Chapter Thirteen Sera
Chapter Thirteen
Sera
I’m so lost in the process that I don’t hear Maddy come in until she’s right behind me.
“Earth to Sera!” she singsongs. I yelp and almost fall off my stool. “Oops. Sorry.” She laughs as I turn and flick my brush at her.
“Maybe you should add becoming a spy to your potential job list.”
“Nah.” She recovers and pulls off her glasses, waving them in my face. “I’m too memorable.”
“True.” My heart finally slows down, and I start to collect my brushes to take in and clean. “What’s up?”
“So, I took off work early, and I’m feeling like spending some of these tips.” She puts her glasses back on and flashes a sticky-looking wad of small bills. “Wanna get a late lunch and go shopping?”
“Totally, let me change.”
“No, no, no.” Maddy grabs my elbow and leads me into the house.
“You’re perfect. Comfy and in easy-to-take-off clothes.
All the better for trying things on.” She gestures to her own outfit.
She’s wearing black leggings and a white T-shirt that has seen better days.
Throw the apron she wears at the diner over it and I might ask her for a milkshake.
I look down at my beach shorts and faded striped T-shirt.
“Okay, if you’re sure this isn’t a crime to wear in public,” I say.
“I’m sure!”
I put my brushes in the sink, then slip on some flip-flops and grab my bag by the door. We wave at Paula, who is on her way out too, herding Oliver and Adam into the back of her little blue car. There’s no sign of Luke or his truck. He must be at Nyeman’s or working a shift at the marina.
As we walk through my neighborhood, Maddy points to the new aboveground pool the neighbors put up on the corner.
“I know Northport Beach is close, but I’d love a pool.”
“I think I’d prefer an in-ground,” I say as we pass by.
“Oh, like the fancy one at Ryan O’Rourke’s house? Most epic graduation party I’ve ever been to,” Maddy says.
I smile. It was epic. It also was one of those confusing days where things with Luke almost went somewhere.
I’d convinced my mom to buy me my junior prom dress early and met him there.
“You’re blue, like the honeybee,” Luke said, grinning when he found me by the dessert tables.
I did a spin for him in my silk dress, delighted. “Thanks. You look great!” I said, surprised by how grown-up he looked in his suit.
“It’s my Christmas church suit,” Luke complained, looking around the crowded yard like he was worried he didn’t belong.
Throngs of wealthy grown-ups sparkled in suits and gowns, holding champagne glasses.
Platters of shrimp, grilled meat, and tiny lobster rolls seemed to replenish like magic.
We were on the dance floor by the pool when Ryan came running through and jumped straight into the water. A slew of kids followed.
I raised my eyebrows at Luke.
“Oh no,” he said.
“Oh yes,” I replied. “Race ya!” I broke away from him and cannonballed into the pool. He followed right behind me. We popped up out of the water, laughing. Luke’s white shirt clung to his chest, and his lips were a little blue.
“Are you cold?” I asked, realizing I was shivering despite the warm night.
“A little,” Luke said, floating closer. “You are too. I can tell.”
“I’m great,” I said, my chattering teeth giving me away.
Luke settled his hands on my arms, rubbing them, trying to warm me up.
“You’re freezing,” he said, wrapping all the way around me until our noses were almost touching.
Everything went still. The sloshing water seemed to settle around us, the music faded, and the chatter of the party guests was a distant hum.
All I needed to do was lean in and kiss him, consequences be damned.
I stepped a little closer, my skirt floating up around us like a cloud.
That’s when Ryan surfaced out of the water right next to us.
“Break it up, kiddos,” he shouted. “My parents are pissed. Time to get out!”
Just another moment I misread, I tell myself as Maddy and I hit the corner of Main.
“I haven’t bought new clothes in ages. It just seemed like a waste when everything was still so…uncertain,” I say as we cross the street.
“Sure, I get that, but don’t take this the wrong way: You’re built for a style way cuter than Abbi’s black-and-white hand-me-downs and your mom’s oversized beach clothes. And now that you’ve got Paris to prepare for, you gotta refresh. Let me help redirect you?” Maddy begs.
“Deal,” I say.
At the first few clothing boutiques we give each other shocked looks when we see the price tags. Still, it’s fun to browse. We continue down Main to a big thrift shop. I collapse into an old fancy armchair inside, claiming I need a break, but Maddy isn’t having it.
“You’re totally fine. Get up. You’re going to love this.”
At the back of the shop is a wall of prints and paintings.
A sign tells us that local artists donated the pieces and proceeds go to repairing the boardwalk.
There’s a huge oil painting of Northport Beach, a series of small paintings of boats in the harbor, and even some watercolor sunsets of Thirds Beach and the lighthouse.
There’s also a huge whale-shaped weather vane made of what looks like bone and driftwood that reminds me of Luke’s grandpa’s pieces.
“Okay, this is cool,” I say. I lose track of time for a bit as I try to decide if I want this one painting of a humpback whale swimming up the canal. Maddy shouts my name from a few aisles down. I pull myself away from the painting and go find her.
“Where are you?” I ask, walking through the kitchen supply aisle and then a corner full of lamps.
“Over here!” I follow her voice to the clothing section, where she has a cart full of things to try on.
“See, it’s not new or expensive, but some of this stuff is still so quality.” She flicks through another handful of hangers in the dress section. “The rich people with summer houses like to dump practically their whole wardrobes every year and buy new stuff. Some of this still has tags on it.”
I join her in looking for the most outrageous dresses we can find, before lugging our discoveries to the dressing rooms. At the last second, Maddy drops a yellow dress on the top of my pile.
“You must try this. It’s required.”
I laugh. “Why?”
“Because it’s a great date dress.” Maddy’s eyes shine, and she winks. “When are you seeing Jackson again?”
