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Chapter six
Truth or Dare
“Ithinkthatonelooks like a crushed sailboat. Like God stomped it like a bug,” Mackie says, as we all stare at the stars.
The view from the beach we’re lying on is even better than at home. We’re all on vacation together in Charleston, South Carolina. We’re at this gorgeous house right on the beach. It’s mid-August, and this is the last hurrah before junior year starts in a few weeks.
This is our last night here before we head home early tomorrow. It’s been a kick-ass vacation, especially since we know the place now.
Joel’s dad has a client who rents out beachfront houses and when he mentioned this, my parents, Aaron’s parents, and Miles’s parents were very interested. Mackie’s mom said Mackie was welcome to join us, but she and Mackie’s stepdad always take one vacation per year. Alone. Because between them, they have eight kids and that’s a lot. I get why they’d want to be alone.
The first time we came here was two years ago. It’s become a tradition since then and we love it.
The parents hang out and drink wine and we spend a week living in a huge basement together, goofing around, and having a blast playing on the beach, exploring the town, and eating seafood and ice cream till we burst.
I love the beach, and I look forward to coming here. With all of us getting older—I can’t believe we’re about to start junior year of high school—and college visits and all that. I’m not sure it’ll happen next year, so I’ve been trying to soak it all up even more than normal.
“I think that one looks like a half-deflated balloon,” Miles says with a laugh.
“I think we’re bad at this,” Sarah says.
“What about you two? See anyactualconstellations? This is your thing,” Joel says to Aaron and me, who are lying on a blanket, hands intertwined, staring up at the stars.
Aaron points his arm straight up. “See that one, there? Looks like a body with no head running around? That’s Hercules.”
They all stare up.
“Nah, you’ve lost me,” Joel says.
“And all of us,” Mackie agrees.
“Let’s head inside,” Sarah says. “Have some fun on our last night here.”
“Like you aren’t excited to get back to Trevor,” Mackie says with a grin.
“Maybe, okay? I’ve missed him. We’ve been together for three years. We rarely go a day without seeing each other.”
Her voice fades as she heads for the house.
“Hey, you guys coming?” Miles asks.
“In a few,” I say.
“Still gotta make our wishes,” Aaron says quietly to me.
Miles rolls his eyes. “Right, the wishes. Well, whenever you want to join the rest of the party, come on inside.”
Once they’ve all gone in, Aaron and I look at each other.
“Shall we?” he asks.
I nod, then point to what looks like the brightest star.
He nods in agreement, then says, “You go first, Beautiful.”
I inhale deeply and close my eyes. I open them, exhale, stare up at the star, and make my wish.
I wish that the six of us will always spend amazing summer nights together.
