which would always elude it, somehow it managed to look hopeful.
11. clamdigger
THE NEXT DAY , Imani waited until the break before final period, then slipped a note into Diego’s locker with an invitation to meet her in person. A junior 80 saw her and would probably rat her out for it. But it wouldn’t matter, because Imani had already ratted herself out.
That afternoon, a few hours after high tide, Imani took Frankenwhaler up the river to a small strip of beach belonging to the Wentworths, a couple who went bowling with her parents once a week. Their ramshackle house was obscured by overgrown trees that were rapidly swallowing what was left of their beach. A three-wheeled ATV sat catty-corner to a shredded badminton net, and strewn about like seaweed was an assortment of plastic toys that belonged to their grandchild.
It was cool and overcast, no shadows anywhere, the sky auniform gray. Imani pulled on a sweater and waited. It felt strange to be picking up someone other than Cady. She wondered if Cady missed their afternoons on the river or if she preferred spending her time with Parker.
In the distance, she heard a low hum. It was nothing like Frankenscooter’s, but Imani could feel her heart beat anyway. As the sound grew, she tidied up the boat, folding the blanket and wiping down the bench. Eventually, a black scooter appeared between two trees, jolted over a big root, then skidded onto the sand. Without stopping, it came across the beach, swerved around two baby dolls, then stopped abruptly next to the ATV.
Diego didn’t dismount right away. He took in the surroundings first, hidden behind the visor of his black helmet. “So you have your own boat,” he said finally. “Fancy.”
Imani stepped out and dragged the boat sideways onto the beach. “Get in.”
Diego stowed his helmet in his trunk, then climbed into Imani’s boat and sat on the rear bench, right by the motor. Imani looked at him, confused, but he stared back innocently.
“Uh, I think
I’ll
drive,” Imani said.
“Oh, sorry.” Diego shifted to the middle bench.
“Have you ever been on a boat?” Imani asked, making no effort to keep the condescension out of her tone.
“Once or twice,” he said, refusing to acknowledge her condescension. “You’re not going to drown me, are you?” He grinned broadly.
Imani absorbed his smile but remained neutral. “We’ll see.”She pushed the boat off the sand and jumped gracefully into position at the motor, a move she had perfected.
“Impressive,” Diego said with a trace of sarcasm.
Imani didn’t respond.
She took it slow through the inlet that led from the Wentworths’ beach. Then, once in the river, she sped up and carved into a hard bend. Diego clung to the bench, and Imani noticed with satisfaction that his knuckles were white.
What a land monkey
, she thought.
As the boat emerged from the river into the turbulent channel, Diego twisted around to face her, his hands never leaving the bench. “Where are you taking me?”
Imani pointed to a low sandy mound ahead and to the left of them.
“Is that Chauncey Beach?” he shouted over the motor.
“Back side!” Imani shouted back. “Hold on.” She sped up and headed straight for the beach, observing with pleasure the tension that rose through Diego’s body as they accelerated. When his shoulders reached his ears, she cut the motor and let momentum and an incoming wave carry them toward the shore.
Diego’s body relaxed gradually, and he turned to face her, his expression accusing.
“Safe and sound,” she said.
“You’re fucking nuts.”
“You need a thesaurus.”
When they hit sand, Imani gestured for Diego to get out, then watched in amusement as he angled his long legs over the bow with a little jump to avoid getting his boots wet. He wastaller and leaner in his slim black jeans than she’d previously noticed. He looked out of place on the beach. Imani hopped out onto the damp sand and dragged the boat about eight
11. clamdigger
THE NEXT DAY , Imani waited until the break before final period, then slipped a note into Diego’s locker with an invitation to meet her in person. A junior 80 saw her and would probably rat her out for it. But it wouldn’t matter, because Imani had already ratted herself out.
That afternoon, a few hours after high tide, Imani took Frankenwhaler up the river to a small strip of beach belonging to the Wentworths, a couple who went bowling with her parents once a week. Their ramshackle house was obscured by overgrown trees that were rapidly swallowing what was left of their beach. A three-wheeled ATV sat catty-corner to a shredded badminton net, and strewn about like seaweed was an assortment of plastic toys that belonged to their grandchild.
It was cool and overcast, no shadows anywhere, the sky auniform gray. Imani pulled on a sweater and waited. It felt strange to be picking up someone other than Cady. She wondered if Cady missed their afternoons on the river or if she preferred spending her time with Parker.
In the distance, she heard a low hum. It was nothing like Frankenscooter’s, but Imani could feel her heart beat anyway. As the sound grew, she tidied up the boat, folding the blanket and wiping down the bench. Eventually, a black scooter appeared between two trees, jolted over a big root, then skidded onto the sand. Without stopping, it came across the beach, swerved around two baby dolls, then stopped abruptly next to the ATV.
Diego didn’t dismount right away. He took in the surroundings first, hidden behind the visor of his black helmet. “So you have your own boat,” he said finally. “Fancy.”
Imani stepped out and dragged the boat sideways onto the beach. “Get in.”
Diego stowed his helmet in his trunk, then climbed into Imani’s boat and sat on the rear bench, right by the motor. Imani looked at him, confused, but he stared back innocently.
“Uh, I think
I’ll
drive,” Imani said.
“Oh, sorry.” Diego shifted to the middle bench.
“Have you ever been on a boat?” Imani asked, making no effort to keep the condescension out of her tone.
“Once or twice,” he said, refusing to acknowledge her condescension. “You’re not going to drown me, are you?” He grinned broadly.
Imani absorbed his smile but remained neutral. “We’ll see.”She pushed the boat off the sand and jumped gracefully into position at the motor, a move she had perfected.
“Impressive,” Diego said with a trace of sarcasm.
Imani didn’t respond.
She took it slow through the inlet that led from the Wentworths’ beach. Then, once in the river, she sped up and carved into a hard bend. Diego clung to the bench, and Imani noticed with satisfaction that his knuckles were white.
What a land monkey
, she thought.
As the boat emerged from the river into the turbulent channel, Diego twisted around to face her, his hands never leaving the bench. “Where are you taking me?”
Imani pointed to a low sandy mound ahead and to the left of them.
“Is that Chauncey Beach?” he shouted over the motor.
“Back side!” Imani shouted back. “Hold on.” She sped up and headed straight for the beach, observing with pleasure the tension that rose through Diego’s body as they accelerated. When his shoulders reached his ears, she cut the motor and let momentum and an incoming wave carry them toward the shore.
Diego’s body relaxed gradually, and he turned to face her, his expression accusing.
“Safe and sound,” she said.
“You’re fucking nuts.”
“You need a thesaurus.”
When they hit sand, Imani gestured for Diego to get out, then watched in amusement as he angled his long legs over the bow with a little jump to avoid getting his boots wet. He wastaller and leaner in his slim black jeans than she’d previously noticed. He looked out of place on the beach. Imani hopped out onto the damp sand and dragged the boat about eight
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