Free New Point by Olivia Luck

appears horrified by Duke’s omission. Etta’s hand flies to her mouth, covering it before she says a word to explain what’s happening on this patch of sidewalk.
    “Congratulations for what?” I ask slowly, mentally reviewing a reason for Duke to give me well wishes. It’s like the entire town has a script for today, and I didn’t get my part. I have no idea what’s going on, but something tells me Duke will let me in on the secret with a little digging.
    “Mommy and Uncle Miles said you’re getting married to a very rich man.”
    Splat!
    The paper cup hits the concrete unceremoniously, brown liquid spilling out. “Oh!” I bend down, scooping my cup up and taking a moment to breathe and consider why anyone would think…
    Diamonds glittering in the sun freeze my actions. Blue in Green. Blake. The ring. Small town gossip mill. Now I see why Meryl and Annie were checking my left hand, why Miles skipped our date.
    That hurts. He must think very little of me, that I’d accept an invitation to go out with him when I have a fiancé on the backburner.
    Friday night he was pissed off? Now I am, too.
    Neither sibling has spoken; Miles rigid and unmoving, Etta giving me a slightly pitying glance. I toss the damaged cup into a trash bin and clasp my hands together, making a show of where the ring is positioned, not on my ring finger.
    “Duke, thank you for the congratulations, but I’m not getting married.”
    “They said you were,” he says, confused.
    I place my right hand on his shoulder, the ring surely winking at Miles and Etta now. “Let me ask you a question.” I keep my tone light, teasing, and Duke’s smiling back, playing along though he doesn’t know it. “Would Uncle Miles ever ask your mom to marry him?”
    “No!” he squeals through peals of laughter. “They are brother and a sister.”
    “Oh, that’s right!” I say, smacking myself on the forehead like I didn’t know. “This ring,” I lift my hand to wave it in front of him, “was a gift from my big brother. It is a very special family heirloom that he wants me to wear.”
    “Cool,” Duke says, but he’s looking longingly toward the ice cream shop, no longer interested in my story.
    I turn toward his uncle and mother. Miles stares at me in bewilderment, and Etta’s glaring at him pointedly. Ah, she was on my side. Good woman.
    “Look,” I tell them urgently before either can speak, “I would appreciate it if you kept my relationship to Blake to yourself. It’s not public knowledge that he and I are related. This whole stupid engagement story will die down when he’s photographed on one of his dates. No big deal.”
    “Zoe –” Miles starts, but I won’t let him finish.
    “I’m running late, it was great to see you all. Duke, don’t forget to bring your favorite book to camp tomorrow.”
    I spin away from them without hearing if they say goodbye. Never have I been so thankful for the mask my sunglasses provides. A mixture of embarrassment, anger, and sadness crash over me. I thought there was something brewing between Miles and me. On the other hand, he thought of me as a two-timer without even bothering to ask me. Assumptions piss me off to no end. Anyone can look at me and decide I’m damaged beyond repair because of my parents’ death or what happened at Clarkes, but I’m stronger than a kite whipping around in a windstorm. I refuse to let Miles’ impression of me cause any more pain than it did last night.
    I’ll forget about him.
    No problem.
    Right—tell that to the tears I brush off my cheeks once I’m back on the beach heading toward my house.

T he first thing I notice several hours later when I flutter out of a nap is the smell of meat sizzling on the barbecue. Dazedly, I push myself into a sitting position. After the disastrous run-in with Miles, Duke, and Etta, I went home, threw on a yoga DVD, and tried my best to forget about it.
    One newly brewed cup of Americano, a piping hot shower, and a pair of