第2节

  【】intoclear,woodsyair.</p>

  ”santhahope”theyewhere.sheyelled</p>

  again.</p>

  ansefrodistahencloser.</p>

  ”hurry”sheyelledback.</p>

  er,theyningthroughtheanthalooking</p>

  everybitasyoungashopeforohhblondhairflyingand</p>

  cheekspink.rachelshoutedtheneevenbeforetheyreached</p>

  herorethanhtheprospect</p>

  ofanallnighterortwo.</p>

  ”areyouserious”hopeasked.hereyeskles</p>

  vibrant,herslefilledhteeththatillteforher</p>

  face.shehirteeirelyprepubest.</p>

  rachelgrinnedandnodded.</p>

  ”ae”breathesantha.atfifteensheallerthan</p>

  hopealycurved.blondhairandall,shethat</p>

  age.</p>

  tohthopeasked.</p>

  ”tonight.”</p>

  ”godseats”santhaasked.</p>

  ”greatseats.”hopepressedherhandstogetherient.”arewe</p>

  doingthehingouknoalkedabout”racheldidnt</p>

  havethetiforit.shedidnthavetheney.butifherpaintings</p>

  oneye,andasforti,lifeoo</p>

  short.</p>

  ”theanthato</p>

  getathephoneandhopetogetaherd,yes,</p>

  ybeevengoodforracheltogetaheroils.</p>

  ”ogod,ihavetocalllydia”santhacried.</p>

  ”youhavetodo,”ratedher,”isanythingthatneeds</p>

  tobedoneforschool.weleaveinanhour.”sheelyr</p>

  crazy.fetheronsoftheiro...</p>

  butthish.</p>

  sheretuedtoherstudioforthehourandacplishedaslittleas</p>

  shefearedherdaughtershad.thentheypiledintohersportutility</p>

  vehidheadednorth.havingdoneherresearchduringthe</p>

  sodayage,shekneogo.thestoresheed</p>

  heosaillopethere,and</p>

  hadaperfeinutesandanobsoney</p>

  later,theyergedsuheirjeans,s</p>

  overtheirhair,ahesizeoftexas.</p>

  thirtyerthat,ellofdonaldsburgersand</p>

  friesfillingthecar,theyowardsanjose.</p>

  nothingtheysadoherewere</p>

  noanhielf,afterhithouta</p>

  break,lohaneverversionsofeadhobe</p>

  intoit,anthadangbesideherifshewas</p>

  ivethroughthefirstsongortonsciousnesswas</p>

  gohethird.shedang,clappinghigh,</p>

  singing.</p>

  shecheeredanthaandhopeiliarchordsannounceda</p>

  favoritesong,andshoutedappreciativelyatsohe</p>

  threeoftheangtheirheartsoutuntiltheverylastenrewas</p>

  done,andthehearenaarnarthreefriends</p>

  happeoberelated.</p>

  iti,not</p>

  evenanthasaid,”didyouseethatgirlrightinfrontofus</p>

  thetallohefrenchbraiddidyouseethetattooonher</p>

  arbr></p>

  theroseifiethinglikethat,wouldyousay””no,</p>

  ”rachelsaidasshedrovesouththroughthedark.</p>

  ”evenatitlestaronankle””no.”</p>

  ”butitsool.”</p>

  ”no.”</p>

  ”””becauseshehanyou.whenyoure</p>

  tyfive”shethatold.”</p>

  ”okay,ythinkaboutatattoo.not</p>

  now.”</p>

  ”ithasnothingtodohage.ithastodohstyle.”</p>

  ”uhhuh,”saidraakesa</p>

  statentthatyouynotakeattytyour</p>

  heartonaparticularpersonorthingthatdoesntappreciatethatkind</p>

  ofstatent.”</p>

  ”siy””since</p>

  fifteenyearolddaughterisheadingstraightfortherealworld.”</p>

  ”tattoosarehot.allthekidshavethe”</p>

  ”notlydia.notshelly.</p>

  nottheonesiseegettingoffthesanthacrossedher</p>

  arandsankloof</p>

  herhat.hopeheback,soundasleep.herhathad</p>

  fallentotheside.</p>

  rangalonghthe</p>

  songstheyhadheardthatnight.shelovedherhat,lovedherboots,</p>

  lovedhergirls.ifshehadtofallbehindinherwasfora</p>

  goodcause.</p>

  sheoing,hegirlswokeup</p>

  lateandky.theypickedatbreakfastontheruhen</p>

  nearlyssedthebus.racheladeit,</p>

  andontslater,shestoodiudio</p>

  andntallyoutlihehreeweeks.</p>

  sheeetthegirls</p>

  atthebusstopandhaveasnah.santhawas</p>

  stillotookieit</p>

  tis,beforethegirlinahuff.hopehung</p>

  <she,too,disappeared.</p>

  rachelspentanotherhouriudio.halfnvihatthe</p>

  ottersoppedandputdiheoven.whenshe</p>

  retuedtothestudio,itofillanothersortofneed.butthe</p>

  otterscaughthereyeagain.shegaveherselfanotherhour.</p>

  lnohatthehshe</p>

  way.</p>

  oere,shetoldherselffortheuteenthti.h</p>

  alteatingglafieldsketdphotograph,sheusedthefine</p>

  edgeofherpalettekoaddtexturetotheoilonhervas.the</p>

  seaottersuringthe</p>

  berandbaltblue,</p>

  andhadfoundittoodark.usingraberarinebluewas</p>

  perfect.</p>

  ”thebuzzerrang,”hopecalledfrohedoor.</p>

  ”thanks,honey,”rachelrred,addingseverallaststrokes.”will</p>

  youtakethecasseroleoutandtuoffthegas””ialreadydid.”</p>

  hopehersidenoudyingthevas.”ithoughtyouwere</p>

  done.”</p>

  ”sothingright.”shestoodbackforalongerviewandwas</p>

  satisfied.”better.”stilleyeingthevas,shesetherpalette</p>

  aside,reachedforasolventcloth,andlean</p>

  upandberightthere.”shelookedathope.”didsanthasetthe</p>

  table””idid.”</p>

  ”shesonthephoneagain””still,”hopesaidsodrylythatrachel</p>

  hadtokle.</p>

  shehookedherbabysneelbowandgaveasqueeze.”five</p>

  nutes,”shesaidahero</p>

  ...</p>