Together For Never by Marilyn Kaye

Author:Marilyn Kaye [Kaye, Marilyn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Holiday House
Published: 2023-03-14T00:00:00+00:00

Excuse me,” Charlotte said. She was feeling flustered, and she didn’t want her new friends to see this. “I’ll be right back.”

She left the table and headed toward the restrooms that were on the side of the café. Her insides were churning, but that was not why she needed to use the facilities. It was Lily again, messing with her head, which then messed up her stomach. Charlotte was doing so well before that stupid girl showed up, wearing that ridiculous T-shirt. Why did she do that? It was like she wanted people to make fun of her!

But the memory of Lily’s face as they teased her was pretty awful. Still, she deserved it for wearing that shirt, Charlotte told herself.

In the restroom, she checked herself out in the mirror over the sink. Her makeup was intact, the fake tan looked good, and twisting her hair up had been a brilliant idea.

It had all been going so well for her. When she arrived at the beach in the early afternoon, she spotted them, gathered together on a beach blanket. Pretending not to notice them, she strolled in that direction and paused just by their blanket to take off her sunglasses. And she caught the eye of the boy she’d seen at the restaurant the evening before.

He stared at her for a second, and then said, “Hi.”

She looked at him, affected a momentary expression of puzzlement, and then smiled. “Oh, hi. You were at the Barnacle Tavern last night, right?”

“Yeah. Hey, you got a cigarette?”

“No, sorry. Actually, I don’t think you’re allowed to smoke on the beach.” Then, realizing she might have sounded like a prude, she added, “Isn’t that ridiculous? I mean, the beach is, like, outside.”

He nodded. “Right.”

Then, the girl with the spiky cut said, “I’m thirsty. Anyone got water?”

Nobody did, and it was decided they’d go to the café for something to drink. They all began to get up, and the boy turned to Charlotte.

“Wanna come?”

“Okay.”

No one else spoke to her as they walked to Chez Betty, but they weren’t giving her bad looks either. Most of the big lunch crowd were gone, so they snagged the round table for six in the center of the terrace.

“Where are you guys from?” she asked the boy.

He named a town that was at least an hour or more from where she lived, which was a relief. It wasn’t likely they’d know anyone at her school.

“What about you?” the boy asked.

She told the truth. Unfortunately, the girl with the short hair did know someone.

“My cousin lives there. Joey Dale, he’s a junior at the high school. You know him?”

She pretended to think. “I’m not sure...”

The guy with the six-pack spoke. “No one knows your cousin, Cassie. He’s a total nerd.”

Cassie laughed. “True.”

Now she knew one name. It was time to get the others. “I’m Charlotte,” she offered.

The other names came quickly. She was focused on the guy with the streaked blond hair—his name was Paul. Muscle guy was Jason, and the long-haired dude mumbled something she didn’t get.

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