Page 97 of The Pilot

“I have no right to ask you anything, because we’re nothing to each other, but please don’t ever go back to him. Donny.”

“Never,” Ginger breathed. “And . . . we’re not nothing. We’re friends now, remember?”

“Yeah. But again, you don’t have to say hi to me at school, I understand it would make you look bad to your friends.”

“Screw that,” she said. “This experience has taught me that I’ve been a shallow bitch. Judging people for things that just don’t matter. I don’t care about your red hair, or that you’re skinny, or that you’re in the robotics club. You’ve been amazing out here, and I wouldn’t have known what to do without you.”

Okay, that wasn’t exactly a compliment, but Kash knew what she meant. And was pleased about it. “And I don’t care that you’re rich and stuck up and care way too much about clothes and makeup. You’re pretty okay yourself, Ginger.”

She laughed. “I guess I deserved that, didn’t I?” she asked. She sat up, allowing Kash to sit up as well. They rearranged the blankets so they each had one wrapped around their shoulders.

Looking Kash in the eye, she said, “All I’m trying to say is . . . I’m sorry.”

“Apology accepted.”

“Just like that?” she asked skeptically.

“Just like that,” he said firmly.

“Okay.”

“Okay.”

“Now I really do have to pee,” Ginger said.

“Me too.” They shared a small smile before standing. “You go left and I’ll go right?” Kash asked.

Ginger nodded.

The rest of the morning went by extremely slowly. They played another game of Trivial Pursuit, but it was hard to concentrate when their bellies were growling so loudly. The weather had warmed up a little, so that was a relief, but it wasn’t warm by any stretch.

“Want to go for a walk?” Kash asked Ginger.

“No, but yes. Anything to get out of this cabin.”

Kash had no destination in mind, but figured they could walk around and check out the island, since they hadn’t been able to do so before now because of the cold. It really was a pretty place. He wasn’t surprised there were people who built cabins out there. Even though it was so far from the mainland, he could see the appeal of the peace and quiet.

They were circling back around to the cabins, to see if they could get into one of the others that had been boarded up tight, when an out-of-the-ordinary noise registered.

He froze, and Ginger did the same.

They shared a look—then started running toward the dock at the same time.

A motor! There was a boat out there. Maybe they could signal it somehow. Make someone see them and come investigate.

His heart beating out of his chest, Kash burst from the tree line ahead of Ginger and stared in disbelief at what he saw. The boat they’d heard was coming straight for them! It wasn’t puttering around in the water, wasn’t a pleasure craft—it was coming for them!

Joy and relief filled his heart. They were rescued! The last three days felt like an eternity, but knowing he wouldn’t have to be stuck here for weeks made him almost dizzy with gratitude.

“They’re really coming for us, right?” Ginger asked.

“They are,” Kash confirmed. He couldn’t stop smiling. He couldn’t see who was on the boat, but it didn’t really matter.

As the craft got closer, Kash realized he was wrong. It did matter.

He could see both his mom and Linc standing at the side of the boat. They looked anxious and kind of freaked out, but just knowing the two people he loved most in the world were there, that they’d found him, broke through the stoic front he’d been putting on for Ginger.

He burst into tears, not ashamed in the least.