Free Revel by Maurissa Guibord Page B

No one leaves Trespass. We
love
it here. We have everything.”
    “You say that like it’s something you learned in school.”
    Zuzu stiffened. Then, with a faintly challenging smile, she asked, “What’s the matter? Are you scared?”
    “I’d be pretty stupid
not
to be scared, don’t you think?”
    “It’s a dangerous place,” Zuzu agreed. “If you don’t know how to handle yourself. If you don’t belong.”
    It was so hard to tell what was going on with Zuzu. Was she trying to test me somehow? Or just scare me? I shrugged, doing my best to look unconcerned. “Guess I’ll just have to stay out of the water.”
    “Oh, the bad things aren’t only in the water,” said Zuzu, sliding off the counter.
    “You’re like the worst welcome wagon
ever
,” I observed.
    Zuzu looked surprised; then she laughed, a rich giggle.“Don’t worry,” she said, pulling open the refrigerator door, “I’ll teach you everything you need to know. I’m going to hang out with you.” She pouted her full lower lip, surveying the contents of the fridge. “Maisie doesn’t have much milk left.” She swirled an old-fashioned glass quart bottle and sniffed it. “I’ll introduce you around, stuff like that. We’ll be friends,” she added matter-of-factly, and put the milk back.
    “Thanks,” I said coolly, “but I don’t need a babysitter.”
    Zuzu blinked black feather-duster lashes and her eyes went wide. “That came out wrong, didn’t it? It did. I can tell. Look,” she said with a sigh, “I’m not used to being around someone I haven’t known my whole life. It’s weird, okay? We don’t do a welcome wagon. We don’t do welcome
period
. They just thought I could help you get used to things around here.”
    “Who’s
they
?”
    Zuzu shrugged. “Your grandmother. The Council.”
    I swept up the crumbs she’d left on the counter. “Like I said, I don’t need a babysitter. Especially not one ordered by any Council. And you know, it kind of freaks me out to think of strangers talking about me,
arranging
things for me,” I muttered.
    “It’s not like that.” Zuzu twined her long fingers together. “You’re the first new girl my own age I’ve met in, well, as long as I can remember.” She bit her lower lip. “I really
want
us to be friends.”
    She looked genuinely upset.
    “Well, I guess that would be nice,” I said slowly. And realized with a pang that it really
would
be nice. “Thanks.”
    Zuzu’s smile gleamed again, this time in a grin that made her cheeks dimple and displayed a little gap between her two front teeth. “Fabulous,” she said. “I can show you all around the island.”
    “Where do we start?”
    “There’s only one place,” she replied with a shrug. “The Snug.”

    HAM AND BEAN SOLSTICE EVE SUPPER—GET YOUR TICKETS EARLY!
    The sign was tacked on a dark wooden door decorated with brass trim. Inside was a dimly lit room filled with tables and booths, each set with a candle flickering in a jelly jar. About half of the seats were occupied with people eating and drinking. The smell of fried food wafted through the swinging doors to a kitchen. Posters of old movies, bands and cars decorated most of the darkly paneled walls except the one lined by a set of shelves sagging under the weight of books. A man in a faded denim shirt sat on a stool in the corner playing guitar. Whatever tune he strummed was drowned out by the buzz of laughter and talk.
    “Welcome to the Snug,” said Zuzu. “Combinationrestaurant, pub, lending library and gossip depot. It’s pretty much our only hot spot.”
    Zuzu introduced me to two girls. Linda and Marisa were sisters, both with strawberry-blond hair and big blue eyes. Linda was the older one. I knew this because she told me so. She also seemed to do all the talking for the pair of them.
    “Marisa has been dying to meet you,” Linda said, “ever since we heard you came to Trespass.”
    “That sounds funny, doesn’t it?” I said with a smile.