Applewhites Coast to Coast by Stephanie S. Tolan

Author:Stephanie S. Tolan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2017-08-01T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

“It was . . . I can’t even describe it.” Hal was holding up the video camera with the screen flipped around so he could see himself in it. He had invited Jake up to his penthouse tent on top of Brunhilda—which he insisted on sleeping in, even though all the others were in cushy lodge rooms inside. He was a contradiction in terms, Jake thought. A rock star hermit. “After the mountain biking I was so wiped out,” Hal explained, “that I snuck into the Pageant Wagon to grab a nap. I had a dream that I was caught in a landslide, and woke up to find the bus hurtling down a twisty mountain road with Melody at the wheel. She didn’t have any idea I was there. I think the most danger we were in was when I came out of Grandpa’s bunk—I startled her so badly she almost went off the road.”

“So wait, go back,” said Jake. “Why did those kids help you again?” Hal had already explained that he got his haircut and his new clothes from a rough-looking pack of older teenage kids who had been hanging around the benches outside Valley View’s coffee shop. They’d taken him to one girl’s house, where they turned some music up really loud and the rest of them hung out while she cut his hair. Then another girl dyed it, and meantime two of the bigger guys had gone home to get some clothes they’d outgrown.

“That’s the most amazing thing,” said Hal, his eyes wide. “She walked right up to them. Melody. Just went right up and said, ‘Hi, guys!’ like talking to these total strangers was the most natural thing in the world. Told ’em she thought they’d be able to help her help me out. And they all got into it. Because she asked.”

Jake knew he should be happy for Hal, who was still staring at himself in the camera’s screen like he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. He knew he shouldn’t be jealous that Hal had had an adventure with Melody. He shouldn’t be.

Hal was still talking and Jake realized he hadn’t really been listening. “When I was in school, Jake”—he shook his head—“it was . . . it was bad. That’s basically why we started the Creative Academy. I couldn’t handle school anymore. I never could figure out how to be around other kids. No matter where we went, it was like they knew they didn’t like me, before I had even said anything, or done anything.” He ran his hand through his hair, feeling the short sides and the long front, which fell right back down over his eye. “Dad said at the time it was because our creativity was being stifled, but they pulled us out of there and started homeschooling us because of me.” He looked at Jake. “Do you know what that’s like? To be hated, just on sight?”

Jake nodded. Of course, in his “bad kid” days he had looked as scary as possible to have that exact effect, on purpose.

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