Desert Crossing by Elise Broach Page A

didn’t say anything. She was watching him, her paintbrush dripping noiselessly onto the cloth.
    â€œYou two are out of your minds,” Kit said. “What about your dad? What about our spring break?”
    â€œI’m not going,” Jamie said.
    â€œJamie—” Kit shook his head, looking from Jamie to Beth. “What the—?” He turned to me.
    â€œMe neither,” I said quietly.
    Kit started to say something, then changed his mind. He sank heavily into the couch, exhaling loudly.
    â€œThis is nuts,” he said, looking at the three of us. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”
    Nobody answered him. There was nothing to say.
    *   *   *
    Later that afternoon, I lay across the bed in the blue bedroom, pressing the phone close to my mouth and talking to Ginny. There was too much to tell her, and this time saying it aloud made it seem more absurd, like I was making it up. I started with the girl.
    â€œWow,” Ginny said. “But that’s great. I mean, I thought Jamie was going to jail, for sure. I thought we’d be visiting him in, like, a New Mexico prison. Can you imagine? And now it’s just nothing.”
    â€œIt’s not nothing,” I said. “She’s still dead.”
    â€œI know, I know,” Ginny said hurriedly. “And it’s so bizarre. Whoever heard of dying when you’re twenty? That is freaky. I didn’t mean it’s nothing-nothing. I just mean you can go to your dad’s now. You know?”
    â€œWe can’t,” I said. “Not yet.”
    â€œWhy not?”
    I considered all the possible answers to that question, and finally blurted out, “Jamie slept with Beth.”
    I could hear her rustling with interest. “What?”
    â€œJamie. He slept with Beth.”
    â€œWho’s that?”
    â€œThe lady who lives here, at the house where we’re staying. I told you about her. The artist.”
    â€œBut I thought you said—”
    â€œYeah, she’s old. As old as…” I didn’t want to say my mom.
    Ginny blew out a long, impressed breath. “Wow. He slept with her? Are you sure? Maybe they just made out.”
    I sighed. “No, I don’t think so.” I told her what had happened in the hallway.
    â€œWow,” she said again.
    â€œAnd Kit kissed me.” I added this quickly, going for broke. I might as well tell her everything.
    â€œ What? ” She shrieked into the phone, and I could hear the springs of her mattress squeak as she bounced on the bed.
    â€œI know.”
    â€œKit the zit? You’re kidding.”
    â€œNo, I’m not. And you can’t call him that anymore.”
    â€œLucy! No way!”
    I sighed. “It’s true.”
    â€œHoly shit. What is going on down there? I think you guys need to come back to Kansas pronto. ”
    â€œWe do,” I said fervently. “We really do. But we can’t yet.”
    â€œWait, stop. Tell me about kissing Kit. What was it like? How did that even happen? ”
    â€œI don’t know. It was just—” I felt shy about it suddenly. “It was nice,” I said finally.
    â€œBetter than Scott Lampere?”
    â€œWell, of course. Duh.”
    â€œOkay, okay. But still. I just can’t see it. Kit’s always so mean. He can be horrible. And he never even looks at us. I thought he couldn’t stand us.”
    â€œMe too,” I said.
    Ginny waited a minute. When I didn’t say anything, she sighed. “Well, I guess he changed his mind. Which is good.” I could hear her reevaluating. Kit was being reborn in her mind. “I mean, he is cute. You have to admit.”
    â€œUh-huh.”
    â€œHe’s really cute, actually.”
    â€œI know.”
    â€œWith that hair. His girlfriends are always pretty.”
    â€œYeah.”
    â€œSo do you think you and Kit—?”
    â€œNo. No, it’s not like that.