“Oh, um, I’m not sure…He’s still in Nantucket,” I say. He’s been posting a lot, but I haven’t heard from him much since he left. “But I’ll try it. Do you need one, too, for any…dates?” I ask. “You still haven’t told me what’s going on with Sienna. I’ve seen her at the diner like three times now.”
Maddy blushes. “Well, I wasn’t sure it was anything…”
“But…” I egg her on.
“But…we’ve gone out a couple times and it’s been fun. Her family just moved here and she’s a rising sophomore at Berklee and into DJ-ing, and…me…apparently.”
I squeal. “Maddy! That’s great!”
Maddy blushes a little. “Early days, but I like her a lot.”
I make a mental note to find something date-appropriate for her to try on too.
In the dressing room, we laugh about how short the curtains are as we try on giant colorful caftans and more blue-and-white-striped clothing than we can count.
Then I finally pick up the soft yellow cotton sundress.
It’s covered in tiny white flowers. I drop it over my head and zip it up.
It fits perfectly. I step in front of the big mirror outside the changing stalls and stare at myself.
The dress falls slightly past my fingertips and flares out from a corset-like bodice.
The sweetheart neckline ties with a bow at the center and covers all but the very top of my scar.
The straps are these fun off-the-shoulder kind that aren’t actually doing anything, but make my arms look strong.
Maddy gasps when she comes out to see me.
“Sera, you have to get it.”
I sigh. “It is really pretty.” I do a quick spin and the skirt flares out and then settles again. I find the price tag, and it’s only twenty bucks. “I’ll get it,” I say, then I pin Maddy with a glare. “But it’s probably not for any dates. It’s just a nice sundress, and I deserve nice things.”
Maddy hmms as she turns me side to side. “In that case, you should wear it out, because I was lying before: Those shorts belong at the beach and the beach only.”
“Monster.” I gasp. “How am I supposed to trust you now?”
Maddy shrugs, then prances back into her changing stall and comes out in an orange-and-green caftan.
“Think this will be cool in Paris?”
“Maybe if you were eighty?” I say, draping my arms over her shoulders as she pulls on a green felt hat and looks at herself in the mirror. “And, like, loaded.”
“Then it’s perfect!”
I laugh and Maddy goes back in to try on the rest of her pile. I don’t bother changing out of the dress, and I can’t stop catching sight of myself in the mirror, imagining the perfect occasion to wear it.
*
When I get home, Luke is out front with his mom, hefting a huge bag of soil from his truck like it weighs nothing.
His dark hair peeks out from underneath a backward baseball cap, and the side of his T-shirt has lifted up, showing a sliver of toned stomach.
Holding my bag of new clothes, I walk over to say hi. That’s what a friend would do, right?
“Hey,” I say, lifting my hand to block the sun. “Need any help?” Though I’m not at all a gardener.
“Oh no, we’re all set, Sera. Thanks, though.
We’ll be done soon.” Paula smiles, wiping the back of her arm across her forehead.
Luke drops the bag, and I can’t miss how his gaze catches on my dress.
A shiver zips up my spine. His cheeks redden before he turns abruptly and walks back to the truck for another bag of soil.
“Okay.” I try to think of a reason to stay.
In years past I’d just take him away when he was done with the chore.
We’d go to the tree house or out to the beach and stay until sunset.
Maybe bike to the candy store or to Frappie’s for ice cream.
He comes back and drops another bag farther down the garden bed.
“Actually I could use your help Thursday. If you’re free?” he asks as he lifts up the bottom of his shirt to wipe his forehead. I stare at his elbow so I don’t stare at his abs. “I’m taking Oliver and Adam out on the boat, and they’ve been asking nonstop if you can come too.”
“Me? Really? Well…” I’m surprised he’s asking me after the awkwardness at the fireworks. I try to think of a reason why I can’t go, but realize I really want to. “Yeah, that sounds fun. I’m in.”
“Cool,” Luke says.
“Text me what time you wanna leave,” I say, and walk past the rosebushes into my backyard.
Inside, my parents are bickering by the old dishwasher, which has been pulled out into the tiny kitchen, the new one sitting off to the side.
“We need to turn the water off first,” Dad is saying.
“You didn’t already?” Mom says, frustrated.
“No, you told me to wait!”
“When?”
“Before.”
“Well, if it needs to be off, it needs to be off.” She stands up. “I’ll get it.”
Dad gets up too, following her down the stairs, reminding her to be gentle.
I shake my head and go up to Abbi’s room to see if she’s home.
I need her help picking an outfit for the boat.
I’d wear the dress, but it’s not practical.
I push into her room and find her sprawled on her bed.
I toss my bag of clothes her way and slouch into the armchair by the door.
“Ooh, you went thrifting without me?”
“Maddy’s idea,” I say, feeling suddenly exhausted and like I need to catch my breath.
“Tired?” She looks worried.
I sit up, shaking it off. I check my watch for my heartbeat reading, but it’s fine. “Yeah, we left before lunch.”
Abbi whistles. “Long day,” she says. She turns over my bag of clothes and gasps.
“Did I do good?” I ask, walking over to the bed and shuffling through the items I got. A handful of tops, a pair of shorts, two skirts, and a couple cardigans, plus the dress I’m still wearing.
“Can I borrow this?” she answers, holding up a black-and-white-checkered T-shirt I’d gotten for her. I can’t help but feel a little proud.
“I got it for you,” I say. “But I’ll need to borrow it for Paris next year.”
“Paris,” she says, hesitant, looking at me head to toe. “Paris.” The second time, she says it like she’s casting a spell for my luck. I cross my fingers and sit on the bed next to her.
“Paris,” I agree.