Seaweed Read Free Page B

my bed, his amber eyes languidly following my movements with mild curiosity.
    “Hey, Crosby.” I couldn’t resist running my fingers through his fur. I pressed my face into his forehead. Ah, fuzz therapy.
    By Monday I was almost forgiving Tor, and I found myself looking for him at school, in the yard and in the halls, but he was a no show. Just as well. Everyone was buzzing about how the new guy, Tor Riley, had fallen into the ocean.
    Only I knew the truth.
    The day was a blur of exams and I wondered if Tor was about to fail grade ten. Or did it matter, since he was starting school two weeks before it ended, which was weird if you thought about it. Maybe he just wanted to make friends.
    I told myself not to think about him, but still I thought about him. What was the matter with me?
    Luke dropped me home after school before he headed to work at Joe’s Garage. Mom had left a note saying she had taken Nana sailing so I was alone in the house with Sidney, our golden lab, and Crosby. I took turns scratching behind their ears as I snacked on milk and cookies.
    I wasn’t often home alone, and it felt strange. I’d never noticed how loud the fridge motor was before, or how the kitchen clock had a soft tick.
    I almost turned on the TV for company when I heard a knock at the door. I waited, but no one opened it with an accompanying “hello.” That was the usual unspoken arrangement in this town.
    Sidney beat me to the door and started barking. I turned the knob and opened it.
    Tor.
    My jaw dropped in surprise and then promptly clamped.
    “What do you want?”
    “I want to explain what happened the other night.”
    “Oh, the night when you ran away from me and dove into the ocean and never resurfaced? That night?”
    He looked me straight in the eye. “Yeah, that night.”
    I shook my head. I wasn’t even sure I wanted to know anymore.
    Tor leveled his deep greens on me and I was suddenly curious. What could he possibly say?
    I relented and was about to ask him to come in, but Sidney was squirming like mad, and I wasn’t sure how long I had before Mom got home. I grabbed my jacket. “Let’s walk.”
    We automatically ended up at the beach, and continued padding through the rough sand until we came to a grouping of ragged black rocks. Tor climbed up on an enormous one and I followed, making sure there was a good distance between us. The wind whipped my loose hair against my face. Sidney settled in on the beach beside us.
    Seagulls soared and squawked overhead. Crabs crept across the sand then dug and buried themselves in safe little holes. The tide in the Bay of Fundy was rising and out on the horizon I saw a blast of water shoot into the sky.
    “Did you see that?” Tor said.
    “Yeah. Probably a humpback.”
    We waited and it jumped—its heavy gray pleated body defying gravity and crashing back into the sea.
    “Wow,” I said. “It doesn’t matter how many times I see something like that, I’m always blown away. It’s so amazing.”
    “Yeah, she’s amazing.”
    I looked at him. “How do you know it’s a she?”
    “Oh, I don’t know,” he said quickly. “Just a guess.”
    I let the salty air massage my face and took a deep breath. The air revived me and calmed me at the same time. I was soothed by the rhythmic music of the waves, and found it hard to keep my anger level up.
    “Dori, I’m sorry about the other night.”
    I stared at him. His face was kind and gentle, but his eyes were sad.
    “I don’t understand what happened. I know I shouldn’t have thrown my water at you, but I was just trying to have fun. I didn’t mean anything by it.”
    “I know, and I wasn’t mad about that. I can’t explain why I had to run. I’m just hoping that you can accept my apology.”
    Looking away, I mouthed, “You frightened me.” I didn’t think he would hear me, but he did.
    “I know. And for that I’m truly sorry.”
    “But you dove into the water and it was absolutely freezing cold. I went in after