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With Cipher’s release only a week away–squee!–I decided to post an excerpt.
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Troy sighed. “This conversation went downhill quickly.
I don’t think I’m doing a very good job of cheering you up.
I don’t think I’m doing a very good job of cheering you up.
“I can feel it,” Summer said. “Things are starting to change. And I
don’t think it’ll be for the better.” She might be able to handle all the crap
at school if she could just make better progress with Ashlyn and her mom. If
she didn’t feel like she was failing at everything.
don’t think it’ll be for the better.” She might be able to handle all the crap
at school if she could just make better progress with Ashlyn and her mom. If
she didn’t feel like she was failing at everything.
“Come on,” Troy said a few minutes later. “I’m not
done trying to cheer you up yet.” They walked back down the sidewalk the way
they’d come, toward Troy’s Jeep. The sun had disappeared behind the clouds, the
temperature dropping without its warmth. Summer slipped on her hoodie, glad
she’d brought it. The streetlights lit up downtown, and she scooted closer to
Troy as they approached his Jeep.
done trying to cheer you up yet.” They walked back down the sidewalk the way
they’d come, toward Troy’s Jeep. The sun had disappeared behind the clouds, the
temperature dropping without its warmth. Summer slipped on her hoodie, glad
she’d brought it. The streetlights lit up downtown, and she scooted closer to
Troy as they approached his Jeep.
He reached into the back and took out two skateboards.
He placed one on the ground in front of her. “Hop on. Unless all your months
away have ruined your skills.”
He placed one on the ground in front of her. “Hop on. Unless all your months
away have ruined your skills.”
“What skills? I never had any skills to start with.”
She put a tentative foot on the board and slowly pushed off.
She put a tentative foot on the board and slowly pushed off.
Troy eased ahead of her, and she followed. He went
slow for her—she knew because she’d seen how fast he usually rode. They rolled
down the sidewalks, weaving in and out of people, until they reached the park.
slow for her—she knew because she’d seen how fast he usually rode. They rolled
down the sidewalks, weaving in and out of people, until they reached the park.
A few familiar figures greeted them as they neared the
fountain.
fountain.
“I heard you’re having a bad day,” Ashlyn said,
shooting Summer a sympathetic smile. “Troy texted me and told me to get the
gang together. Said you might need a pick-me-up.”
shooting Summer a sympathetic smile. “Troy texted me and told me to get the
gang together. Said you might need a pick-me-up.”
Nelson raised his digital camcorder. “I’m ready.”
Troy kicked up his skateboard and caught it. “This is
how I first met these guys, by the way. Nelson makes movies to put up on
YouTube, and he wanted to get a few skate stunts filmed. He saw me riding
outside of school one day and asked if I’d be interested. Ashlyn rides, too. So
Nelson films, and Aaron and Darren help with calculations.” He gave the twins a
charming nod/grin combo. “Although human error often skews the results, right
guys?”
how I first met these guys, by the way. Nelson makes movies to put up on
YouTube, and he wanted to get a few skate stunts filmed. He saw me riding
outside of school one day and asked if I’d be interested. Ashlyn rides, too. So
Nelson films, and Aaron and Darren help with calculations.” He gave the twins a
charming nod/grin combo. “Although human error often skews the results, right
guys?”
Darren raised a finger. “Yes, our calculations are not
at fault. Math never fails. But it’s like that saying of too many cooks
spoiling the broth. If you add too many variables, even a computer won’t be
able to compute the infinite possibilities.”
at fault. Math never fails. But it’s like that saying of too many cooks
spoiling the broth. If you add too many variables, even a computer won’t be
able to compute the infinite possibilities.”
“Wow, good to know,” Summer said, though she had no
idea what it was supposed to mean. She glanced from face to face, noticing one
was missing. “Where’s Marcie?”
idea what it was supposed to mean. She glanced from face to face, noticing one
was missing. “Where’s Marcie?”
“Marcie only hangs with us at lunch,” Ashlyn said.
“Her parents don’t let her go out much. She’s got like eight brothers and
sisters, so it’s school, and then home to help take care of all her siblings.
It’s one of the few times I actually feel glad to have the mom I do.”
“Her parents don’t let her go out much. She’s got like eight brothers and
sisters, so it’s school, and then home to help take care of all her siblings.
It’s one of the few times I actually feel glad to have the mom I do.”
Summer felt like she should say something, like maybe
make a positive statement about Ashlyn’s mom. Nothing came to mind, though, and she
wanted to forget about her troubles, not think about her Cipher job.
make a positive statement about Ashlyn’s mom. Nothing came to mind, though, and she
wanted to forget about her troubles, not think about her Cipher job.
