Page 5 (1/2)

The community liaison personnel herded us carefully off the buses and into a cordoned-off waiting area where we had a great view of the Sound and the empty dock space where the submarine would moor I scanned the crowd but didn’t see my parents Maybe they were stuck in traffic That would be helpful I did, however, spot Derrick’s sleazy ex right near the front of the barricades, talking to one of the sailors working crowd control Probably lining up his next hookup

“Tell me I’m hotter than hi him out Normally I didn’t care at all what I looked like, and clothes were an afterthought at best, but today I wanted to look good in a way I wasn’t sure I ever had before To that end, I’d let Sabrina mess with my hair before she picked out black skinny jeans, chunky belt, and a white pullover shirt with a subtle rib thatmy chest

She gaveheavy instrureed with you”

“I also discovered that unlike the horrors of PE class, weight roo ”

“You undoubtedlyto flirt with you because you’re debating C flat versus F sharp” Sabrina shielded her eyes as she directed her gaze toward the water

“Guilty” I laughed right as a h the crowd

“I see so!” a kid yelled

I’d been here before, on the docks, waiting for a ship to appear on the horizon, but even so I couldn’t help the trey was contagious, and few sights were as i in port Sailors with life jackets over their glea More stood up in the crow’s nest where a giant Ale person wavered as the shipway surer than h the water as s boats or suide it into the bay and assist with the dise sailors

Even as the ship docked, the sailors were too far away for me to spot either Derrick or Calder One of the unifor tiny babies to step forward as tradition said that any new fathers would be aot called to the front Ugh He was attractive with bleached-blond hair and chiseled features along with a slim body that would have been at home on any swim team, but his entitled attitude ruined any appeal for me

The crohooped and hollered as a brash young lieutenant was first off the boat and gave him a very showy kiss Lots of cameras flashed and clicked Bletch

“I’d bet my new eye shadow palette that they’re broken up by next week,” Sabrina whispered “Think you can beat that?”