Anything but Ordinary(25)

“Wow,” Carter said, making his fingers into a picture frame. “What a view.”

“Shut up,” she said, but they were both smiling. “I have a spot. It’s the perfect spot.”

She crept along the thick row of trees, peeking between them only to see more trees, more leaves. Over the past week, her legs had gotten stronger and stronger. She could almost walk normally now. Every step burned, but she relished the sore-muscle feeling. “Now I just have to remember where the opening is.”

Every so often she would stop, staring into the bushes, but she could tell that wasn’t the right way. She didn’t know how, because everything looked the same, but she could tell.

“It’s okay if you can’t remember, you know,” Carter called up at one point. “It has been five years of brain inactivity.”

“Doesn’t feel that way,” Bryce breathed to herself. Sweat began to drip from her forehead as they rustled along. She didn’t mind; it was good to be moving.

Suddenly, as if the trees were breathing a sigh of relief, they broke into a clearing. Bushes still dotted the grass, but beyond them lay nothing but a single, mangled crab apple tree, and the lake and sky in two shades of endless blue.

“Look.” Bryce rushed to the edge of the clearing and motioned for Carter. “The bank juts straight down so it’s really deep. With a cliff to dive off and everything.”

Bryce watched Carter take it all in. Even in his white Oxford and khaki pants, he seemed to belong here more than anyone she had seen. Gabby usually took this opportunity to apply suntan lotion, and Greg always scrambled down the bluff to jump in without a second look. But Carter was completely still, his blue-gray eyes drinking in the view without a word.

After a while he looked at Bryce, his eyes moving up and down her face. She felt herself blushing. “I didn’t bring a swimsuit,” he said absently.

“Oh.” Bryce cleared her throat. “Me neither.” A pang of loss hit her. “I don’t even know if I can swim anymore.”

They collapsed under the crab apple tree, Bryce letting out a grateful moan to get out of the beating sun. She stared through the maze of branches to the blue sky above.

“You ever seen one of these trees in the spring?” she asked, gesturing up to the berrylike crab apples.

“Yeah,” he said, grinning. “They blossom in these really pretty pink flowers.”

Bryce laughed at his enthusiasm.

Carter cleared his throat. “I mean, right? That’s what they do?” But then he let out a small laugh with her. “No, I know them well. My little brother used to climb up the ones on our street when the apples came in, throw ’em down, try to peg me.” He threw the grass he had pulled up in his hand, scattering the blades in the breeze.

“I used to do the same thing to my little sister,” Bryce remembered.

“Chucking apples at someone younger than you? That’s hardly fair.” Carter took this opportunity to grab a handful of crab apples and toss them at Bryce, one by one.

Bryce retaliated with a few apples of her own, trying to land them in the collar of his shirt. “I wish I could throw something at her now. She could use some sense knocked into her.”

Carter surrendered, blocking her aim with his shoulder. “Why? What’s she doing?”

“You’ve seen her.” Bryce chucked a crab apple toward the bluff.

Carter contemplated. “She’s probably just going through a stage.”

“Whatever,” Bryce grunted, launching apples further with each throw. “That’s not the point.”

“What is—” Carter started to ask.

Bryce stopped throwing. “The point is my parents totally dropped the ball.” She was getting frustrated now. Carter had seen her family plenty. He had to know what she was talking about. “She goes out every night looking like a baby prostitute. She comes home at three in the morning.”

“But she does come home.”

“So? She doesn’t get good grades. She doesn’t play any sports or do any activities. And my parents just sit around, moping about it, not doing anything.”

Carter shrugged. “Maybe it’s beyond their control.”

“You think?” Bryce asked sarcastically.

She stood up, wiping dirt and grass off of her butt. Carter looked up at her thoughtfully.

“You know, just because she’s not a star…” He trailed off, gesturing to her. “It doesn’t mean she’s a failure.”

Bryce smirked, kicking at the dirt. “Oh, sure, she’s a real winner.”

The sun was officially fading now, setting the few long, streaky clouds on fire.

“I want to go home,” Bryce muttered.

“If you say so. I say we’re missing the best part.” He nodded toward the sunset. Bryce wandered to the edge of the bluff, away from him, arms folded. What did he know about the best part? This was her lake.

They watched the deep blue of evening take over the sky. Then, without waiting, she took the lead, and soon they were back on the empty country road, gliding home through the cool air.

She could tell Carter was sneaking glances at her, still silent. When she happened to glance at him, his gaze was steeled ahead, one arm on the wheel. Thirty minutes later, they pulled up to Bryce’s house.