Page 125 of Never Forever

“You were kissing Carrie Piedmont, right? Yesterday? TMZ has the picture.”

Oh. Shit.

It was starting to drizzle, a fine Maine mist that hung in the air and made everything damp. I turned up the collar on my coat and eyed their shitty coats.

I decided not to say anything, so I didn’t accidentally create a bigger problem for Carrie which would make a bigger problem for me. If I didn’t give them anything, sooner or later they’d get bored. Right?

Outside of kissing Carrie Piedmont, which I wouldn’t be doing again in public anytime soon, there wasn’t anything interesting about me.

And, according to my app, there was a storm brewing in the North Atlantic. These guys didn’t look like they were ready for foul weather.

“Hey!” One of them shouted as I made my way down the dock. “You used to date Carrie Piedmont in high school, didn’t you?”

“How the hell did you find that out?”

“Couple of Google searches, man. You were the Maine Decathlon State Champion and she was there to support.”

“So?”

“Who broke up with who? Huh? You trying to get a second chance now that she’s famous?”

“Or is it because she’s rich?” another one asked.

“You after her money? Or her body?” someone shouted.

They stopped when I got to the gate of the ferry. “You need a ticket to board and I’m not selling them. Get lost.”

They took a few more pictures of my scowling face, but seemed appeased by their work for the day. The second I stepped onto the boat, I got out my phone and called Dad.

“Dad?” I said when he answered the phone.

“Hey son, how are you doing?”

“Look. There might be some photographers outside your house or people who say they’re reporters…”

“Yep. Got a guy at the foot of my driveway right now.”

“Don’t talk to them. They’re paparazzi here to give Carrie a hard time.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it, son. However, I am going to go water my lawn and if one of them happens to get wet?”

“Nothing against the rules about a guy watering his lawn.”

In September. When it was raining.

I hung up and considered calling Carrie, but it was still really early and she was likely sleeping. If she didn’t know about the picture, I didn’t want to be the one to tell her over the phone. I glanced at my watch. I’d be out on the island soon anyway.

What I hadn’t realized when I got on board and settled into my captain’s seat…Annie was already on the ferry. And she was sneaky fast when she wanted to be.

Carrie

I wokeup to my sister standing over me.

“Jesus!” I cried, jumping as high as I could considering the amount of air that had leaked out of my air mattress. My startled jump was more of a Jello wiggle. “What are you doing?”

“What am I doing?” Annie asked. She was trembling, she was so upset. Her glasses slipping down to the end of her nose. “What areyoudoing?”

She shoved her phone in my face. It was early and I had just woken up, but when I realized what I was looking at I rolled myself out of my bed and grabbed my own phone.

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