Ashlyn hopped on her board. “I say we try by the
fountain until someone yells at us.”
fountain until someone yells at us.”
Summer pushed off, rolling after Ashlyn and Troy. When
she picked up speed, she teetered, barely catching herself from falling. Dang, I’m rusty.
she picked up speed, she teetered, barely catching herself from falling. Dang, I’m rusty.
She, Troy, and Ashlyn skated around the center of the park.
Summer’s trick was to stay on, while Ashlyn and Troy did real, far cooler
tricks, like kick-flips and rail slides. Nelson had his video camera up,
filming them as they rode.
Summer’s trick was to stay on, while Ashlyn and Troy did real, far cooler
tricks, like kick-flips and rail slides. Nelson had his video camera up,
filming them as they rode.
“I’m going to go do another rail slide,” Ashlyn said,
skating toward the set of stairs.
skating toward the set of stairs.
Summer wobbled and worked to steady herself. “I’ll
just be here in the flat part, trying not to hurt myself.” She skated after
Troy as he made another circle around the fountain.
just be here in the flat part, trying not to hurt myself.” She skated after
Troy as he made another circle around the fountain.
They were going down a slight incline, when Troy
unexpectedly stopped in front of Summer. “Hey, we should—”
unexpectedly stopped in front of Summer. “Hey, we should—”
“Watch—” Summer barreled into Troy, unable to stop in
time or finish her warning. They went down hard, landing in a tangled heap on
the unforgiving cement. Her breath was still somewhere in the air above her,
and she heard her skateboard still rolling on without her. “Ouch.”
time or finish her warning. They went down hard, landing in a tangled heap on
the unforgiving cement. Her breath was still somewhere in the air above her,
and she heard her skateboard still rolling on without her. “Ouch.”
In her attempt to dive right, she’d landed on her
side, and her hip and knee throbbed. She rolled onto her back with a groan.
side, and her hip and knee throbbed. She rolled onto her back with a groan.
Troy’s face appeared over her. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, all except for my pride.” She sucked in a
breath as she propped herself onto her elbows, gravel digging into her skin.
“How about you? I crashed into you pretty good.”
breath as she propped herself onto her elbows, gravel digging into her skin.
“How about you? I crashed into you pretty good.”
“I’ve had much worse.” Troy jumped to his feet and
extended a hand to her. She let him pull her up and then looked down to assess
the damage. The denim over her knee was ripped open, and the exposed skin had a
bloody scuff on it. It stung, but there was something cool about it, too. Like
it was reminding her that she was still alive and doing something she forgot
she loved. Not that she needed anymore battle scars tonight. “I should probably
take a break before I break something. Or someone.”
extended a hand to her. She let him pull her up and then looked down to assess
the damage. The denim over her knee was ripped open, and the exposed skin had a
bloody scuff on it. It stung, but there was something cool about it, too. Like
it was reminding her that she was still alive and doing something she forgot
she loved. Not that she needed anymore battle scars tonight. “I should probably
take a break before I break something. Or someone.”
“Let’s go sit for a few, then.” Troy grabbed both
skateboards and tucked them under his arm. He wrapped the other arm around her
waist. She almost told him she didn’t need his help, but he was warm and he
smelled good, a beach-y scent with a hint of citrusy goodness. Her knee was
stiff and not very happy about moving as they made their way over to the
fountain.
skateboards and tucked them under his arm. He wrapped the other arm around her
waist. She almost told him she didn’t need his help, but he was warm and he
smelled good, a beach-y scent with a hint of citrusy goodness. Her knee was
stiff and not very happy about moving as they made their way over to the
fountain.
Summer lowered herself onto the ledge of the fountain
with a sigh, and Troy followed suit, letting out a sigh of his own. He put his
hands behind him and leaned back on his palms, the muscles in his arms flexing.
With his dark, messy hair and the stubble starting to form on his jaw, he
looked tougher than he used to when he constantly bleached his hair. But then
there was his constant, easy smile. The delicious mix of good and bad boy had
her pulse suddenly skidding out of control. She knew she should stop looking at
him, thinking those kinds of thoughts about one of her best friends, but she
couldn’t seem to help herself. He was the same guy as always, yet totally
different in a lot of ways.
with a sigh, and Troy followed suit, letting out a sigh of his own. He put his
hands behind him and leaned back on his palms, the muscles in his arms flexing.
With his dark, messy hair and the stubble starting to form on his jaw, he
looked tougher than he used to when he constantly bleached his hair. But then
there was his constant, easy smile. The delicious mix of good and bad boy had
her pulse suddenly skidding out of control. She knew she should stop looking at
him, thinking those kinds of thoughts about one of her best friends, but she
couldn’t seem to help herself. He was the same guy as always, yet totally
different in a lot of ways.
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