Mosaic by Jeri Taylor Page B

hurt his feelings, she was just
    irked. But she saw Mary and Emma looking at her in shocked
    surprise, and realized she'd gone too far. "I'm sorry,
    Hobbes. I didn't mean it . . . it's just been a frustrating
    day. I really want to go swimming, and I can't seem to get
    any enthusiasm from these two."
    Mary's dander was still up. "I was enthusiastic-until I
    realized how reckless and dangerous this is. Kathryn wants
    to climb down the face of the quarry. That's ridiculous."
    "Only way to get there," said Hobbes mildly.
    "Well, I'm not doing it. I'm going back."
    "Me, too," chimed in Emma, and both rose to their feet.
    Kathryn stared at them. were they abandoning her?
    Leaving her here with Hobbes Johnson? She glared in
    disbelief.
    "Fine," she heard herself saying. "Go on back.
    If you're not brave enough to do it, I don't want you
    around." Again, she immediately regretted her words. It was
    as though her mouth were an organism unto itself, acting
    without her permission. She saw Mary draw herself up, hurt
    and angry. "If you have any sense at all, you'll come back
    with us. Face it, Kathryn-this was a terrible idea."
    "If I decide to do something, I'm not going to back out
    just because it gets a little difficult. But you do
    whatever you want." Kathryn's face felt hot, and she
    realized she was just being stubborn, but the more the
    conversation went on, the more she felt herself dig in.
    "Come on, Mary. Let's go." Emma looked eager to leave the
    quarry and the unpleasantness. Mary gave Kathryn one more
    somber look. "Kathryn?"
    Kathryn merely shook her head, obstinate. The two other
    girls shrugged, lifted their bags, and headed for the maze
    of rocks that would lead them away from the quarry and back
    toward the colony. Kathryn watched them leave, suddenly
    feeling alone and friendless.
    And worst of all, now she was stuck with Hobbes Johnson.
    She gave him an awkward glance.
    He was watching the retreating girls, face impassive. What
    should she do? Wait a decent interval and then follow them?
    She couldn't imagine spending another two minutes with
    Hobbes. She looked down at the water below, remembering her
    determination to make it down there, to swim in the clear
    waters of the quarry, to practice her diving techniques.
    She felt Hobbes' eyes on her and looked up at him. He
    wasn't quite as vulky-looking as he used to be, but no one
    would ever call him attractive. He no longer wore braces,
    but a few red pimples dotted his face; apparently even
    dermal-regeneration treatments didn't work on his acne.
    Kathryn thought it looked disgusting. And he was as thin as
    ever, a long, reedy boy with a skinny neck and hair that
    tufted in unruly patches on his head. And there they were,
    alone together at the top of the quarry. Now what?
    "Want to give it a try?" Hobbes' voice was as neutral as
    ever. It was as though he were suggesting they take a walk
    through the cornfields. Kathryn hesitated, options warring
    within her. She really, really wanted to swim in that
    quarry. She really, really didn't want to do it with Hobbes
    Johnson.
    She glanced down again, saw the clear water below,
    beckoning to her.
    She shrugged, feigning tedium. "Might as well." She hefted
    her bag, rearranged the straps to carry it on her back, and
    edged toward the cliff wall to search for the best starting
    place.
    "It's over here," said Hobbes, walking to a small crevasse
    a few meters away.
    He stepped easily into it, swinging his body around and
    deftly grasping handholds. He began climbing confidently
    down the quarry face, hands and feet finding their way with
    ease and efficiency. Kathryn was impressed. She'd done her
    share of rock climbing-credit The Meadows with that, for
    including this ancient sport in their physical curriculum-and had always enjoyed the challenge, but she lacked ease
    and style. She moved to the crevasse, immediately saw the
    places where Hobbes had found purchase, and began to follow
    him down the steep wall of the