Heart of a Dolphin by Catherine Hapka

Author:Catherine Hapka
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Published: 2016-08-25T04:00:00+00:00

By Saturday, I’d almost given up hope of Squeak coming back. Still, I couldn’t resist heading down to the cove after lunch—just in case. I’d biked down to the library that morning and picked up a book about dolphins. Now, having slipped away while Will was distracted by the TV, I hurried toward the trail, looking forward to sitting in the shallows and reading.

About halfway down, I heard footsteps on the trail behind me. For a split second, I was sure it had to be Emma. I hadn’t seen her since the other day at the ice cream place, but maybe she’d finally come to her senses. Maybe she’d seen me head down here and followed me, wanting to apologize. Maybe things could finally go back to the way they should be.

I turned with a smile, my mouth already opening to greet her. But I snapped it shut when I saw my little brother skidding down the hilly trail toward me.

“Hi,” Will said brightly. “Are you going to the beach? I’m coming, too—Jacob said I could.”

I frowned, wondering if he was telling the truth. Either way, it seemed like too much trouble to climb back up to the house. If Jacob missed Will, he’d probably figure out where to look.

“Whatever,” I said. “Just don’t expect me to entertain you, okay? And you can’t go in past your toes since you didn’t bring your life jacket.”

“Okay.” Will pushed past me, slipping and sliding the rest of the way down the steep trail.

I stepped on the beach just in time to see him heading for the water. “Stop!” I commanded. “You can’t go in, remember? Not unless you go back to the house and get your life jacket.”

Will frowned but stepped back. “Okay,” he said. “I’m going to look for interesting stones.”

“Fine.” I kicked off my flip-flops and stepped into the shallows. The water felt cool and welcome on my feet and ankles. Realizing I still had my shorts on, I was about to turn back to shore to shuck them when a flash of movement caught my eye farther out.

Shading my eyes with my hand, I peered out there. For a second, I didn’t see anything. Then I gasped as a familiar sleek gray shape burst out of the water, leaping and twisting in the air before splashing down again.

“Squeak!” I exclaimed, my heart thumping. I hadn’t had a good look at the dolphin’s face, but I was sure it was him.

“Where?” Will rushed forward, dropping the rock he’d just picked up.

“Stop!” I told him, quickly wading back to dry land. Shedding my shorts as quickly as I could, I handed him my book. “Stay here,” I ordered. “I’ll be right back.”

“But—” Will began.

“Just do it!”

I hurried back into the water. Squeak came to meet me as I reached the drop-off and started to swim. I smiled as his scarred face popped out of the water.

“Hey, buddy,” I said. “I was afraid you were never coming back!”

The dolphin whistled, then dove under, brushing against me as he passed.

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