SALVAGE PRIDE

9

I jump to my feet. “Okay! You guys wait for me, though.” I turn to race back to my house, knowing it will take me longer to get my bike than them. I only take a few strides before Zeno calls out.

“Isa, make sure you wear your helmet.”

I screech to a halt and spin around. “What? Why? You never wear one.”

“Don’t care. You ride with me, you wear a helmet.”

“If I have to wear one, Nevio does too.” I’m not going down on this ship alone.

“No way!” Nevio groans.

Z smirks. “Fair enough. Now go get your bike. We’ll swing by and grab you on our way out.”

I leap into action, giggling at the incredulous bellow Nevio releases behind me. Back at the house, I roll my bike out of the shed and clip on my bright red helmet. I check my tires for air, then pedal down our long driveway. The boys are waiting for me beneath a shade tree, Zeno propped against his black mountain bike, and Nevio sitting on his blue BMX style bike wearing a gray helmet and a scowl.

“Let’s go up to the clubhouse, then we can coast back downhill on the way home.” Zeno throws a long, lean leg over his bike and leads the way. As the eldest, he almost always runs the show when he’s around. There are only three years between the two brothers, but it seems like more. Sometimes, Nevio challenges Z, but he rarely wins. Z is way bigger and a little scary sometimes. Nevio is scrappy, but he gets so angry that it hurts his chances. When they fight one another, which happens, Z always comes out on top.

I’m happy to do whatever they decide, so long as I’m not bored and alone.

The clubhouse is about half a mile from Hardwick and is a gathering facility for the community. There is a boat launch for those without water access, picnic tables, and a pier that people use for fishing. Most of the ride there is shaded by a canopy of trees, so even the uphill climb isn’t too terrible. When we arrive, we have the place to ourselves. It’s probably too hot out for anyone else, but that works for us.

Z hops the curb and leads us over the grass and around the clubhouse toward the lake on the other side. As we approach the shoreline, the terrain becomes increasingly rocky, especially in the six feet or so of the bank where the water regularly rises and recedes, depending on the weather. I’m not crazy about riding over rocks, but I refuse to show weakness in front of the boys. They already treat me differently because I’m a girl—case in point, my helmet. Whining about the rocks would only make things worse.

I power on along the shore behind the others until my front wheel rolls over an extra-large rock, sliding sideways and toppling me over onto the unforgiving ground. I try to catch myself but am mostly unsuccessful and land on my side with the bike draped over me. I hiss as I scoot away from the offending bike and take in my scraped hands and leg. My hip took the brunt of the fall.

Fortunately, my jean shorts kept the skin there safe. The side of my knee wasn’t so lucky.

The two brothers throw their bikes down and come running over.

Zeno takes my hand in his and examines my wounds. “Are you okay? Is anything broken?”

“I don’t think so.” I wince at the stinging now pulsing from multiple places on my body. “It just burns a bit.” Tears begin to form in my eyes, but I desperately blink them back. I’m not even sure why I’m crying. I’m not hurt that bad, but the scare has triggered my tears.

Nevio stands my bike upright and assesses the front wheel. “I don’t think it’s bent. Sometimes a fall like that makes the steering all wonky.”

Z doesn’t acknowledge his brother. Instead, he looks up in search of something, then scoops me into his arms. I cling to his neck, taken by surprise when he lifts me off the ground. I’m a scrawny thing, but carrying me can’t be easy. He’s stronger than I thought.

Even though I really appreciate him taking care of me, I don’t want him to think I’m a baby. “I

can walk, Z. You don’t have to carry me.” “No, Isa,” he murmurs. “I got you.” I believe him. Z would never drop me.

He sets me down on the bench of a nearby picnic table, then squats to look at my knee, slowly lifting my foot to straighten the joint. “How does that feel?”

“Okay.”

“How about you try to stand.”

I nod and do as he says, putting weight on my hip. “I think it’s okay, just a little sore.” I sit back down and wipe the moisture from my cheek.

Z reaches up and gently raps his knuckles on my helmet. “Aren’t you glad I had you wear that thing now?” he teases.

I chuckle and roll my eyes. “I guess.”

He joins me on the bench, and we watch Nevio skip rocks for a few minutes. Once I’m feeling better, I suggest we join his brother, and the rest of our afternoon unfolds as it would any other day. When I go to sleep that night, curled up next to my sister, I recall the feel of Zeno’s strong arms supporting me. I’m not sure why it comes to mind, except that it felt so good. I almost wish he were here now so that I could hear the thundering of his reassuring heartbeat.

I fall asleep with that thought in mind, comforted by the fact that I have such an amazing friend.

I TAKE EACH STEP UPSTAIRS WITH CALM CONTROL. ZENO ALREADY STORMED AWAY—NO ONE IS watching me—but I refuse to look like I’m scurrying away with my tail tucked between my legs. I use the time to recenter myself and remember why I’m here. Zeno may be a d**k, but that’s irrelevant to me. He is irrelevant. I get a week to spend with my favorite people on the planet, and I will not let him ruin that.

When I locate Gia, she’s moved to the bedroom next door to where I left her and already has the old sheets piled by the door.