Beautiful Darkness(20)

“That wouldn't be Gatlin peach, would it, ma'am?”

Amma sniffed and nodded her head. “Just might be.”

She would never admit it, but Amma had finally developed a soft spot for Link, after all these years. Link thought it was because Amma felt sorry for his mom after her invasion-of-the-body-snatchers experience with Sarafine, but that wasn't it. She felt bad for Link. “Can't believe that boy has to live in the house with that woman. He'd be better off if he was bein’ raised by wolves.” That's what she'd said last week before she packed up a pecan pie for him.

Link looked at me and grinned. “Best thing that ever happened to me, Lena's mom gettin’ mixed up with my mom. Never had so much a Amma's pie in my life.” It was about as much as he ever said about Lena's nightmare of a birthday anymore. He floored it, and the Beater went skidding down the road. It almost wasn't worth mentioning that we were late, as usual.

“Did you study for English?” It wasn't really a question. I knew Link hadn't cracked a book since seventh grade.

“Nah. I'm gonna copy offa someone.”

“Who?”

“What do you care? Somebody smarter than you.”

“Yeah? Last time you copied off Jenny Masterson, and you both got D's.”

“I didn't have time to study. I was writin’ a song. We might play it at the county fair. Check it out.” Link sang along with the song, which sounded weird because he was singing along to a recording of his own voice. “Lollipop Girl, took off without a word, was callin’ out your name, but you never heard.”

Great. Another song about Ridley. Which shouldn't have surprised me, since he hadn't written a song about anything but Ridley for four months now. I was beginning to think he would always be hung up on Lena's cousin, who was nothing like her. Ridley was a Siren, who used her Power of Persuasion to get what she wanted with one lick of a lollipop. Which, for a while, was Link. Even though she had used him and disappeared, he hadn't forgotten her. But I couldn't blame him. It was probably tough being in love with a Dark Caster. It was pretty tough sometimes with a Light one, too.

I was still thinking about Lena, despite the deafening roar in my ears, until Link's voice was drowned out altogether, and I heard Seventeen Moons. Only now the words had changed.

Seventeen moons, seventeen turns,



Eyes so dark and bright it burns,



Time is high but one is higher,



Draws the moon into the fire …





Time is high? What did that even mean? It wasn't going to be Lena's Seventeenth Moon for eight more months. Why was time high now? And who was the one, and what was the fire?

I felt Link smack the side of my head, and the song disappeared. He was shouting over his demo tape. “If I can get the backbeat down, it'll be a pretty rockin’ tune.” I stared at him, and he knocked me in the head again. “Shake it off, man. It's just an exam. You look as crazy as Miss Luney, the hot-lunch lady.”

Thing is, he wasn't that far off.





When the Beater pulled into the Jackson High parking lot, it still didn't feel like the last day of school. For the seniors, it wasn't. They would have graduation tomorrow, and a party that lasted all night and usually gave more than a few people a brush with alcohol poisoning. But for us sophomores and juniors, we had one more exam until we were free.

Savannah and Emily walked past Link and me, ignoring us. Their short skirts were even shorter than usual, and we could see bikini strings hanging out from under their tank tops. Tie-dye and pink gingham.

“Check it out. Bikini season.” Link grinned.

I had almost forgotten. We were only an exam away from an afternoon at the lake. Everyone who was anyone was wearing bathing suits under their clothes today, since summer didn't officially start until you had taken your first swim off the shores of Lake Moultrie. Kids from Jackson had a place we hung out, up past Monck's Corner, where the lake opened deep and wide into what felt like an ocean when you were swimming in it. Except for all the catfish and the swamp weeds, you could be out to sea. This time last year, I rode to the lake in the back of Emory's brother's truck with Emily, Savannah, Link, and half the basketball team. But that was last year.

“You goin’?”

“Nah.”

“I've got an extra suit in the Beater, but it's not as cool as these puppies.” Link pulled up his shirt so I could see his bathing suit, which was bright orange and yellow plaid. About as low-key as Link was.

“I'll pass.” He knew why I wasn't going, but I wouldn't say it. I had to act like things were okay.

Like Lena and I were okay.

Link wasn't giving up today. “I'm sure Emily's savin’ you half her towel.” It was a joke, because we both knew she wasn't. Even the pity parade had moved on, along with the hate campaign. I guess we were such easy targets these days, the sport was gone, like shooting fish in a barrel.

“Give it a rest.”

Link stopped walking and put his hand up to stop me. I shoved his hand away before he could start talking. I knew what he was going to say, and as far as I was concerned, the conversation was over before it started.

“Come on. I know her uncle died. Quit actin’ like you're both still at the funeral. I know you love her, but …” He didn't want to say it, even though we were both thinking it. He never brought it up anymore, because he was Link, and he sat at the lunch table with me when nobody else would.