Lia had felt both seduced and frightened by the scheme Ryan whispered into the telephone that night.
“Just tell your Mom we’re sitting over at Cindy’s.”
“Well, alright … but what if she calls over there?”
“Does she ever? Look, just think about what fun you’ll be missing. Neil has the keys to a condo at The Cays. It has a heated pool and everything.” Ryan paused to emit what she thought was a knowing little chuckle (except she was fourteen and naïve and didn’t know a thing). “And maybe he’ll bring a friend for you.”
Lia was shy, reticent; yet she didn’t want to be left out. She needed to be there to witness it all. “Okay, I guess I’ll go,” she said.
“Rad! It wouldn’t be the same if you didn’t.”
There were only two black boys in the Coronado middle and high schools combined: Gabriel Cl
