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“Hey, what if she tries to text while driving?” Michael whispered, nervously eying her phone in the center console. “Do we call the cops on her?”
“Trust me, she does not want to get grounded and lose her car privileges,” Barrie whispered. “All she cares about is hanging out with her cool friends.”
The light turned green, and Rita had no choice but to focus on the road. Barrie relaxed slightly. At least carpool with his sister was less boring than carpool with his mom. And Rita was a decent driver…not that he was surprised. His sister was usually pretty responsible.
Well…for a teenager, to quote his parents.
Rita switched on the radio. A familiar song blared out of the speakers. It was the Lost Boys’ new hit single, “Never Land.”
“Your birthday is almost here,” Michael said to Barrie, punching his arm playfully. “Lost Boys concert, here we come!” He broke into an air guitar jam as the song hit the upbeat pop chorus.
“Second star to the right and straight on till morning,” the three of them sang along. Even Rita bopped her head along to the catchy tune. Nobody could resist it.
“Yeah, can’t wait. It’s gonna rock,” Barrie said with a grin. “But first, I have to go to the maritime museum with my family this weekend.” He rolled his eyes at the thought.
“The maritime museum?” John said. “What’s that?”
“Uh, like some kind of stupid boat museum,” Barrie said. “We’re going on Sunday. My dad loves that history stuff. But it looks pretty boring if you ask me.”
“Nah, it’s dope,” Michael said, perking up. “My family went last year when my cousins visited from Maine. The pirate stuff is the best part!”
“Oh, right,” Barrie said, remembering the picture on the website that morning. “Wasn’t there, like, some famous pirate captain?”
“Yup,” Michael said. “Apparently, he was the most dangerous and bloodthirsty pirate on the high seas! There are all kinds of sick stories about his misadventures.”
“Like what?” Barrie asked.
“Well, I don’t remember,” Michael admitted. “I wasn’t paying that much attention on the tour. But there’s a real pirate ship you get to go inside. And instead of a hand, he has a hook.”
“A hook?” John said nervously.
“I know! I saw the picture,” Barrie said. “Do they really not know how he lost his hand?”
“Nope. Nobody knows,” Michael said. “It’s like some kind of mega mystery. Even the tour guide didn’t know.”
“A real-life mystery,” Barrie said quietly, intrigued. He’d always wanted to solve a real-life mystery, like the boys in his books. “I wonder what happened to it. Do you think someone chopped it off with a sword? Or maybe it got caught up in the ropes on the ship during a storm and just, like, popped off.”
“Ew!” John cried.
“And why does he wear a hook?” Barrie wondered.
“Argh, matey!” Michael growled, slashing at them both with his index finger curled into a hook.
Barrie and John both flinched back, but then they all burst out laughing.
“Lost Boys forever,” Michael said, reaching out his hand.
They executed their secret group handshake, gripping each other’s wrists, then sliding their hands apart and shimmying their shoulders.
“Never grow up,” John added.
“Never,” Barrie agreed. “Kids forever.” But the second the words left his lips, he fel
t a thump of foreboding. “Look…I know we’re graduating on Friday. But we’re gonna stay friends, right? Even in junior high?”
“Like major duh,” Michael said. “Changing schools won’t change us.”
“Yeah, and we’re gonna have a blast this summer,” John added.
