Page 3 of Anchored

“I love you too, Grandma Gracie,” I manage to respond before hanging up.

I tap my phone against my hand, heart heavy, but my brain full of memories that make me smile. Spending the summer in Anchor Lake? That isn’t what I had planned, but I can work from anywhere. What’s stopping me from spending another summer in my favorite place with my favorite person? I’ll just rip the Band-Aid off and tell Grandma that Dexter cheated on me. We can set his memory ablaze in a bonfire behind her cabin. Hell, if her dementia is as advanced as I fear it might be, maybe she won’t even remember him in the first place.

With my plans set, I race to my bedroom to pack.

Maple’s Twelfth Year Around the Sun Journal

(20 years ago)

I KISSED A BOY.

Ahh! There. I said it. Wrote it actually, but who cares?

I found the bonfire tonight. They think they’re so clever moving the location every night, but anyone with a nose could find them, including the police. But no one ever busts it up. Hardly anyone was drinking, and I certainly wasn’t! Grandma Gracie would kill me if I came home drunk. She’d have to tell Dad and he’d make me come home for the rest of the summer. Probably enroll me in some stupid science camp.

Anyway, I found the bonfire on the south side of the lake, just ten houses down from Grandma’s cabin. They were tucked away in that little alcove where I’ve hidden when we play hide-and-seek, but I found them! I walked right in like I belonged there. I learned that move from Toby. He meant it more for walking into a classroom with confidence, but bonfires held by my peers works too.

Holt was standing right by the fire, a Dr. Pepper in his hand. He was talking to some girl I didn’t know. I grabbed a Pepsi from the cooler and held my hand out to the fire like I was cold. Mostly I just wanted to hear what they were talking about. The girl was going on and on about her stupid Usher tickets, like she was trying to work up the nerve to ask Holt to go with her to the concert. He kept fidgeting with his jeans. They looked like they were about to fall down. I would have died if they did! Can you imagine??

Anyway, one of her friends came over and told her to come grab a beer and play spin the bottle. Holt turned her down when she tried to get him to join them. I liked that about him. Every time I’ve seen him, he never has an alcoholic drink in his hand. I didn’t know if he has something against beer or maybe he just doesn’t like how it makes the sky spin, like it did to me when I drank it. Thank God Grandma Gracie had already been asleep that night. I swore never to drink after that.

Holt looked up as the girl walked away, his gaze locking with mine. His blue eyes were almost too pretty. If he didn’t have glasses on, he’d be so handsome I couldn’t talk to him. He smirked at me and walked closer.

“You’re Maple, right?”

I nodded. My stupid tongue wouldn’t work. It was like I had cotton in my mouth.

“Not a fan of spin the bottle?” he asked.

I tried to lick my lips. His eyes dropped to my mouth and I tucked my tongue away quickly. “Um. No. I, uh…” Jeez. This was bad. He was going to think I’m an idiot.

He must have taken pity on me. “I don’t want my first kiss to be because of a stupid kids’ game, you know?”

My mouth dropped open. “Yes! Exactly!”

His cheeks were red. “You haven’t had your first kiss either?”

I shook my head so violently, my hair must have been a blonde mess of tangles around my face. Holt’s finger tapped the side of his can of soda. Over and over. I swallowed, and I swear it was louder than the crickets chirping.

“Do you…”

“Do I what?” I managed to say.

He looked down at his feet and then up at me, his cheeks even redder. “Want to kiss me?”

I swear my brain exploded. I couldn’t even form words. I just nodded.

And then…the most incredible thing happened!!!

Holt leaned in and put his lips on mine. I was so shocked I gasped and our lips moved against each other. My eyes slammed shut. Everything went all tingly, from my head to my toes. His hand came up and cupped my cheek. I shifted my head and leaned forward, wanting more. Or to get closer or something.

But then the worst thing happened!!!

I bumped his glasses and they fell off. He broke off the kiss and my eyes flew open to see his glasses in the dirt at our feet. He bent to pick them up, and I felt so bad! He was clearly mad. He wouldn’t even look at me. He just picked up his glasses and walked away.

I was SO embarrassed!

I tried to look around to see if anyone saw us, but everyone was over by the group doing spin the bottle. I don’t think anyone saw our kiss. My fingertips touched my lips. I felt dazed. Like this soda was actually a beer and all the alcohol had gone straight to my head.

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