11 Before 12
Page 26
The kayaking.
“Ari, it’s almost the end of our birthdays,” I remind her when we’re having a second piece of cake. “We gotta do this.”
“I know,” she says. “We need to kick everyone out if they don’t leave soon.”
Finally, at ten thirty, everyone is gone. Well, almost everyone.
Jason is still here. I mean, he lives across the street, so it makes sense. He doesn’t need a ride home or anything.
We’re sitting next to each other on the couch when he says, “This couch is so comfortable.” He leans back, all over-the-top.
“It is. But you need to leave now.” I smile, so he doesn’t think I’m mad.
He moves away from me a little bit. “What did I do?”
I laugh for a second. “Nothing. Why do you always think you did something wrong?”
“I mess up sometimes,” he admits.
I shake my head. “Jason, you didn’t mess up! But our birthdays are almost over, and Ari and I promised we’d do something, so we need to do it,” I explain.
He crinkles his face. “The list again, huh?”
I gently nudge him off the couch. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
I walk him to the door, and Ari says, “Bye, Jason. Thanks for coming.”
“Later, birthday girls.” He hugs both of us, and then runs down the driveway, and across the street toward his house. My cheeks hurt from smiling so much.
“Okay, we need to make this quick,” Ari says, as we change into our wetsuits and water shoes. “I think it’s really dangerous to kayak at night. But I had the Curtins, who live right on the lake, turn on all the outside lights, and stand guard to make sure we’re safe. I’m going to text them and let them know we’re on our way.”
“It’s really dangerous?” I ask. “Maybe we should do this tomorrow.”
Ari interrupts me. “No, it’s not that dangerous if someone is looking out for us. Tomorrow our birthdays will be over! We’re doing it today. Tonight. We’re living on the edge!”
“Girls,” Ari’s dad calls out to us from the den. “The tandem and paddles are already by the lake. I dropped them off for you, so go! And have fun! And come back soon!”
As we walk over to the lake, I ask Ari a million questions. “Do you think Noah is your boyfriend?”
“I don’t know,” she replies. “How does anyone ever know if someone’s their boyfriend?”
“I have no idea!” I shriek. “I guess one day you discuss it or something. . . .”
Finally, we get there, and we’re all suited up in wetsuits plus our coats, hats, mittens. We push the tandem toward the edge of the lake and climb in.
“We are doing this,” I say. “We are making it happen.”
“This is hardcore,” Ari replies. “Probably the most hardcore thing we’ve ever done!”
“Yeah, because we’re twelve! This is going to be the most exciting year of our lives,” I remind her.
It feels like our toes are freezing off inside our water booties, but we paddle and we paddle and in a few minutes we’re in the middle of the lake.
The Curtins are on their deck waving to us, shining the brightest lights we’ve ever seen.
“Ari!” Mrs. Curtin yells. “You’re okay?”
“Yes!” Ari yells back.
“This feels like we’re on some kind of reality show, doesn’t it?” I ask Ari.
“Kind of.”
After a few minutes of quiet, taking in the sounds and smells of the lake, I say, “I’m glad we made the list.”
“Me too,” Ari says. “It drove us apart, but then it really did bring us back together.”
“And maybe we needed to be driven apart a little bit,” I say. “Sometimes people need space to really appreciate each other.”
“You think?” Ari asks.
“Yeah, I do. Also, it sounds good. Doesn’t it?”
“Definitely.” Ari laughs.
We paddle for a little while longer and we make it to Arch Island. It’s starting to snow so we don’t get out, but we make sure to touch the land with our oars. The list was specific. We sit in the kayak laughing for a few minutes and then Mrs. Curtin yells, “It’s starting to snow! You girls should really go home now.”
“When we made the list, this isn’t really how I imagined it,” Ari says. “The kayaking, I mean. My mom said we could only do it if the Curtins kept an eye on us. I didn’t want to tell you that. I wanted you to think that I was all daring now, and really into living on the edge. A whole new Arianna.”
“Ari, I’m happy the Curtins were looking out for us,” I admit. “It would be so totally scary out here if it were dark. I wanted to be the one to wait until tomorrow, remember?”
“I guess we still need our moms sometimes,” Ari admits. “To help us figure things out, and make situations safer, and to talk to sometimes, too.”
“I know.” I smile, imagining my mom all snuggly, reading under her afghan on the couch. As soon as we get home, I’m going to cozy up right next to her.
