Total pages in book: 51
Estimated words: 47279 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 236(@200wpm)___ 189(@250wpm)___ 158(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47279 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 236(@200wpm)___ 189(@250wpm)___ 158(@300wpm)
Within moments, the five of them are climbing on their bikes to ride out toward the Cove. As they pedal past my house, making a series of honks and shouts, Carlton’s piercing blue eyes lock with my teary brown ones just for a moment. He winks at me, but instead of feeling consoled, I find myself completely enraged by the gesture. How dare he!
Before the boys get too far away, I hop up from my perch and climb on to my bike. Once on the sidewalk, I start pedaling quickly, determined to tail them all the way to this mysterious “cove” that I’ve never been to.
Unfortunately, the boys are all considerably taller and faster than I am, and it takes almost all of my energy to keep up with them. Of course, I’m trying to stay out of sight too, so it’s a balancing act. At one point, I think that Carlton may have spotted me, and I skid into a nearby bush to avoid detection, nearly flipping my bike over in the process. But either Carlton didn’t see me or he’s just choosing to ignore me, per usual.
We ride on for what seems like miles to my scrawny legs. The road in this part of our neighborhood is dirt, and after a few minutes, my whole body is covered in the soft white dust. My thighs are burning with exertion and I’m almost ready to call it quits when I see the boys round a corner into a wooded area.
Feeling a renewed sense of excitement, I will my legs to pedal even harder up the last steep hill. A few feet later, I reach the corner and then grab the handlebar breaks and screech to a stop. Oh crap. All five boys are waiting at the top of the hill, staring at me with anger in their eyes. I swallow hard, suddenly nervous. This can’t be good.
Carlton hops off his bike and lets it drop to the ground in a clatter. He crosses to me in a few short steps. He looks pissed, and I’ve never seen his eyes look quite so cold.
“What are you doing here, Ramona?” he asks in a terse, unfriendly voice. I feel my heart skip a beat.
“I just wanted to hang out with you guys,” I mutter, staring down at my feet. “Is that a crime?”
“You thought you could hang out with us?” one of the redheaded Baker boys jeers, his tone full of mockery.
“You guys don’t usually mind if I tag along,” I protest, hoping my voice doesn’t sound too whiny as I plead my case.
“Yeah, but no one wants girls here,” Lewis the giant chortles. “Get lost, kid.”
I stare at the group, unsure if I’m offended more at being called a girl or a kid. “Come on, guys, I won’t bother you,” I argue, choosing to ignore Lewis’s taunt in the hopes that they’ll change their minds. “I just want to see the secret hideout.” I know I sound calm, but my heart is pounding with nervous energy.
What if they say no?
It’s Carlton, though, who makes the decision.
“I told you earlier, Ramona, and I’m going to say it one more time since your pigtails are clearly too tight for your brain to work: the Cove isn’t a place for little girls.”
“I’m not little!” I shout back. “And it doesn’t belong to you!”
My nemesis merely frowns. “You’re not welcome,” Carlton says sharply. “Now, go home or else.” The threat is so clear in his voice that I have no doubt that Carlton James will find a way to make me leave.
I stare at him, my hero worship slowly fading into disdain for this boy who clearly thinks I’m not worthy of being his friend.
My eyes fill with tears and – before I can control myself – they spill down onto my cheeks. To my dismay, the older boys notice immediately. Within seconds, they start laughing and hooting, clutching at their sides and pointing at my now-stained cheeks.
But my crush merely stares at me, his ice blue eyes causing me to cry even harder.
“Go,” he says once more, his shoulders squaring as his jaw sets.
Between the jeering and Carlton’s cruelty, it’s more than I can stand. I drag my bike around and start making my way down the steep hill. The wind whooshes by my ears as I pedal hard in the direction of my house, my embarrassment making me ride as fast as my legs can carry me as I ignore the ache in my thighs and calves.
By the time I arrive home, the sun has faded to a soft orange, my cue that it’s close to dinnertime. I drop my bike in the front yard with a clatter, no longer caring if my dad gets mad at me for not putting it away properly. All I can think about is Carlton’s words, and the nasty way he looked at me.