Knee Deep by Jolene Perry Read Free Book Online Page A

first night at the house on the beach we had a repeat of our forest kiss—minus the picnic.
    “ Come on,” he whispered, as I put plates away. “They’re all talking. Let’s get out of here.”
    I didn’t even glance once. I just took his hand and trusted him to lead me out the door. We ran down the hill to the beach and took off running in the wet sand still holding hands, until we came to the small outcropping of rocks, which formed what we always called, “the cove.”
    We stepped into the water and I stopped as soon as the waves touched my knees.
    “ Don’t you want to go deeper?” he asked.
    “ It’s the rule. From my dad. If there are no parents, you stop at your knees.” I smiled as I looked into the black water. We didn’t always listen to that rule, but there was something about breaking one rule (going to the beach at night without telling anyone) that made me want to follow a different one.
    “ I missed you.” He took my hand and pulled me close, our hands clutched together between us.
    I opened my mouth to speak, but when his lips touched mine words didn’t matter. His lips parted and we kissed more. It was scary, not like our sweet kiss in the woods, but I craved more of it. The cool waves tickled the small dent behind my knees, and Shawn’s kisses touched every other part of me.
    We snuck off any time we got a chance. He bought me cherry shaved ice every day for the whole two weeks and then tried to kiss off the red tint. It never worked, but not for lack of trying.
    Our last night felt awful, like I was being torn apart from the inside. We sat side by side in the sand, our knees up, and our hands together tightly. His forehead rested against mine, and it felt like the most perfect moment of my life. Shawn’s always been good at being part of those.
    “ I can’t believe this is over.” His voice was barely a whisper.
    “ We can keep writing.” Anything to keep the connection.
    “ I will. I promise I will.” His dark eyes found mine in the dim light.
    “ Me, too.”
    And then, on the edge of the sand near our wall of rocks, we kissed one another until my lips were sore. Nothing could keep me from crying at our separation but the protection of his arms.
    ***
    Dad sighs in his chair, holding my suspension slip and rubbing his forehead with his thumb and pointer finger, like he does when my brother, Ben, or I screw up. Ben doesn’t have to see it anymore, being so far away in college, but I get a front row seat.
    But having a purpose for this makes getting in trouble a lot less horrible.
    Mom’s on the couch, her magazine resting on her legs. “If you wanted part of a day off from school, you should have just said something. We both know I don’t have a problem with you taking time off once in a while.”
    “Sorry.” I stare at my lap and try to look dejected, even though I’m not all that broken up about it. “Guess this means I miss my girl weekend.”
    “Oh…” Mom sounds surprised, like she might still let me do it.
    My breathing stops.
    I see Dad’s hand come up between he and Mom. “No girl weekend. You’ll have to reschedule.”
    I nod and bite my lip. Is this good enough? It’s hard to look sad when relief is washing through my body.
    But Dad’s looking at me. I guess he knows something’s up. Sometimes it really sucks having a shrink for a dad.
    ***
    Mom and Dad leave in the morning as usual. I’m not allowed to go anywhere or have anyone over, but it doesn’t matter. Being alone is starting to feel like exactly what I need.
    My phone beeps.
    SHAWN: SORRY I’M NOT THER W U. MY DAD HAD A BAD DAY AGN YSTRDY.
    SO SORRY. My chest sinks at the thought of what the past day sounded like from Shawn’s room.
    SHAWN: ITS OK. WNTD TO C U LST NGHT, THAT’S ALL. SKIPPING W MINDY IS NVR A GOOD IDEA.
    U WER RGHT. Only he doesn’t know the whole story—how I took the fall for her. He’d really be upset with me. It sucks that his parents are still arguing.
    SHAWN: STIL