“E-y,” I answered.
He chuckled. “So right.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Thad finished etching theyand blew on my name. Without turning, he said, “Because for your name to end in aliedoesn’t fit. You’re the most real girl I’ve ever met, on or off Nil.”
I didn’t know what to say to that.
Thad’s fingers brushed the wood, sweeping away the last shavings from my name. Seven letters, etched forever, then a space. I knew that whether I wanted it filled or not, in 352 days, my spot would no longer be blank. Two names above me, a fresh check followed Sabine. Other spots were blank, like mine. But it was the crosses that gave me chills. Scattered across the Wall, they reminded me of the random crosses I saw when I was driving—the ones hammered into the ground marking a roadside death. Simple, and haunting.
The empty space beside Thad’s name was bracketed by two crosses, each beside a name I didn’t recognize.
“Does a cross mean what I think it means?” I asked, staring at the pair of crosses. “That those people didn’t make it?”
“Yup.” Thad said. He turned to me, his eyes pleading. “But let’s not think about that right now. Not tonight. Please?”
“Not tonight,” I whispered, feeling the weight of the lie as it passed my lips. Because I couldn’t promise not to think about those twin crosses near Thad, advancing like they wanted to swallow him, too.Eighty-six days.
I forced myself to focus on the “right now” part: right now Thad was right here.
“Thanks,” I said.
“For what?”
“For carving my name. And for this.” I touched my lei, careful not to crush the flowers.
“You’re welcome, Charley with ane-y.” Thad’s voice was husky. He grinned, and my mouth went dry. “Ready for a Nil Night?”
“Ready,” I managed.
“Lead on,” he said, gesturing for me to go first.
The beach gathering reminded me of an old-fashioned luau. I’d been to one at the Polynesian resort in Disney World, which was as artificial a luau as you can get. But this one felt like the real deal. There was a pit in the sand, lined with coals and an honest-to-goodness pig. There was a bonfire surrounded by black rock. Fish and crabs steamed over the fire, and yams baked near the crabs. Julio had concocted more sweet bread; it sat beside bowls of pineapple and mango on a makeshift table.
Girls wore flower leis or blossoms in their hair, or both. Others wore necklaces made of shells, nuts, or things I couldn’t identify. Same for the boys. Some necklaces matched; more often they didn’t.
And there was music. An Asian boy played reed pipes. Samuel, the dark-haired boy with a massive shark-tooth necklace blacker than his skin rocked a set of drums that look worn and weathered. A freckled girl with two long braids—Jillian, I recalled—sat beside him, singing and playing a primitive guitar.
Rory, the angry boy who’d fallen out of the gate dropping f-bombs, stood apart from the group. He leaned against a tree, arms crossed, watching. Even in the dark he looked sunburned and wary.
Natalie handed me a coconut cup, then gave one to Thad. “Drinks on me,” she said, smiling.
“Thanks.” I took a sip and found the same fruity water I’d had yesterday. “Yummy.”
A boy came over and draped his arm across Natalie’s shoulders. As tall as Thad, with skin like my favorite latte and bleached-out dreads, I placed him immediately: he was the athletic boy I’d first seen running on the beach, the same boy who’d led Rory away. But for the life of me, I couldn’t remember his name.
“Hello, Charley.” He grinned. His eyes were strikingly light. “I haven’t had the pleasure. I’m Rives. Rhymes with ‘leaves,’ but it’s R-i-v-e-s on the Wall, in case you’re looking.” He winked. Rives’s smile was infectious; it put me at ease. So did the fact that Natalie didn’t throw off his arm.
“Nice to meet you, Rives-who-rhymes-with-leaves,” I said, smiling back.
“Even if it is under these circumstances.” Rives’s grin widened.
Natalie leaned into Rives, which made her look even smaller. “Charley, stay away from this boy. He’s trouble with a capitalT.”
Rives feigned outrage. “What? Nat, you’re my girl. Where’s the love?” He wrapped his arms around her, giving her a squeeze.
Natalie laughed. “You know I love you, twin. But I’ve got to protect Charley.”
