“You’ve heard of finals?”
She sat down on the couch. “You’re in a bad mood too?”
“Not me,” he said without looking up. “It sounds like you are, though.”
“It’s Rayna. I was just at her house. You should have seen her. She got really mad and kicked me out!”
“Why?”
“There were some boys at Great Gear. She said they were laughing at her. It freaked her out.”
“There had to be more to it than just laughing.”
“She said they called her a terrorist.”
No Joke
They called Rayna a terrorist?” Lucas asked. “That sounds serious, Cora.” “People say all kinds of crazy things. Rayna should know from being online. You can’t take it personally.”
“Wow. Really?” Lucas said. “You don’t think calling someone a terrorist is bad? You need to pay more attention. Bad things happen in the world. Really bad things. It’s not like the dream world you live in.”
“Okay. I guess I messed up. What should I do? Go back over there?”
Lucas closed his book. “I don’t know. You figure it out. Maybe start by being a better friend.”
Cora stood up. “Hey! Don’t say that. I am a good friend.”
“You created a problem when there shouldn’t be one. Some people have real problems, you know.”
“Are you saying that you have problems? You, Mr. Perfect? That’s what Mom tells everyone. Everything works out for you. A perfect summer job. The best college. A great girlfriend who—”
“Stop,” Lucas said.
“What? Is it about Lena?”
“I can’t tell you.”
“Why not?”
“Because,” Lucas said. “No one can know right now. Especially Mom.”
“You can trust me. I won’t say a word.”
Lucas just sat there with his head hanging down. Cora had never seen him like this before. Finally he took a deep breath and looked at her.
“Lena might be pregnant,” he said.
Cora’s eyes got wide. “Oh no.”
“Tell me about it.”
“But you said ‘might be.’ She hasn’t taken a test?”
“It’s too soon,” Lucas said. “Or she’s too scared to take one.”
“Have the two of you talked about it?”
“Lena would want to keep the baby.”
“Will you guys get married?” Cora asked.
“It all just happened. So I don’t even know. All I’m thinking is how my plans will change.”
“Yeah. Just like Mom. When she got pregnant with you in high school. This is exactly what she didn’t want to happen.”
“I know,” Lucas said. “I’m scared.”
“Of what Mom will say? Or about the baby?”
“Both.”
“Mom is going to freak.”
“Just don’t tell her,” Lucas said.
“I won’t.” Cora went into her bedroom. She picked up her phone and texted Rayna. “Need to talk to you. Please text me.” There was no answer. After a few minutes, she tried again. Still, there was no reply.
It was hard to focus on anything the rest of the night. Rayna had been mad at her before. But never for this long.
When it was time for bed, she kept her phone close. Maybe she would get a text.
In the morning, Cora checked for messages. There weren’t any. As she was getting dressed, there was a knock on her door.
“Get out here,” Lucas called. “You have to see this.”
“See what?” she called back.
“Just hurry.”
“Okay! I’m coming!” Cora stopped outside Lucas’s bedroom door. He was on his laptop. “What’s so important?”
“Have you talked to Rayna?” he asked.
“No. She won’t text me back.”
“Come and watch this video,” he said.
As Cora came up behind him, he hit play. There was the scene of a crowd. Some boys had formed a line. Their backs were to the camera. The person filming then walked around. Now their faces were in the shot.
“That makes you a terrorist,” one of them said.
The camera panned and stopped. Cora gasped. It was Rayna! She was shaking. Her eyes were wide with fear. Cora had never seen anyone look so scared.
“Can someone help me?” Rayna asked.
A woman put a hand on Rayna’s shoulder and led her away. That was the end of the video.
Lucas looked up from the screen. “This was serious,” he said. “Did you see how scared Rayna was? Everyone was watching. And no one did anything. Rayna really needed you. You messed up, Cora.”
Cora started to cry. She thought back to the day before. Why hadn’t she been a better friend? Would Rayna ever forgive her?
It’s Not Okay
Rayna woke up late Saturday morning. For a second, she thought she’d had a bad dream. Bullies hadn’t really attacked her. But then she remembered. It did happen.
She looked at her phone. There were many texts from Cora. Some best friend, Rayna thought. What those bullies did was bad enough. But it could have been much worse. Hate crimes were real. She expected Cora to get that.
Now it was too late. Rayna didn’t want to see or talk to her. She’d even turned off her phone. That was after Cora started blowing it up. In the latest text, she seemed really upset.
“I need to talk to you. Please text me. Or call. You can yell at me. Just give me a chance. Please!” Part of Rayna wanted to text Cora. But mostly she just wanted to forget about the whole thing.
Then she went downstairs. Her family was gathered around a computer. Her mom and grandmother were crying.
“What’s wrong?” Rayna asked.
Her dad stood and put his arms around her. “My poor child,” he said. “You should have told us.”
He stepped aside. A video was playing on the screen. It was the boys bullying her. Someone had filmed it.
“I didn’t want you to be scared,” Rayna said.
“We’re your parents,” her dad said. “It’s our job to protect you.”
“You couldn’t have done anything,” she said.
“Sit down,” Rayna’s grandmother said. “I’ll make some tea.”
