We walk around town, eating our ice cream, and take in our surroundings. The town is holding a music festival, and some of the shops have tables displayed outside their storefronts, covered in items they sell.
“Why couldn’t Hailey come with us?” I ask Riley, thinking about how much I miss her sister and haven’t had the chance to catch up with her yet.
“She’s on a date with some guy she met from out of town.” Riley licks more of her ice cream.
“A date in the middle of the day? That doesn’t seem like her,” Addie replies and grabs a piece of graham cracker that was poking out of her ice cream and dips it in the melted marshmallow, vanilla ice cream, and hot fudge.
“I think it’s a beach date, nothing too serious, just casual. You know Hailey, she’s all about fun and not getting all tied up in a relationship.”
“Whatever happened to Zach? I thought things were going well with him?” I ask.
Riley sighs before saying, “He broke things off, said he wasn’t sure if he was ready for something serious. I think he turned her off to relationships, and now she’s just dating.”
We start to walk toward the heart of the town, passing under a large banner that hangs from two lamp posts on either end of the sidewalk.
Dove Point Music Festis written across it. The road is closed with groups of people taking advantage of walking down it, because that’s what we do when a road is closed. When a street is closed for a festival of some sort, people flock to it like we’ve never seen a street before.
Kids are running around with their faces painted. I spot a lion, Spiderman, unicorn, and something that looks like a terrifying SpongeBob SquarePants.
Toward the end of the street, a large stage looms, the hum of activity surrounding it. I spot a band setting up their instruments, adjusting the microphones and tuning guitars, preparing for the night ahead.
Meanwhile, a DJ plays upbeat tracks through the speakers, the music spilling into the streets, giving an energetic pulse that seems to ripple through the crowd.
“Last night was fun. Who knew Milo could have a tray strapped to him and carry drinks to customers? I noticed the small cups attached to the tray where the glasses sit. Clever,” Riley says, sitting down at a table outside a shop.
“When you’re getting paid in treats, anything is possible. Plus, it took forever to train him to do that. Rowan taught him a trick that lets us know when he wants to do it. So, he chooses his own hours.” Addie licks some ice cream off her thumb.
“I also noticed someone staring at James almost the entire night.” I smile at Addie, who shovels a mouthful of ice cream in her mouth.
She winces and fans her hand toward her mouth. “Cold!” she cries out.
Riley lets out a cackle before scrambling to eat as much ice cream as she can as it runs down her fingers and into the napkin around the cone.
“I wasn’t staring. He was talking, so my attention was on him,” Addie murmurs.
“He answered a question that Rowan asked, and you kept your eyes on him after that,” Riley says.
“I didn’t know I couldn’t look at people, sorry.” Addie rolls her eyes.
Riley tilts her head. “There’s a difference between looking at people and eye-fucking.”
“I wasnotdoing that,” Addie says matter-of-factly.
I look at Riley with a smirk, and she mirrors my expression.
Addie sits up straighter and puts her hands between her legs. She looks around before whispering, “I had a crush on himonetime during middle school, and you guys never let me forget it.”
Riley and I start to giggle like little schoolchildren and Addie hides her red face in her hands, shaking her head.
thirteen
ELLIE
The night skyis in full effect. I decided to sit on the beach and take in the waves. Everyone else gathered around the stage while the band did a sound check. I look up at the beautiful, dark blue sky, watching the stars twinkle. This is my happy place. The sounds of the waves crashing into the surface, the seagulls flocking above while they call for each other, the calm of everything around me. I didn’t have a towel with me, so I sacrificed my clothes and hair and lay down on the bare sand. With how the night sky looks tonight, it’s worth it.
I tried many times to spot stars in the sky when I was in New York. I could never find them. Only emptiness. I’d go on the rooftop of my apartment, sit in a chair, and justtry.When I wasn’t successful, I would stare at the moon. Hoping that Rowan was looking at the moon with me all those miles away.
I’ve gotten used to the chaotic life of the city. The hustle and bustle. The loud noise you can’t escape from.
