Page 29 of Instant Karma

One of the tourists looks back, notices us, and then goes right back to their conversation. Ignoring us entirely.

“Excuse us!” says Jude. “Could we get by?”

They don’t respond.

Ari honks the horn again. Andagain.They still don’t get out of the way.

What the heck? Do they think they own this boardwalk or something? Move!

My knuckles whiten on the steering wheel.

“Coming through! Can’t stop! Get out of the way!” someone yells, charging toward us from the other direction.

The tourists yelp in surprise and scatter as five teens on skateboards come barreling toward them. One of the women loses her sandal and it gets squashed beneath one of the skateboard’s wheels. A man hauls himself backward so fast he loses his balance and falls off the edge of the boardwalk, landing on hisbehind in the sand below. They all start yelling at the inconsiderate teenage hooligans, while Jude and Ari and I look at one another and shrug.

We pedal quickly past the tourists before they can regroup.

After returning the surrey, we order a gigantic basket of garlic fries from the fish-and-chips stand and sit out on the sidewalk, kicking sand at the greedy seagulls who come too close, trying to snap up our fries. When one of them comes so close it sends Ari squealing and ducking around a picnic table, Jude tosses some of the burnt bits from the bottom of the basket for the birds to fight over.

A second later, one of the stand’s employees sees him doing it and starts yelling because “every idiot knows better than to feed the wildlife!” Jude gets a guilt-ridden look on his face. He doesn’t do well with chastisement.

As soon as the employee turns away, I shake my fist at his back. I’m just lowering my arm when a seagull swoops down and snatches the paper hat off the employee’s head. He cries out and ducks in surprise as the bird soars away.

I watch as the bird and the hat disappear into the sunset.

Okay.

Is it just me, or…?

I glance down at my hand.

No. That’s ridiculous.

As the sun begins to sink toward the horizon, we finally make our way to the cove where the bonfire party is held each year, a stretch of shore about a mile north of downtown. I don’t know how long the bonfire tradition has been going on. How many classes have danced drunkenly around the flames, how many seniors have splashed fully dressed into the surf, how many make-out sessions have taken place in the rocky alcoves where people go to, well, make out. Supposedly. I wouldn’t know firsthand, but you hear stories.

We’re not the first ones to arrive, but we’re still on the early side. A couple of seniors are unloading coolers from the back of a pickup truck. A boy I recognize from math class is arranging kindling for the fire. The first arrivals are already staking out their spots, spreading blankets and towels on the beach, producing volleyballs and beer cans from large woven tote bags.

We pick a spot not far from the bonfire, unrolling the blanket that Aribrought with her and setting out a few low-slung beach chairs. Within minutes, Jude gets hailed by a few of our classmates and goes over to chat.

Ari turns to me. “I already know the answer to this, but just to be sure. Do you want to go in the water?”

I curl my nose in distaste.

“That’s what I thought.” Standing, she surprises me by pulling her paisley printed sundress over her head, revealing a pale pink bathing suit underneath. She’s clearly been wearing it all day, and it startles me a little bit to realize that I had no idea.

“Wait, you’re going swimming?” I ask.

“Notswimming,” she says. “But it’s a beach party. I figured I should at least get my feet wet. Sure you don’t want to join me?”

“Positive. Thanks.”

“Okay. Watch my guitar?”

She doesn’t wait for me to respond, because of course I will. Ari marches off down the shore. She doesn’t say hi to anyone, and I notice a few people giving her curious looks, wondering whether they should recognize her. Jude says she didn’t hesitate when he invited her to come to this party, even though she won’t know anyone. I wonder if she’s hoping to meet some more Fortuna Beach youth while we’re here, make some new friends. I should probably introduce her to some people when she comes back, but…

I look around, frowning. Honestly, I don’t know many people here, either. It’s almost entirely seniors and juniors so far. And the few sophomores I recognize, like Maya and her crew, I’m not exactly friends with.

Jude, though, will know lots of people. Even though he’s sort of a nerd, who watches old seasons ofStar Trekand has a whole shelf ofLord of the RingsFunko dolls, people like Jude. He has his own sort of charm. He has a soothing, easy-to-be-with presence.

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