For Real(62)

“Your sister,” Will says. “Keep going. You’ve got this.”

I manage to make it to the end of the lane and circle the statue without dropping my apple. Will moves in to make the transfer, and we both tip our heads to the right, as if we’re about to kiss. I pray I haven’t made the apple too sweaty to hold. “I don’t have a very good grip,” he says when he manages to grab it. “Could you nudge it in there more tightly somehow?” I end up using my nose like a seal with a ball, to help him reposition the apple, and the whole thing is so ridiculous that we both end up giggling hysterically.

We set off in the other direction. Miranda and Samir are still sitting down in their lane, waiting for their penalty to be up, and I notice that my sister is staring at me very intently. I shoot her a sympathetic smile, but she doesn’t smile back. When her referee blows his whistle and lowers his red flag, she and Samir leap to their feet, and Miranda tucks her apple back between her knees. But before she’s taken three steps, it shoots forward like it’s been launched from a slingshot and rolls across the grass.

“God, Miranda, what’s wrong with you? When did you get so freaking clumsy?” Samir snaps as they sit back down. I hate that he’s yelling at her, but I have to admit I’m surprised, too. My sister’s usually really coordinated.

Will has no trouble keeping the apple in place under his chin. He reaches the end of the lane just as Tawny and Troy arrive, and he slowly crouches until his face is level with my thighs. I brace my hands on his shoulders, squat, and stick out my knees, and after a minute of awkward maneuvering, I manage to grab the apple between my legs. It stays there for a total of eight steps, and then it bounces off my shin and rolls into the next lane. Martin drops his apple at almost the same moment, and both our referees blow their whistles and raise their red flags.

“Sorry, I thought I had it,” I say.

“Don’t worry,” Will says. “It’s no big deal. You’re doing great.”

Miranda’s penalty ends moments after I sit down, and she immediately raises her pink Heartbreaker card high in the air. “I want to switch partners!” she yells.

Her referee jogs over, followed by a producer. “Who do you choose as your new partner?” he asks.

I expect her to pick Martin—it would be the best strategic move, since it would knock him and Zora out of first place. But instead she says, “I choose Claire.”

If this had happened while we were in Java, I would have been thrilled and flattered that my sister wanted to be with me. If it had happened yesterday, when I was with Troy, I would have been relieved. But everything is different now, and for the first time, the thought of racing with my sister actually makes me unhappy. This swap benefits her, but it doesn’t help me at all. Miranda knows how much I like being with Will. Is she trying to separate us on purpose, as payback for slowing her down yesterday?

“That’s not even allowed,” Samir says. “The teams have to be boy-girl, right?”

Miranda shoves her card in the producer’s face and points at the small print. “It says right here that I can swap my partner for either penalized racer. I want Claire. I can have Claire, right?”

The producer takes a step back, obviously put off by her aggressive tone. “Yes, same-sex partners are allowed for this challenge. Claire, Miranda is your partner for the rest of this leg of the race. Samir, your new partner is Will. Please join him in the far lane.”

Samir looks anguished. “I have to race with a guy? Are you kidding me?”

“I can’t believe she’s separating us,” I say to Will. “This sucks.”

“She’s probably just intimidated by the hazardous level of awesome radiating from our lane.” He reaches out and squeezes my hand. “Thanks for an amazing morning, Dominique.”

I’m not sure if he’s referring to the kiss or the pastry licking or the fact that we’re near the front of the pack. But in any case, he looks genuinely sorry to be separating from me, which makes me feel warm all the way through. I hang on to his fingers for as long as I can. “We’ll be back together soon,” I say. “There’s probably just one more challenge after this one. I’ll try to beat you to the finish line so I can pick you for the next leg.”

He gives me a sly smile. “Oh, please. As if you could possibly beat me. This is my million dollars, after all.”

“Claire, let’s go!” Miranda calls. She sounds incredibly pissed, so I smile at Will one last time and run off to join her. I haven’t even made it to her lane before Tawny drops her apple and Will swoops in to steal her, leaving Samir to partner with Troy.

“Look how pissed Samir is,” I whisper to my sister gleefully.

“Let’s get this stupid relay over with,” she snaps, like I haven’t said anything. “Roll your pants up above your knees. The apples are less slippery if they’re against bare skin.” She starts doing the same with her own.

If Miranda and I hadn’t been separated at the starting line, would she have been this bossy and demanding for the whole race? And why is she so pissed now, when she’s successfully gotten rid of Samir? For a minute, I consider using my Heartbreaker card to steal Will back as soon as I have the opportunity—I shouldn’t have to put up with my sister’s attitude when I’m the one who deserves to be upset. But Samir could pull ahead if we waste any more time, and neither of us wants that. I can suck it up for one more challenge.