so fast I nearly toppled off the rock. He didnt seem to notice. He sat down again on the other side, looking the other way, feet dangling over the edge, his shoulders set.
Im sorry, I said. I just never know whether you want to talk or dont want to
I was going to break up with her.
He blurted it so fast, I wasnt sure I understood. I lowered myself to sit cross-legged beside him.
You were
I was going to break up with Serena. End it. Dump her. Right before she died.
Oh.
Yeah, oh. A sardonic twist of his lips. He went to stand. Forget it. I shouldnt have
I caught his hand. Dont. You want to talk about this, right?
He hesitated. Then another humorless smile. Im not sure talk is the right word. More like confess.
So what happened? I asked. She hadnt mentioned a fight or anything.
Because there wasnt one. Because nothing happened. Nothing went wrong. It just He took a deep breath, then let it out, cheeks puffing. He rubbed the back of his neck and shifted, then took another breath. We were doing fine. But it wasnt going anywhere. When she first asked me to that dance, I didnt feel right saying no. She was a friend and
Dont, she said. Just dont, okay?
I was only going to say that we need to head that way. I pointed.
Right. A soft, choked laugh. Kind of ruins the dramatic effect if Im storming off in the wrong direction, doesnt it? She shook her head, then waited with me for the others to reach us.
SEVENTEEN
DARKNESS WAS FALLING. THERED been no sign of our pursuers, so we finally surrendered to exhaustion and found a sheltered grove of trees for the night.
We couldnt risk building a fire, but our clothing was long dried, and the night was warm, with the trees blocking the wind. Kenjii stretched out against my back, which was as good as a fire, and I should have dropped into an exhausted sleep. I didnt.
About a half hour passed before I heard Daniel get up. He tried to pad silently across our sleeping area, until he stopped by my head and hunkered down.
Yes, I cant sleep either, I whispered.
He motioned me up. Kenjii rolled to her feet and silently followed us. He didnt need me to take the lead. It was a three-quarter moon in a cloudless sky.
He kept checking over his shoulder, making sure I was still there. Every time he looked ahead, again Id watch him and remember what Sam said about Nicole. I imagined how hed react and that crushed any concern I had about not telling him the truth.
Hed blame himself, wonder what hed done to encourage Nicole, when the truth was that he hadnt encouraged her. Just being himself was enough. Nicole fell for Daniel for the same reasons almost every girl at Salmon Creek had, at one time or another. He wasnt hard to look atwavy blond hair, blue eyes, broad shoulders, gorgeous smile It was the smile that did it the most, because it wasnt calculated or flirtatiousit was open and it was friendly and it told you this was, as Sam said, a good guy. A really good guy. Thats why girls fell for Daniel. He could no more stop that than he could stop the sun from coming up.
So what did he get for being a decent guy? An obsessed classmate whod apparently killed his girlfriend, and was trying to do the same to his best friend because now shed decided I was the one keeping them apart.
Well, unless we encountered Nicole again, he wasnt going to find out about that. The obsessed classmate would remain a tragically kidnapped friend. The dead girlfriend would remain the victim of a freak accident no one could have foreseen. And the best friend had just panicked or been attacked by some underwater creature.
We reached an outcropping of rock far enough from the others that we could talk without disturbing them. We stretched out on our backs. Kenjii nestled down by our feet.
For a few minutes we lay in comfortable silence, enjoying the warm fall night andthe star-dotted sky.
Im sorry about Nicole, he said finally.
That startled me so much I pushed up onto my elbows.
Were you drifting off?
No. JustYou mean about leaving her behind? Dont be sorry.
Really, dont be sorry.
You were right, I continued. I was acting on emotion; you were using your head. Im sure shes on the mainland by now. A long way from here. At least, I hope she is.
I feel awful about leaving her behind.
Of course you do. But it was the right choice.
Im really glad shes alive. He looked over. That was great news. I was worried about you. Losing Rafe, and then Nicole, after you guys started being friends, and I know you werent over losing Serena yet. He paused and cleared his throat. Well, obviously. I just mean
I know. I tried to see his expression in the moonlight, but he was looking at the sky again. Thinking about Serena. After a moment, I slid my hand over his. I know youre not over her either.
Right.
The word came out thick and he turned his face a little farther to the other side. I sat up, cross-legged. When he didnt move, I touched his shoulder.
Anytime you want to talk
He sat up so fast I nearly toppled off the rock. He didnt seem to notice. He sat down again on the other side, looking the other way, feet dangling over the edge, his shoulders set.
Im sorry, I said. I just never know whether you want to talk or dont want to
I was going to break up with her.
He blurted it so fast, I wasnt sure I understood. I lowered myself to sit cross-legged beside him.
You were
I was going to break up with Serena. End it. Dump her. Right before she died.
Oh.
Yeah, oh. A sardonic twist of his lips. He went to stand. Forget it. I shouldnt have
I caught his hand. Dont. You want to talk about this, right?
He hesitated. Then another humorless smile. Im not sure talk is the right word. More like confess.
So what happened? I asked. She hadnt mentioned a fight or anything.
Because there wasnt one. Because nothing happened. Nothing went wrong. It just He took a deep breath, then let it out, cheeks puffing. He rubbed the back of his neck and shifted, then took another breath. We were doing fine. But it wasnt going anywhere. When she first asked me to that dance, I didnt feel right saying no. She was a friend and
