Free Robyn by Jade Parker

told her.
    “I know. Sean was telling Mom and Dad about all the party craziness during dinner.”
    Weird that we’d been having the same conversation in two different houses.
    “So I know it was just too insane for you to get away. Sorry if I overreacted. But since we started working, it’s like the only time I really see you is while we’re in the car or during lunch. I mean, I’d hoped we’d be working in the same area, that we’d be spending time together — just working instead of playing. You know?”
    “Yeah, I know.”
    “I’ve actually been thinking about asking if I could transfer to Splash. How sick is that?”
    “Pretty sick. You really don’t want to do that.”
    “You’re right. If I moved, then I’d never see Tanner.”
    “Did he talk to you again today?”
    “Oh, yeah, he always comes over and asks how I’m doing, but that’s about it — - mostly because I’m usually on duty at the time so we could get into trouble if we’re caught yammering instead of ‘being watchful’ out there.”
    “Listen, if you can change your lunchtime so it matches his instead of mine, don’t worry about me.”
    “You’re such a great friend, Robyn.”
    “I try.” And who knew? There might come a time when I wanted to change my lunchtime.
    “So are you going with us to see the fireworks?” she asked.
    Every year, the city put on a huge fireworks display for Memorial Day as a tribute to the troops. The high school band would play and the fireworks were choreographedto patriotic tunes. It didn’t start until nine thirty and since the water park closed at eight we’d have plenty of time to get there.
    “You bet. Don’t I always?”
    She laughed. “Yeah, some things never change.”
    But I had a feeling that wasn’t going to be true for much longer. Seemed like some things were changing already. Maybe she just hadn’t really noticed yet.

“This is going to be so much fun!” Caitlin said.
    It was Monday evening, Memorial Day. We’d finished with work. The day had been more insane than I’d ever imagined it could be. Thousands and thousands of people had descended on the water park. I was so glad that we’d be doing something tonight that would be calm. Instead of having Sean take me home and then have to come back by to get me, I’d packed some extra clothes that morning so that I could change at Caitlin’s. Her house was practically my house and vice versa.
    We’d both taken quick showers, washed our hair. She was fluffing hers up, using some kind of gel or something to make it look windblown. I was wearing mine loose.
    “Did you want to wear one of my headbands?” she asked.
    She had several. They were all sparkly. And I’m just not really sparkly.
    “No thanks.”
    Caitlin was wearing shorts and a T-shirt with sequins on it that spelled out princess. It was part of a set that Sean had given her for her birthday. The other two read queen and diva. He was always buying her things that indicated he thought she was spoiled. Maybe she was. But then he probably was, too.
    I was wearing a red tank top, denim shorts, and sandals. I fastened a seashell choker around my neck. I’d bought it in one of the Paradise Falls gift shops last year. It’s a little embarrassing to admit, but Paradise Falls was the closest I’d come to going to abeach. It was one of those things that I wanted to do someday.
    Maybe that was one of the reasons that I really enjoyed Paradise Falls. Even though it was all pretend, it was like being on a tropical island away from it all. And sometimes I just wanted to be away from it all.
    “Oh, uh, listen, I should probably tell you that I invited Tanner to join us,” Caitlin said.
    I caught her gaze in the mirror. She was standing behind me looking guilty. I slowly turned around.
    Before I could say anything, she shrugged. “He might not come. He probably won’t. I mean, I just told him that we were going to be at the baseball field, you know, in case he wanted to