Free The Shore by Todd Strasser

hour before they were supposed to meet everyone back at the house. The day had been really hot. Polly wiped the sweat off her brow and looked at her watch. “We should be getting back pretty soon.”
    “We have to pick up the drinks first,” Avery said, nodding toward a convenience store. The window was covered with signs advertising Corona, Bud Lite, Heineken, and all sorts of other drinks. “What do you want to get?” Avery asked.
    “I like Coke,” Polly said.
    “We have to get some alcohol, don’t you think?” Avery asked as she pulled her hair up into a bun on top of her head. “Our housemates are going to get bent out of shape if we don’t. What do you think, beer or wine coolers for a clambake?”
    “Uh, uh, the wine coolers, I guess.”
    Avery gave her a funny look. “Have you had beer?”
    “No,” Polly admitted, and felt her face grow warm.
    “You’re not missing out on much,” Avery said, wrinkling her nose. “We’ll go with wine coolers.”
    Polly glanced at the store and the large sign that said, ABSOLUTELY NO ALCOHOL WILL BE SOLD TO ANYONE UNDER 21 . She scowled. “How? We can’t buy alcohol. We’re both underage.”
    Avery smiled. “Leave it to me. You get the soda; I’ll get the other stuff. When we’re in that store, act like you don’t know me.”
    Polly felt her stomach start to flip-flop. There’s no way we’re going to get away with this, she thought. All her life she’d been terrified of doing anything wrong, anything that might result in getting caught. Right now she wanted to run away as fast as she could.
    But Avery went in and, after a minute, Polly followed and headed straight for the refrigerated cases of soda. She managed to get the bag of vegetables into her left arm and clutched two two-liter bottles of Coke to her chest with her right before turning around precariously.
    When Polly saw Avery, her heart leaped into her throat. Avery was approaching the counter carrying two packs of wine coolers, walking calmly and slowly as though she bought alcohol all the time. She put the wine coolers on the counter. Just as the guy behind the counter was about to ask for her driver’s license, she said, “Do you carry diapers? I had to leave the kids with my new boyfriend and I don’t want to drive all the way to the grocery store. I don’t trust him alone with them that long.”
    “Uh, sure,” the guy said, pointing down an aisle.
    “Great, thanks, be right back.” Avery turned and went to the diaper section, looked for a moment, and then selected a packageand brought it back to the man. “It’s not the brand I normally use, but I guess it’ll work.”
    The man started ringing up her items. “My wife used those for our kids and they seemed fine, never once had a leak.”
    “Really? Thanks, I feel better.” Avery glanced at her watch. “If only my boyfriend were that dependable.”
    “Yeah.” The man chuckled as he rang up and bagged the wine coolers and diapers. “That’s twenty-one even.”
    Avery paid him and left the store. Polly’s heart was pounding; she put the soda bottles on the counter and paid for them without saying a word to the man. She grabbed the bag and rushed out of the store, nearly colliding with Avery, who was standing on the sidewalk several feet away.
    “Come on, let’s get out of here!” Polly gasped, in full-flight mode.
    “Take a breath and relax, Polly. We’re fine,” Avery said.
    “I can’t believe you did that,” Polly said. “Oh, my gosh, I thought you were going to get caught and then—”
    Polly realized Avery wasn’t listening. She was staring across the street at some storefronts and old buildings that were being renovated. She saw a habitat for humanity sign above the building, but nothing else stood out.
    “What are you looking at?” Polly asked.
    “Oh, uh, nothing,” Avery said, turning back. “Hold on a second.” She walked up to a woman approaching with a child in a stroller.
    “Excuse me, ma’am? I