Page 68 of Leveling

Chapter 47

Odo said, “I can’t go any further, and the sun is setting.”

The small group paddled into a tight cluster and tied the boards together. Sky was to Luna’s right, but Seggy pulled up to Luna’s left and began tying knots. This was how it started in a close knit family group. Young men just decided that you were the one for them, and that was it. Seggy had simply chosen her and now it was up to her to choose him.

Luna could put him off of course, make him wait for her to agree, but the pressure. Luna didn’t want to spread discord in the group. There weren’t any other available young women or young men. Choosing was complicated, not choosing was a risk. She sighed and sat with her back to Seggy, facing Sky, sending subtle and overt hints that she wasn’t interested.

Though she knew he would think, “Notyet.”

It had been the same way with Mander on Sweepy Isle. He had set his sights on Luna, paddled beside her, carried her board, until she agreed they could be a couple. He had been handsome, butsoboring. Rarely speaking, never doing anything unless Luna told him to. Luckily his family paddled a different direction after a couple of months. Then a year ago, Jingo had joined her family. He paddled up beside her, and everyone accepted it as fact that they were together. Even though Jingo was stupid and had bossed her around as if he was her better, causing her to wonder if maybe she wasn’t as great as she thought she was, but probably it was all because there weren’t that many young men. Or young women. Or anybody. Just less. There were choices to be made, but life needed you to be practical about them. Find a young man, settle.

She sighed. She missed the everyday stupidity of waking up and looking over at Jingo’s stupid face. It had been comfortable. Easy.

And then Beckett. Her heart raced just thinking about him. Beckett. He hadn’t wanted to pick her. He tried not to—until he couldn’t do anything but want her. He had wanted her sobad. His eyes, when he held out his hand to dance with her, they had said it all.

Wait. Was that the look all mainland boys gave mainland girls—full of desire and want?

Oh well, it hardly mattered now, it had been good to be wanted, for once, like that. She zipped the front of her jacket up.

Instead of what this was—she glanced around at Seggy—this was like acquiescence or Maybe-Whatever-You’ll-Do.

Sky said, “Want some chocolate? I found it in the kitchen.”

Tears welled up in Luna’s eyes. She held out her hand for a chunk.

Sky said quietly, “Everything is going to be okay.”

Luna asked, “Is it? I thought it was, but now I can’t think of anything good or hopeful or interesting, and night is coming on and—”

“You’re super tired, me too, and it’s getting dark. Here, lay down.”

Luna and Sky lay down on their boards facing each other. Sky held Luna’s hands in both of hers and whispered, “You’re okay. You know that, right?”

Luna nodded, a tear rolling down her nose.

“The knots are strong, I tied them myself.”

Luna nodded again.

Water lapped up all around them. The paddleboards gently rocked as the sun sank below the horizon. “Odo and River are keeping watch, and you’re safe in the middle of our circle.”

Another tear rolled down Luna’s nose as she stared into Sky’s eyes.

“You aren’t going anywhere, I’m not going anywhere.”

Luna yawned and felt her body relax.

Sky said, “When you wake up, open your eyes, and I’ll be right here.”

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