Rayna sat with her family. She told them the entire story.
After they talked and drank tea, Rayna went to her room. She opened the video on her phone. A few of the comments surprised her. They were mean.
“You’re not one of us.”
“Go back where you came from.”
But most people stood up for Rayna.
“This girl is so brave.”
“Fight hate!”
“People like these are cowards.”
Rayna read the comments over and over. People were telling her that the boys were wrong. They had no right to bully her. All people had a place in their town.
She wiped tears from her face. These tears weren’t from fear or even sadness. Rayna felt anger. It was like she had found something to fight for.
Change of Plans
On Monday, Cora got to school early. She waited in the parking lot for Rayna. The two would talk. Everything would be okay. That was the plan anyway.
Today Rayna’s dad dropped her off. As soon as he left, Cora hurried over to her.
“I’m so sorry for the way I acted. I was a jerk,” Cora said. “You needed a friend. And I didn’t listen. Now I understand.”
Rayna stood there in silence as Cora went on.
“At first I didn’t get it. But now I do. If someone was mean to me, you’d be upset. You would have been there for me.”
“Okay!” Rayna said. “It’s okay. I’m not mad at you anymore.”
Rayna opened her arms. Cora leaned into her. The
Summer Lake girls hugged. Then Cora pulled away. She gripped Rayna’s arms and stepped back. “How are you? Have your parents seen the video?”
“They know,” Rayna said. “I’m actually glad. It feels good to be able to
talk to them. I don’t want to have secrets.”
“Have those boys bothered you again?”
“No,” Rayna said. “I’ve thought about it. They’re a bunch of bullies. But I don’t think they planned to come after me. I was just there. And I happened to have brown skin. I was an easy target.”
“I think they’re monsters,” Cora said.
“One thing you said was right. It’s over. And I’ll be okay.”
Cora looked down and shook her head. “Yeah, but I should have taken it more seriously. If something like that happened to me—”
“I would have kicked their butts.”
Just then the bell rang.
“Let’s get to class,” Rayna said.
The two headed for the entrance.
“So I’ll see you at lunch?” Cora said. “We can talk about Summer Lake. It’s going to be so much fun. I can’t wait.”
Rayna shook her head. “I can’t go,” she said. “I need to be near my family.”
“You’re right. We should wait until you’re feeling better. This summer.”
The girls stopped and looked at each other.
“No, Cora. You’re not hearing me. I don’t want to go at all. Not now. Not this summer. Not ever.”
The second bell rang.
“We have to go,” Cora said. She could feel herself getting mad. Her voice was shaking. “We’ve put so much work into planning the trip! How can you back out now?”
“How can I?” Rayna said. “Because there are way more important things to do. And think about. There are problems in the world. Real problems. I want to help solve them. Not run off to search for imaginary treasure.”
“But you were so excited.”
“Things change,” Rayna said. “Maybe I’ve changed.”
Tears came to Cora’s eyes. She started to cry.
“I’m late for class,” Rayna said. Then she turned and walked away.
Cora just stood there and watched her.
Last Hope
What just happened? Cora thought. She’d wanted to fix things with Rayna. And she had. Until she brought up Summer Lake.
The two of them had always been so close. Nothing kept them apart. Not even an argument. Now it seemed like their friendship was ending. Or maybe Rayna just needed space. She’d think about it and change her mind.
For now, Cora and Lucas would go. It would be a great trip. Cora would come home with stories for Rayna. Rayna would see what she’d missed out on. She would go next time.
At lunch she went to find Rayna. They always sat at the same table. Today no one was there. Instead, Rayna was sitting with another friend. Again, Cora felt like crying. But this time, she held back the tears.
Summer Lake Now she went to Lucas’s lunch spot. It was a bench by the library. “I need to talk to you,” she said.
“What’s going on?” he asked.
“I told Rayna how sorry I am. And we talked. But now she doesn’t want to go to Summer Lake. She thinks it’s a waste of time.”
Lucas put his arm around Cora. “I’m sorry,” he said.
“You’re still going with me. Right?”
Lucas didn’t say anything.
“What?” she said. “No. Don’t tell me—”
“I can’t go, Cora. Not with everything that’s going on. With Lena maybe ...”
Cora’s heart was pounding. She felt her face getting hot. How could everyone let her down like this? “You are so selfish,” she said.
Lucas stood up. “I’m selfish? Look who’s talking. Lena and I are going through a really tough time. Your best friend was attacked by bullies. And all you can think about is your stupid trip. You need to grow up.”
Lucas’s words hurt. They made Cora feel foolish. Like she didn’t have a clue about life.
“Well, I’m going to Summer Lake,” she said. “Even if you won’t go with me.”
Lucas laughed. “Come on. Mom won’t let you go alone. There’s no way.”
Cora’s mind raced. There had to be a way she could still go.
“Mom won’t know,” she said. “Because you’re going to lie for me.”
“No, I’m not,” he said. He turned and started to walk away. “That’s crazy.”
“You will lie,” Cora said. Her heart pounded harder. She knew that she might regret what she was about to say. But it was the only way.
