Free Some Kind of Wonderful by J. Minter Page B

but I still wasn't prepared to find myself right in front of
     her again so quickly.
    "It's so loud here," Judith said, covering her ears. "How much longer do you guys want to stay?"
    "Judith," I said, much more sharply than I'm sure I meant to. "We just got here! And we're on vacation"
    Judith blanched but didn't answer me. I must have said it more loudly than I realized because at that moment, a really hot
     guy brushed past us with four drinks in his hands. He gave me a shocked look, like he couldn't believe anyone would be that
     bitchy.
    Ugh, what was wrong with me? The judgmental hottie was right. I wasn't being myself, and I could tell Judith was pretty hurt.
    "Look, Judith, I didn't mean—"
    But before I had a chance to apologize, Kennedy Pearson appeared right in front of us like the wicked witch she was.
    "Flan Flood, look at you. You've certainly grown up, haven't you?" she said.
    "Hi, Kennedy." I rocked awkwardly on my heels and pulled on my shell necklace. I hated that she could still unsettle me so
     much.
    She looked Judith up and down.
    "Where'd you get your friend?" she said. "The same place you got that outfit? The Barney's co-op sale?"
    "Oh, no," a familiar voice said behind me. "Flan can only shop at the Big and Tall stores these days."
    I spun around. Oh my God. Meredith said that? In front of Kennedy? I couldn't tell if she only meant it as a joke, but it definitely felt like an insult.
    "I knew there was something I liked about you, Mer," Kennedy said. "Come over to our side of the fire. I want you to meet
     some of my friends." She spun on her heel and was gone.
    I grabbed Meredith's arm.
    "I forgot to tell you," she said, looking sheepish. "I met Kennedy on the scavenger hunt this afternoon. I know you have a
     beef with her, but I swear, she was so nice to me that I almost forgot about it. It seems like she's grown up a lot since
     middle school. I promise—she's so cool now. She even told me what good friends you used to be and how bad she feels that you
     two don't hang out anymore."
    I opened my mouth to respond, but I was too stunned to speak. Meredith had just basically insulted me to my face, and now
     she was BFF with Kennedy? What planet had I woken up on? There was no way I was buying the fact that Kennedy felt badly about
     what happened between us. If there was one thing I knew for certain, it was that Kennedy could not be trusted.
    I turned to Judith for support, but she was nowhere to be found. I felt terrible. I turned around to find her and apologize,
     but Meredith took my hand.
    "You're not mad, are you?"
    "Meredith, you don't know Kennedy. She's evil."
    "I really think she's changed," Meredith said, tucking her hair behind her ears. "She was super sweet today. And her parents
     own this gallery in Chelsea— you know the one I love on 19th Street that I'm always unsuccessfully trying to drag you to?
     And did you know that Ava Korner is her godmother? You never told me that! You know she's, like, my favorite artist ever.
     Kennedy said she'd introduce me."
    "Meredith, over here!" It was Kennedy, waving my friend over to her headquarters. I was having deja vu.
    "Let's go," Meredith said. "Just for a little. If you're having a terrible time in five minutes, we can leave. Just give her
     another chance, okay?"
    But she didn't give me any time to argue. She was already halfway to Kennedy. I had no Judith and no choice but to follow
     Meredith pathetically, like a lost puppy.
    "Hey!" Kennedy said as we sat down in the middle of a crowd of cute guys. "TZ, this is Meredith. And that's her friend, Flan.
     TZ has been wanting to meet you since I told him all about you this afternoon, Meredith."
    TZ was none other than the judgmental hottie whom I'd already embarrassed myself in front of. As I looked at him more closely,
     I realized that I knew him. I'd met him years before. He was Terrick Zumberg—of the Zumbergs who were behind this whole vacation.
     He'd been a terror when he was a