Part 2 (1/2)
Dune immediately burst out laughing. At first Tyler looked at him in confusion but then something clearly clicked inside his mind and he began cracking up. The part of Kristen that belonged on the GAS side of the fence wanted to crack up too. But the side of her that had been a guest at the CC told her it was best not to. Unsure of what to do, she let out a half laugh that sounded more like a half sneeze.
”Did you hear what he just said?” Dune slapped Jax on his bare back. But Jax was focusing on a group of preppy girls ew ew-ing at what had just come flying over the fence. He shook his head, sending his hair tent-flapping back over his face. He hopped on his board and dropped into the half-pipe. ”Whooooooooo!” he shouted, obviously wanting to be noticed.
”Is he still sweating those OCDivas?” Dune furrowed his tan forehead.
Tyler nodded yes, picking at his cast.
”Why?”
Tyler shook his head like he had no idea.
”How lame,” Kristen insisted. ”Can't they make a rule? Something that would keep the b.a.l.l.s away from GAS?”
They all burst out laughing again, except Ripple, who was now checking her gloss in a black Sephora compact-the one that came free with a purchase of Jessica Simpson's body cream.
”The country club is p.i.s.sed that we board so close to their property. They think we're loud and ugly,” Tyler answered. ”So they started letting the beginners tee off from the fourth green, which is right over there.” He pointed over the fence to a group of knock-kneed, madras shortswearing wannabes working on their swings.
”Gawd.” Kristen crossed her arms over her chest in a gesture that she hoped conveyed disgust and contempt for the rich.
”Tons of skaters have gone down.” Dune looked Kristen right in the eye. His commitment to her in that moment made her sunburned cheeks overheat.
”But there's an upside.” Tyler grabbed a pack of chocolate-flavored Bubblicious out of his back pocket and popped a piece in his mouth without offering any to his friends. ”The trust fund skaters have been scared off, like the Briarwood Academy soccer boys. Now those cleat-feet hang out at Andy Ryan's house, cuz he has a half-pipe.”
”And that hot sister, Olivia,” Jax added, suddenly appearing behind them.
”Olivia's not, not, not that that pretty,” Ripple pout-mumbled. pretty,” Ripple pout-mumbled.
And there's nothing wrong with cleat-feet! Kristen wanted to shout. But she decided to save her outbursts for later-when she and Dune were a couple and she didn't have to worry about impressing his friends. Kristen wanted to shout. But she decided to save her outbursts for later-when she and Dune were a couple and she didn't have to worry about impressing his friends.
”Hey, got any more gum?” Jax held out his dirty palm.
Tyler dug around the inside of his pocket and pulled out the pack. Jax, Dune, and Ripple all grabbed pieces. Kristen extended her arm, but Tyler casually pulled the pack away, leaving her to chew on the bitter taste of not being accepted.
”Sorry, dude, I never give the last piece.”
”Since when?” Dune flicked his buddy's black cast.
Tyler snicker-shrugged.
”You can share mine, Ms. Gregory,” Ripple said as she attacked the brown cube with her slightly buck teeth.
”It's okay,” Kristen managed.
Dune's eyes lingered on her, searching for clues to the contrary. But life with the rich and fabulous Pretty Committee had taught Kristen to hide her feelings of inadequacy by batting her lashes and smiling brightly. Her tears got the hint to come back when she was alone.
”Anyhow, we have to get back at the CC.” Jax ran a hand through his sweaty bangs. ”I say we drain their pool and skate it.”
”And when we're done, let's fill it back up with Jell-O,” Dune added. ”Some guy on YouTube did it to his uptight neighbor. It was a total sucker punch!”
Jax spit his gum into his hand, then whipped it over the fence. ”Dude, that's way too hard.”
Ripple giggled. ”I love how you just threw that.”
Jax shot her a polite half smile, then wiped his goober-filled hand on the side of his jeans.
”What about filling it with golf b.a.l.l.s?” Tyler tried.
”Dumb.” Dune flicked his cast again.
”Stop doing that!” Tyler snicker-shoved Dune into Scooter, who had just returned from his skate to rejoin the circle, still perched by the lip of the half-pipe.
”Shhh! Country Club Chick is coming over!” Jax shoved all three of them.
”Her?” Ripple scoffed as if they were talking about Ugly Betty. ”You like Ripple scoffed as if they were talking about Ugly Betty. ”You like her her? She's, like, obsessed obsessed with dancing. It's totally weird.” with dancing. It's totally weird.”
Kristen turned to see who it was and gasped. ”Ehma-gawd!”
Super-blond, super-tanned, super-flexible Skye Hamilton, the infamous eighth-grade alpha, was scurrying over the fence wearing nothing but a yellow string bikini and a glittery orange scarf. She jumped down onto the asphalt like the bottoms of her bare feet were coated in Nike rubber. ”Heyyy, yooouuuuuuu!” She tossed her curly hair and waved her flawlessly manicured Nars Pleasantly Pink nails as she approached.
Her blond besties (known as the DSL Daters because they made super-fast connections with boys) gripped the metal links from the country club side like inmates hungry for a glimpse of the outside world.
Scooter swallowed nervously, then turned and dropped back into the half-pipe.
”Hey.” Tyler awkwardly lifted his cast to wave.
”Hey.” Jax shook his head until his bangs grazed the top of his nose.
Ripple rolled her eyes.
Skye smiled sweetly at everyone but came to a complete stop in front of Dune.
”Hey, hey, whaddaya say?” She plied twice, then stood. ”I thought you were gonna be gone all summer?”
”Just got back.” Dune smiled.
Kristen's eyes searched his face for clarification. Was it the I'm-just-being-polite smile? Or the let's-lip-kiss smile? It was hard to tell.
”What are you hotties doing tomorrow?” Skye twirled a deep-conditioned golden lock around her finger, sending a heap of gold bangles jangling down her arm.
”Nuthin'.” Jax's voice cracked a little.
Ripple rolled her eyes again.
”Perf!” She turned and flashed a thumbs-up to her friends, who bounced up and down on their toes and air-clapped. ”Then I'll put your names on the list at the club. We'll hang by the pool. See ya around elevenish?”
”We're in!” Jax blurted, this time in a faux-deep voice.
”Killer bees!” Skye hop-turned into a glissee tour jete and darted back to the fence. Heads turned like searchlights as she pa.s.sed.