Less Than Three

Chapter 11: If Only ...

8:10 PM Where do you go when your best friend hates you, your boyfriend is possibly hanging out with racy girls and you've suddenly discovered your guy friends are off limits?

I hit the coffee shop first. Maybe Kiersten could help me figure out where everything had gone wrong? She wasn't there. I headed to her apartment next, but her mother said she'd just left.

I tried going home after that. Within five minutes, Mom started talking about my "website" again.

The park seemed like a good idea, but when I heard bottle rockets, I skirted the main grounds and walked down the hill to the playground. You know, just in case Craig and Dave were in the vicinity.The sight of the tall metal slide and retro-style swings made me smile. I took a spin on the merry-go-round for old time's sake. I climbed up the chains that led to the rusty old fort. I was about to squeeze through the hole that led to the fire pole when I heard someone coming. The girl's voice sounded familiar. The boy's voice did too. The third voice I knew for sure; it was Brady.

I should have slid down the pole, jumped out, and announced my presence right then. It might have been a little uncomfortable but not as awful as what happened when I ... did not slide ... did not jump ... did not announce.

I blame my decision on the fourth voice I heard: Lily Peterson's. I had both arms and one leg wrapped around the fire pole when she said, "So, you and Summer are like ...?"

And Brady answered, "No. Yes. I don't know."

Call me curious. Instead of joining the group, I flattened myself against the sticky floor of the little fort and peered out through the metal slats to spy on my boyfriend.

Why were Brady and Jacob in town when Madison thought they were at the racetrack? What was Kiersten doing there with Lily, when they were supposed to be sworn enemies? And how did the four of them end up together? Those questions were burning a hole straight through me. But I could have let it go.

Really, I could have. If only Lily hadn't said, "I hear Summer and Dave are pretty tight these days."

What? Dave Brown and me? Tight?

Brady was quiet, but Jacob had plenty to say. He started with, "Yeah, it's funny how she sticks her nose in my business when she's ..." And then he went on to list all the times I'd been spotted within five miles of Dave Brown within the past week. He made each one of them sound like part of some grand romantic scheme instead of the series of unfortunate accidents that they were.

Seriously. Have you ever tried to avoid someone in a town as small as New Concord?

I waited for Brady to defend me but after a couple of minutes, he frowned and rubbed his hands over his face. Then he stood and started walking away.

Kiersten jumped off the swings after him. "I don't think Summer sees it that way," she said. I was grateful to have such a wise and loyal friend. If I wanted to hear anything else she might have to say, I'd have to figure out a way to follow them. Note to Self: Do not pursue a career that involves following. You suck at it.

I lagged too far behind. By the time I made my move, I couldn't see Brady and the rest. I couldn't hear them either. I did hear the thumping bass of a car stereo though. It was the kind of music my boyfriend could not resist so I headed in that direction.

I hadn't gone far when familiar laughter replaced the beat. I panicked and ran toward the lake. Searching desperately for somewhere to hide, I settled on the lifeguard rowboat at the far end of the beach. I climbed in and hunkered down in the bottom of the boat.