“You will lie for me,” she said. “Or I’ll tell Mom about Lena.”
Lucas spun around. At first he looked angry. “You wouldn’t do that,” he said. Then his face changed. He looked sad.
Cora couldn’t look him in the eyes. “I will,” she said. “I’ll tell Mom if you don’t help me.”
Lucas shook his head. “That’s pretty low.” Then he turned and walked away.
No Turning Back
It was Saturday morning. Cora had been up since sunrise. She’d packed her small items the night before. Now, with checklist in hand, she sorted her gear. Map and compass. Tent and sleeping bag. Knife, flashlight, first-aid kit. Food and water. Digital camera.
Everything was in her pack. It was time to go. There was just one last thing. She started a text to Rayna. Then something made her stop.
The girls hadn’t spoken since their fight. Rayna was probably still mad. She needed more time. It was best to leave her alone.
On her way down the hall, she heard the TV. Lucas was in the living room. Part of her wanted to sneak out. But now she was curious. Had he changed his mind? Maybe he was packed and ready to go.
She walked into the room. Her brother didn’t look up. “I’m going,” she said.
He just stared at the screen. Cora wished he would hug her. Or say good luck.
For a second, she thought about staying home. Hiking alone wasn’t the best idea. But it was too late to admit that now and back out.
Cora left the house and walked to the bus stop. As she waited, she thought about what she was doing. What if I get lost? What if there’s a wildfire? Her best friend and her brother were angry. She was lying to her mom.
The bus pulled up and the door opened. Cora just stood there.
“Are you coming?” the driver asked.
Cora got on the bus and paid the fare. When she sat down, she got out her phone. She texted Rayna. “I’m leaving now for Summer Lake. Alone. I’ll be thinking of you the whole time. I’ll miss you.”
She pressed send. Then she turned off her phone. She wouldn’t need it.
Going, Going, Gone
The bus ride took two hours. That gave Cora a lot of time to think. Lucas’s words had hurt her. Did he really think she was selfish? She loved her brother so much. Having his approval meant everything.
Finally the bus stopped and Cora got off. Ahead was a visitor’s lot. She’d been to this spot before. Normally there were a lot of cars. Families liked to camp here. Now the place seemed empty. For a day trip, that would be good. But for an overnight trip, it was a little scary.
You’re safe, she told herself. You can do this. Cora took a deep breath. The air felt different here. It was fresh and clean. She put her pack on and headed off.
At first the pack felt heavy on her back. She started to sweat. Her shirt stuck to the pack. The dirt on the trail was loose and dry. After an hour of hiking, dust covered her boots and socks. Dust filled her nose and got in her eyes.
An oak tree was ahead. It gave off some shade. Cora stopped to rest. She took a long drink of water and looked around.
Even though it was spring, nothing was green. There were no flowers. Most of the trees looked dead. The brown weeds were dry. The smallest spark could set them on fire.
The cool air had turned warm. She put on her hat and started walking again. Soon she forgot about the weight of the pack. Now it seemed like it was part of her body.
In the stillness, thoughts began to fill her mind. First of Rayna. Then of Lucas and her mom. She thought about everything that had happened. Would she and Rayna be friends again? Cora forced herself to think a
bout something else.
What would her life be like? She loved high school. But college? It would only lead to a boring office job. No amount of money would make that okay.
Being tested mattered more. Mentally and physically. That’s what hiking did for her. She could see herself traveling too. Hiking in other countries. Maybe with a partner someday.
She knew what her mom would say. Find a job that fits her interests. Something like the Peace Corps.
Rayna came to mind again. Cora could see her having a perfect life. Married. One or two children. Living in a nice house.
Nothing was wrong with that. Unless it was only about image. And none of it really made you happy.
Cora thought of Rayna’s selfies. Posing in camping clothes. Her perfect hair and makeup. Come on!
Wow! Cora thought. She’d never let herself think this way. It must be the heat.
“I’m going crazy!” she called out. Then she looked around. How funny it would be if someone had heard that. A rabbit leaped across the trail. Cora laughed.
What other animals would she see? Rayna was supposed to find out. But that never happened.
Cora stopped and looked up. A hawk soared overhead. She watched it make slow, wide circles in the sky. It was like a graceful dance.
There was no way to know what the bird was thinking. But it seemed happy.
Dream World
Cora was filled with hope. Something waited for her at Summer Lake. Maybe not treasure. But something special.
As she walked, she felt a rush of good feelings. There was beauty in everything she saw. The oak trees with their tangled roots. The way the branches cast shadows across the trail. Even the creepy-looking turkey vultures.
This is why she loved hiking. Any problems she had were small. There was more to life.
Then she remembered the camera. It was in her shirt pocket. The best parts of the trail were coming up. She wanted to get some pictures.
Her mind wandered to what was ahead. Her campsite. The sunset. Sleep. Then Summer Lake.
Summer Lake What if she did find treasure? Lucas and Rayna would die of shock.
Suddenly Cora felt herself slip. Her ankle twisted. She’d stepped on a loose stone. Now she could see that the whole trail was stones. This was a creek bed.
Summer Lake (Monarch Jungle) Page 2