“I think we need to finish this whole thing with a major ritual,” I say.
“Jump in the air, high-five, and hug in a boat?” Ari asks. “That seems hard. And kinda like we might tip over.”
I nod. “You’re right. I didn’t mean that ritual, actually. I was thinking something else. And I came prepared.”
“Huh?”
I grab my backpack and take out two of these eco-friendly paper lanterns I found online.
“What’s happening right now?” Ari asks.
“Just you wait, my dearie,” I reply, in my best slightly spooky witch voice.
I reach deeper into the backpack for a lighter. I felt a little silly buying it at the convenience store around the corner. But you gotta do what you gotta do sometimes.
“So we’ll light the candles, and then we’ll release the lanterns,” I tell her. “I saw this done at a wedding once.”
“Okay . . .”
“They’ll fly up in the air. And it’s like we’re releasing all the negative feelings and struggles of this year. So we can focus on the positive. And focus on the future.”
“The Curtins are staring at us,” Ari reminds me. “I feel like we’re going to get in trouble. The whole playing-with-fire thing . . . literally.”
“It’s okay,” I reassure her. “I know what I’m doing. And plus, these are eco-friendly. And totally safe. Have no fear, my dear!”
It feels good to be comforting Ari, to be the one in control, the one who doesn’t need the comforting for once. I guess I helped her with that at the talent show, too. Maybe I’m more calming than I realized.
“Ready?” I ask her.
She nods, tentatively.
I light both candles and hand Ari a lantern. We lift our arms up and release them into the sky.
“Good-bye, eleven,” I say. “Good-bye, Arianna and Kaylan in a fight!”
“Good-bye, lunch table drama and getting lost at school,” she replies.
“Good-bye, stupid crushes on jerky boys like Tyler!” I yell.
“Good-bye, super-extreme agita!” she screams.
“Hello, twelve!” I yell out into the night sky. “We are ready for you!”
“We are more than ready for you!” Ari yells out.
The Curtins shine a flashlight. “What is happening, girls? We’re getting nervous. Are you okay?”
“We are great!” I yell as loud as possible.
“Better than ever!” Ari raises a paddle in the air.
As we’re paddling back to shore, when we can’t see the lanterns anymore, I say, “Well, we released all the bad stuff.”
“I feel so light,” Ari says, laughing. “I think I’m a whole new person. We really did get a Whole Us Makeover. Everything we did was part of our Whole Me Makeover.”
“And we need to remember that we survived the beginning of middle school. That’s a major accomplishment. That place is scary!” I laugh, and Ari does, too.
“I’m p
roud of us,” Ari says.
“Me too. There isn’t anyone else in the world I’d rather turn twelve with,” I tell her.
“I feel the exact same way,” Ari replies.
We’re quiet for a moment, almost at shore, when Ari says, “I just realized something!”
“What is it?” I ask, feeling the thump that we’re back on land.
“I have something to add to that ritual,” she says, looking right into my eyes. “I’m starting a new list!”
“A new list?” I ask. My heart jumps.
“There’s just one thing on it for now.” She lifts her eyebrows.
“Oh? What’s that?” I ask.
“Keep our friendship strong!”
I reach out to hug her. “Of course. That’s not even a question.”
“Friends forever?” Ari asks.
“Best friends forever and ever and ever and ever . . .”
We laugh as we get out of the kayak, and walk arm in arm back to our houses.
We’ve only been twelve for less than twenty-four hours, but so far it feels good.
Definitely worth waiting for.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Utmost love and appreciation to Dave for being the best husband, partner, and person in the world. Thank you for supporting me, encouraging me, and challenging me to always do my best. Extra thanks for doing bedtime all of those nights so I could finish this book.
To Aleah and Hazel—I love you both beyond words! You add sparkle and smiles to every day.
To David and Max—you are the best brothers and the best friends I could have ever hoped for. I am thankful for all of your help, support, love, and laughs. You are my heroes.
To Bubbie and Zeyda—thank you for being a 100% consistent source of strength and love throughout my entire life.
To Mom and Dad—thanks for putting up with me when I was eleven.
To Maria, Katherine, Rebecca, and the whole team at Katherine Tegen books—thank you so much for all of the enthusiasm, excitement, thoughtfulness, and hard work you have put into this book.
Alyssa Eisner Henkin, thank you for all of your guidance and editorial feedback. I am so lucky to have you in my corner.
