Between Us and the Moon - Rebecca Maizel Page 0,97

Tucker hangs out with his dad. I can’t help but pause when I see him. He’s tan, which I haven’t seen in a long time. He’s filling his tux out too. I guess he worked out this summer.

There’s Andrew! I don’t know how long he’s been here or what he already knows. He crosses the lawn, stopping at the bar outside the tent. He spins around a couple times and searches the crowd, I assume he is looking for me. I have to get to him now. I’m down the patio stairs in seconds. Mom and Dad are in the tent, and Nancy is near the band. They are also far enough away from Andrew. Perfect.

“Andrew!” I cry. He nearly spits out his drink when he sees me.

“Sarah. How do you know Scarlett? I didn’t know—”

“I’ll explain all of that.”

“Wow, you look great.”

“I have to talk to you.”

I take him by the hand and lead him away from the tent and down near the entrance to the bay beach. Scarlett is on the beach already. She’s taken her hair down so it flows over her shoulders. She’s laughing open mouthed and touching the arm of—oh my God. She’s touching Curtis’s arm.

I can’t breathe so well. I really do have to do this. Don’t I? It’s darker here and the sky has faded to a light lavender gray.

“What is happening, Sarah?” Andrew’s voice pierces my thoughts. “This is your aunt’s house. I’m so confused.”

Shelby stands next to Scarlett too. This is it—the moment.

“Listen, I have to tell you something. I tried telling you at the docks today.”

“Sarah!” Curtis calls and peers down the pathway at Andrew and me.

“It’s about Scarlett,” I add quickly.

“Is that Sarah?” Curtis calls out again. I want to cringe at the mention of my name.

“What about Scarlett?” Andrew says.

“I know her. I didn’t tell you, but I do and—”

“You know her?!”

Curtis runs up the pathway and leads Andrew by his jacket sleeve down to the beach. Andrew keeps a hold of my hand.

Scarlett turns from some guys I recognize. Her eyebrows furrow and she looks like a confused bird seeing me next to Andrew. She keeps looking me up and down.

Andrew’s hand falls away from mine.

“How do you know Scarlett?” he asks again.

They’re all here: Shelby, Tate, and all my new friends. A small bonfire is crackling. I swallow hard. I know most of the people beyond the bonfire too. Trish flirts with one of the guys I met this summer—I can’t remember his name. But these are my friends and it’ll be only moments before they know. I won’t be Sarah, I’ll be Bean, sixteen and a liar.

“That’s my sister,” Scarlett says.

“This is your sister?” Curtis says. “What are you? Twins?”

“Sister?” Andrew’s disbelief is so soft. I want to run us both out of here.

“I wanted to tell you,” I say quietly. His eyes meet mine and I want to take away the confusion in his gaze. “At the docks today. Lots of times. I never quite got it out.”

“Twins?” Scarlett says with a cock of her head. “Please. Do we look like we’re twins?”

I swallow hard. She’ll never defend me. She’s going to ruin everything. I was completely stupid to put this off for so long. All I need is for Mom, Dad, and Nancy to come down here too. Scarlett opens her mouth. Everything I built this summer is about to blow away and I’ll be nothing but Tucker’s old scraps.

Curtis throws an arm over Scarlett’s shoulder. He’s already drunk so he sways a little. He’s rolled up the pants of his tuxedo so he has sand all over his ankles. “MIT and Juilliard?” he says.

He hangs on Scarlett. Andrew is by my side; I can feel his body heat.

“Two geniuses in one family?” Curtis says. “How come you never told us you were Scarlett’s sister? Why did you keep it a secret, buddy?” Curtis throws his arm over Andrew’s shoulder. He remains silent. “How old are you, little sis?” Curtis asks.

Scarlett and I are locked eye-to-eye.

Scarlett . . . please . . .

With a flip of her hair, Scarlett says, “She’s going to MIT. You figure it out.”

I want to double over from the relief that rushes over me.

Scarlett defended me. She lied for me.

“Scarlett! Sarah!” Mom calls from up near the tent. “Pictures.”

“I’m sorry,” I say to Andrew. “I’m really sorry I didn’t tell you that Scarlett is my sister,” I say quickly. Across from me, Shelby smirks, but it’s not evil,