The Art of Losing(31)

“What about it?”

“A couple people from the program are having a party, and I wondered if you’d go with me?”

I tried not to look as surprised as I felt. “That . . . would be fun,” I said, ignoring the nervous flutter in my stomach that awoke every time I had to be social.

“Since you offered the other day, I thought maybe you’d want to meet a few of them. Plus, get out of the house, away from the hospital . . . but you don’t have to worry about anyone being drunk.”

“You don’t have to sell me on it,” I assured him. “I already said yes.”

He grinned and even pumped his fist before he suddenly got embarrassed and tried to pretend he was just stretching.

“Get some sleep,” I told him. I couldn’t hide my smile. “I think you’re delirious from all the sun.”

Raf laughed. “You’re one to talk. I’d forgotten that you had freckles, but now they’re all over your face.” He reached out and brushed a finger down the bridge of my nose, sending a shiver down my spine.

I could feel the tightness in my skin that told me I had gotten a sunburn. But that was pretty much to be expected when you spend all your time indoors. I could tell my shoulders were going to hurt tomorrow. I should have let Aunt Tilly put sunscreen on me while she was slathering up Spencer.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, sunshine,” Raf said. “Thanks for a great day.”





One Year Ago



It was Sunday, two days after the last of our finals. Officially summer. So I woke up in a pretty good mood. I could hear Mom and Dad downstairs talking about their plans for the day. Neither one had decided to wake me, even though it was past ten. Next door, Audrey’s bedroom was silent as I puttered around, showering and drying my hair, even though it was so humid outside that I would just end up pulling it back anyway.

I was tempted to get back in bed and watch TV, but the sun was out, and it wasn’t blazing hot yet, so I called Cassidy.

“I’m coming to get you,” I said when she answered. “We’re going on a road trip.”

She was quiet for a few seconds. “Why?” she asked suspiciously.

“What do you mean why? Because it’s summer and we’re sixteen and we can.”

Cassidy was still skeptical. “Where are we going?”

“Where do you want to go?”

She was quiet again. “Is Mike coming?” she asked finally.

And suddenly I understood the reason for her resistance. She and Mike tolerated each other’s presence, at best. On bad days, they fought like a Republican and a Democrat discussing the economy. Except their arguments were about less important things, like which one of them was a better driver, who was the least likable character on a TV show they both watched (and loved spoiling for each other), and whether the local high school needed to change their mascot to be less offensive.

Cassidy was opinionated. But she wasn’t argumentative. It was a rare combination and one reason why she was so good in student government. The truth is, outside of her family, I had never seen her fight with anyone but Mike. I didn’t know what it was about him that made her so antagonistic, but it was clear to me by then, nearly two years into my relationship with Mike, that they needed to be kept apart.

“No Mike,” I said. “This is just us and the open road.”

“Okay,” she said with a relieved sigh. “Then come get me.”

“Be there in twenty. And wear pants.”

“Um, I always wear pants?” she said.

I laughed. “No, I don’t mean ‘wear something to cover your butt.’ I meant actually wear pants. Jeans. And sneakers or boots.”

She was quiet. Suspicious.

“Just trust me, okay? I have a plan.”

“Fine,” she said with a sigh. “See you soon.”

I texted Mike to let him know that I wasn’t going to be around for the rest of the day and told him not to text me. He said he would try his best and then immediately texted me three more times before I’d even left the house.

I pulled up in front of Cassidy’s house a half hour later. She opened the front door before I even honked.

I put on a song I knew she liked as she opened the door.

“Okay, what’s going on?” she asked. “Am I dying or something? Have you been elected to be my one-woman Make-A-Wish Foundation?”

I laughed and turned the music down. “No, don’t be ridiculous. I just woke up today and realized I hadn’t spent a single day alone with you since Christmas break. That was six months ago.”

She had been busy all spring with yearbook and government, but I hadn’t made much effort to see her when she was free. Because the days she had off aligned with the days that Mike was free from his basketball and lacrosse commitments—he had practice on weekdays after school and games on Saturdays. Sundays were our day together, but before Will had changed Cassidy’s schedule, it was also the only day she was free.

But this Sunday was ours.

I got on I-95 headed south toward Richmond and Cassidy raised an eyebrow. “Where, exactly, are you taking me?” she asked.

“If I told you, it’d ruin the surprise,” I said.

“Kings Dominion?” she guessed. “Busch Gardens? Colonial Williamsburg?”