To Aunt Emily, Aaron, Karen, Ari, Ezra, Maayan, Elon—thanks for the love and enthusiasm.
To Rhonda, Melanie, Maddy, Kathleen, Rich, Alex, and the whole BWL Library team and community—thank you, thank you, thank you!
To Athena, Jason, Mike, Cindy, and all the staff at the Dream Hotel—thanks for knowing my favorite lounge chair, putting up the umbrella, asking me how the book was going, and being so kind to me. I literally could not ask for a better office.
To anyone who has ever read one of my books—I am so grateful.
EXCERPT FROM 12 BEFORE 13
Kaylan and Ari’s friendship continues in
12 BEFORE 13!
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN, YOU ‘made a list’?” Alice asks me as I refill my water bottle.
I snap the cover back on and take a sip. “We made a list of eleven things we had to do before we turned twelve, and now we’re making a new one of twelve things to do before we turn thirteen,” I explain.
“But why? Just, like, for fun?”
I laugh a little. “Um, kind of, yeah, but also because it helped calm us down before middle school. And now it’s a tradition and we don’t break traditions.”
Alice throws her head upside down and pulls her red curls into a messy bun on the top of her head. “I like it. It’s cool.” She links arms with me. “Seriously, how have I only known you for two weeks, Ari? I feel like we’ve been friends our whole lives.”
“I kinda do, too,” I say. “I should’ve come to camp earlier. My mom always suggested it, but I never really wanted to go.”
“Lamey McLamerson,” she says. “But wait, I’m confused—how much water do you really have to drink?”
“Just enough to keep the glowing complexion.” I turn my head to show her both sides of my face.
“You’re hilarious. What’s the next thing you’re—”
“Girls!” We hear someone yell behind us. Sari, one of our counselors. Her voice is pretty much unmistakable—high-pitched and squeaky. “You’re going to be late!”
“Sorry!” Alice and I say at the same time, laughing and running to the Beit Am. It means house of the people in Hebrew.
We get there just in time, and plop down on the wooden floor. Most of our unit turns around to look at us, and we shrink down, still laughing behind our hands. I know we’re late, and I know we shouldn’t be, but with Alice, things like lateness and being sort of in trouble don’t feel as bad.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Photo by Peter Dressel
ELEVEN FUN FACTS ABOUT LISA GREENWALD
1. She wears hoodies as often as she can.
2. She’s the author of the Pink & Green series.
3. Her favorite foods are ice cream, sushi, and Peanut M&M’S.
4. She once won one thousand dollars in a radio contest.
5. Her favorite movie is Clueless.
6. She works in the library at the Birch Wathen Lenox School.
7. She’s completely petrified of mice.
8. She earned an MFA in writing from the New School.
9. She’d like to have a house right on the ocean with a pool, too.
10. Her favorite book is Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt.
11. She lives in Manhattan with her BFFs, her husband, and her two daughters.
www.lisagreenwald.com
Discover great authors, exclusive offers, and more at hc.com.
BOOKS BY LISA GREENWALD
My Life in Pink & Green
My Summer of Pink & Green
Pink & Green Is the New Black
Reel Life Starring Us
Sweet Treats & Secret Crushes
11 Before 12
CREDITS
Cover photos © 2017 by Carol Yepes/Getty Images (right) and the Photo Commune/Getty Images (left)
Cover design by Aurora Parlagreco
COPYRIGHT
Katherine Tegen Books is an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
11 BEFORE 12. Copyright © 2017 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
www.harpercollinschildrens.com
* * *
ISBN 978-0-06-241174-7
EPub Edition © July 2017 ISBN 9780062411761
* * *
17 18 19 20 21 PC/LSCH 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
FIRST EDITION
ABOUT THE PUBLISHER
Australia
HarperCollins Publishers Australia Pty. Ltd.
Level 13, 201 Elizabeth Street
Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
www.harpercollins.com.au
Canada
HarperCollins Canada
2 Bloor Street East - 20th Floor
Toronto, ON M4W 1A8, Canada
www.harpercollins.ca
New Zealand
HarperCollins Publishers New Zealand
Unit D1, 63 Apollo Drive
Rosedale 0632
Auckland, New Zealand
www.harpercollins.co.nz
United Kingdom
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
1 London Bridge Street
London SE1 9GF, UK
www.harpercollins.co.uk
United States
HarperCollins Publishers Inc.
195 Broadway
New York, NY 10007
www.harpercollins.com
r />
Lisa Greenwald, 11 Before 12