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I stared at hiood friend and I never should have blown him off just because he had a little crush on me That was bound to blow over, anyway Surely he was over it by now

“Thank you,” Ithe wheel

I felt so free, so relaxed I hadn’t felt that good in a very long ti I just wanted to laugh the whole ride to the beach I really needed to get away, and I only realized it now that ere on our way

I quickly checked my phone only to find my battery was almost dead I didn’t have anyone to text anyway, so I stashed my phone back in my purse and decided not to stress about it

The drive to the beach only took an hour or so, and then Ryan parked in a lot just next to the beach Our cove was a little walk away It was a place we used to go to with our parents, back when Mohters Ryan’s parents hadn’t had those crazy busy jobs back then, and we spent a lot of ti on the sand felt like a different place

“Do you ever wonder…” I asked Ryan as alked along the beach,

“What if?” he asked, and I looked at him

His face was blotchy and red, and I kneas getting choked up

“Sometimes,” he muttered, and that was all we said on the subject

There was nothing left to say, anyway Both our family lives were a total mess For the past few months, I felt farther away than ever from my mother She so obviously favored Mandy, and I didn’t want to be a jealous little brat, but it still hurt sometimes

Just for one day, I wanted to knohat it felt like to be her favorite I wanted to knohat it was like to have her attention, her affection She only gave those things to Ah, and I’d just have to s that bitter pill down I couldn’t be jealous of my own sister

I carriedinto the sand war ataway all of rains of sand between my toes