Page 79 of My Star-Crossed Summer

This job won’t make me a big pile of money like the job with Diana would—but right now, I can’t imagine working for her and going back to that lifestyle I was so eager to leave. But I can easily see myself doing this work, being surrounded by people like these kids who bring the best parts of me to the surface, where they can grow in the light.

“Picture time,” I tell the girls, pulling my cell phone from my pocket. I want to etch this moment into my memory.

“Oh, I almost forgot,” Layla says, digging through her bag again. She pulls out a blue ball cap and hands it to Priya. It’s dustier now, but I recognize the Ursa Major constellation embroidered with the outline of a bear. The hat Derrick wore nearly every day—the one he nearly lost at the waterfall that very first week.

“I don’t understand,” Priya says. “This is his favorite.”

Layla smirks, nudging her arm. “He said it looks better on you.”

Priya blushes as she puts the hat on her head. When I snap the picture, the girls are grinning like a couple of Swifties who just won front-row tickets.

When Layla pulls me onto the bed with them and snaps more photos, I see what Roxy means. Even under the dreadful fluorescent lights of the the hospital, I’m glowing.

I don’t need to overthink this job offer anymore. I can embrace my doubts and move through the hurricane of racing thoughts and biting fears because there are moments like this on the other side.

And these moments? They’re well worth running toward.

I text the photo of me with the girls to Noah, but he doesn’t respond. He hasn’t responded to any of the texts I’ve sent him today, and I’m hoping that’s just because he’s busy with airport runs and refuses to text while driving. Still, his silence only makes me replay our last conversation, picking it apart for evidence that I gave him a reason to ignore my attempts to talk.

As I’m driving backto the institute, my phone pings with a text message, and I grin, anticipating a playful response from Noah. I can’t wait to tell him about Roxy’s offer. And my new plan.

But the text is from Sophie.

How’s it going there? Did Priya’s family show up yet?

Great!I reply, using voice-text.They were all super nice and left a little while ago.I’m headed back now.

Sweet!she writes.See you soon. Party on the patio tonight to celebrate another great session.

Noah still hasn’t responded. After a moment, I send another voice text to Sophie:How’s Noah? Air all the kids in the air?

All good,she answers. I frown because it both is and isn’t.

Back at the institute,I find Sophie sitting at the picnic table by the cabins, reading a book that, based on the cover, definitelyhas some dragons and spicy times. She’s so into it that she doesn’t notice I’m there until I sit down across from her.

“Welcome back,” she says with a smile. “You officially survived camp.”

“Feels like it’s been longer than three weeks,” I tell her, stretching my arms over my head. “And yet also, like we just got here yesterday.”

She nods, closing the book. “Feels like that every time. Everything go okay with Priya’s family?”

“They were lovely,” I tell her. “Concerned, of course, and talked at length with the doctor who treated her. Then they asked Priya a million questions about camp, and once her aunt started quizzing me instead, Priya practically dragged her outside by her arm and swore she and Layla would tell her all the details on the car ride.”

In the parking lot, Aunt Radha gave me a rib-cracking hug and thanked me again for staying with Priya. As they all climbed inside the car, the girls were already chattering about their favorite parts of camp. When they waved to me out the windows, I felt like my heart grew three sizes.

“Those two are the cutest,” Sophie says. “Friends for life now. That’s the magic of summer camp.”

“Did Noah make it back yet?” I glance toward the parking lot, where there’s now only my car and Sophie’s. It’s nearly seven, and the sun’s dipped below the ridge, leaving the sky a deep periwinkle. The first stars are popping out beneath a sliver of moon.

“Change of plans,” she says. “It’s just you and me tonight. He had to drive back to Charleston.”

“Oh.” I try not to sound as deflated as I feel. “Is everything okay?”

“He’s fine. Said he needed to help his sister with something urgent that came up.”

She glances at me, perfectly penciled brow lifted, and I’m certain she’s finally put all these pieces together. My heart squeezes when I think about my unanswered texts—I wanted to talk tonight, but now he’s left without a word.

He’s pulling away again, and it hurts even more than it did the first time, all those years ago. I pull my phone from my pocket and scroll through the texts I sent him today. It’s possible they weren’t delivered, and I didn’t notice with all the activity at the hospital.

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