Page 103 of Rebel Summer

DAX

Thanks for coming tonight.

ME

I had fun. Thanks for inviting me.

Do it one more time.

DAX

That’s against the rules, Books.

ME

You break the rules all the time.

He started again, louder and with more distinct knocking. I sat up on my bed and finished out the tune with him, a smile on my face.

ME

It’s confusing with all the knocking. Is this song from my generation of music or yours?

DAX

Mine.

ME

Any hints?

DAX

I just gave you one.

ME

Any more?

DAX

Sweet dreams, Books

Biology Class

Day 48

“Did you get in trouble?” Dax asked, his brow lightly furrowed.

I gaped at him. “Yeah. Why did you think I was trying to get you to leave?”

“He obviously knew you didn’t steal the golf cart.”

“You wouldn’t know that by talking to him.”

“What did he say?”

I wasn’t about to tell him that my daddy said I couldn’t hang around him anymore. This wasn’t a drama on Lifetime. Other than being forced to sit next to him for a class, we never ran in the same circles. And we never would. My dad was right. Dax would never leave the island.