The Last Summer at Chelsea Beach by Pam Jenoff Page B

had seen as I rolled up the too-long sleeves. He dropped to the sand and I followed, leaning back. There was a great white streak of cloud across the night sky, seeming to light it, as if someone had taken a piece of chalk and brushed it sideways. One of Robbie’s ceiling sketches come to life.
    I stared up at the sea of stars. “So much darkness,” Liam said. I turned in amazement. Was that really what he saw? “What are you doing here?” he asked.
    Running away , I thought. Just like you. I drew my knees close under the sweatshirt and wrapped my arms around them. There were moments when Liam and I seemed to get each other, like last February when snow had blanketed Second Street in fresh white. The boys had built forts out of shoveled snow on either side of the street and it had been Liam and I on one side of the snowball fight, just the two of us against the world. “I was thinking about school this fall,” I said instead, trying to find a topic easier than admitting the real reason I had come.
    “School is really more Jack’s turf. Anyway, what’s the point? We could have had this conversation at home.”
    “Except you’re never there!” I accused. “Or when you are, you’re so busy trying to cover up the fact that you are drunk or whatever that you ignore everyone.”
    He raised an eyebrow. “Wow. That may be the first time I’ve ever seen you lose your cool.”
    My irritation rose. “Don’t mock me. I’m serious.”
    “I’m serious, too. You’re always so composed. I may be screwed up, but at least I know I’m alive.”
    “This isn’t about me, Liam.”
    “The hell it isn’t. You want to talk, fine, but it’s got to cut both ways. You can’t just sit there like some kind of shrink and look inside me.”
    “Fine.” I decided to try another approach. “Truth or dare?”
    “What?”
    “You heard me.” I hoped he wouldn’t pick dare because there was no challenge I could think of that he wouldn’t do.
    “Dare.” He smirked.
    “I dare you to tell me what’s eating you. I dare you to tell me why you’ve changed.”
    “That’s a truth, not a dare,” Liam protested but then he answered. “Nothing. This is my life. What else is there to do besides drink and surf and sleep? My turn. Truth or dare?”
    “Truth.”
    “I knew it. You would never pick dare.”
    “Well, it’s my choice,” I said defensively.
    “Have you ever gone all the way?”
    I reared backward, shocked. “Liam!”
    “It’s a fair question.”
    “No, of course not.” I hoped he couldn’t see my face turn crimson in the dim light.
    “Why not?”
    “That’s a second question. I wouldn’t right now. Not with anyone.”
    “Not even with Charlie?”
    “That’s your third question. Now, it’s my turn to ask.”
    Ignoring me, he pressed on. “You love him, don’t you?”
    My breath caught. Was it really so obvious? “That’s your fourth. Truth or dare?”
    “Addie, this is stupid. You’ll keep choosing truth and I’ll keep choosing dare, because that’s who we are. There’s nothing left to say.”
    “One more,” I pleaded.
    “Okay, I choose dare.”
    “I dare you to succeed, Liam Connally. You can rebel all you want, but you don’t have to go to hell in a handbasket while doing it. Hang in there, do your homework. Just get by and for goodness’ sake don’t get yourself killed.”
    “Now you sound like my mother.” A quiet moment passed between us. “Truth or dare.”
    I took a deep breath, desperate to reach him and pull him from the corner into which he had withdrawn. “Dare.”
    “Really?” Surprised, he thought for a moment. “Come swimming with me.”
    Behind him the ocean at dusk roiled, darker and more menacing than ever. “I can’t, Liam. You know that.”
    “Please,” he pleaded in a voice that tugged at my heart. For a moment, I considered trying. It might be my only chance to reach him.
    But fear clamped down anew. “I’m sorry, I can’t.”
    He held out his hand, as