Collide by J. R. Lenk

Author:J. R. Lenk [Lenk, J. R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Chapter 10

Emery, Olivia, and Tom,

and Where It All Began

HAZARD and Emery met in second grade.

Emery Benjamin Moore had dark-blue eyes that ate up his face and a pouty mouth that easily stretched into a bright grin or a sharp scowl. He was everyone’s friend, even if they didn’t know it yet. He was professional at the game of make-believe. He always shared snacks, he always thought hard about the questions asked in class, he aspired to be the line leader, not the caboose, and some of the other kids in second grade were in awe of him because he had the guts to walk right through the older kids clustered on the Four Square blocks and talk to Russell, who was one of the third graders.

Emery was in Ms. Polish’s class, and Hazard was in Mrs. Kemna’s. Hazard met Emery on the playground, when the rain had stopped and everyone was ecstatic that it wouldn’t get in the way of their final recess for the day. The chained-in playground was filled with screaming kids and teachers huddled near the door with their whistles. Hazard was bored of kickball, so he walked along the fence, stomping through damp grass and thinking about how he hoped his dad would bring home ice cream tonight. That was when he heard:

“Hey! Hey, you, with the Spider-Man shirt!”

It took a moment, but Hazard realized that he was the you with the Spider-Man shirt. He looked up, a little shy. The boy who had called to him was at the swings, swaying to and fro. He wore a navy-and-periwinkle striped polo. He wasn’t really swinging but more rocking, fingers curled on the chains and toes of his light-up Power Ranger sneakers digging into the soggy wood chips.

“Me?” Hazard asked, walking over.

“Yeah,” the boy said. “Hey, I’m Emery. This is Russell.” Without looking, Emery jabbed a finger at the blond boy swinging next to him, a mess of shaggy hair and deep silence. “Are you sad?” Emery asked next.

Hazard’s face dimpled softly in confusion. “No,” he said slowly. “I’m just bored.”

The blond boy named Russell leapt off his swing in midair, landing expertly on the grass.

“What’s your name?” Emery said, leaning over to Hazard. Hazard told him his name and blushed when Emery looked a little afraid of saying it.

“Hazard?” he tried. “That’s cool. Hey, Hazard, I bet I could jump farther than you.”

Russell had gone. Hazard took the swing Russell had been on and said, “Maybe.”

They swung, and Emery demanded they jump at the same time, which was on his count of three. Hazard worried about his swing flipping over. He always worried about his swing flipping over, just like he worried about his swing coming detached in midair before he was ready to jump.

Emery screamed, “Three!” and with a rattle of chains, they both jumped. To Hazard’s utter surprise, he jumped farther. Emery looked a little insulted by this. Hazard was somewhat shocked. His knees shook a little from jumping in the first place.

“Well,” Emery huffed decidedly, crossing his arms, “that was a good jump, I guess.

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