The Easy Part of Impossible - Sarah Tomp Page 0,77

I’m joining the NDT.”

“With Benny.”

It wasn’t a question, but Ria nodded anyway.

“All the more reason to come with us today. While you still can.”

Ria hesitated. She wanted to tell Cotton she was leaving school, but Maggie wouldn’t understand. Besides, he needed to stay and go to that college fair. “Let’s go.”

Maggie moved around the front of the car. She opened the passenger door and plopped into the seat where she hadn’t ridden in weeks.

“How’s Sean?” Ria asked, keeping her eyes on the road.

“Fine.”

Like the weather.

They joined the line of cars parked outside the chain-link fence. Peeking through the metal weave, Ria saw only boulders and enormous piles of gravel. The hole and the cliffs weren’t visible from here.

At the bend in the fence, she grabbed the edge and pulled it up.

Maggie scooted under, getting stuck briefly on one of the wire bends because she tried to get up too early.

“Now hold it for me,” said Ria.

She could hear the crowd—laughter, shouting, and music—before they made their way along the path and around the corner.

The quarry didn’t look the way she’d remembered. Today, the water at the bottom of the hole was the deepest blue she’d ever seen. The light was different, too. It was earlier in the day, but later in the month. The sun felt farther away, or weaker. The way its rays hit the rock walls set off even more variations of color. They revealed the creases and cracks. The walls might be what the inside of a cave would look like in the sunlight. Cotton would know if that was right.

A scattering of blankets and towels and chairs and coolers claimed the one nearby grassy patch, but most people had gathered closer to the edge.

“There’s Sean,” said Maggie. Then, as if to make up for the enthusiasm in her voice, she added, “And Charlie and Tony. Everyone is here.”

Not everyone. There was no Cotton. But he wouldn’t fit in here. Maybe she didn’t either. Even after all of Sean’s lessons on how to be normal, she’d fail the final test.

Ria took a cup of something red when it was offered to her. It was spiked, the heat of alcohol warm and thick in the back of her throat. No wonder Sean looked so happy. Maggie, too.

The two of them didn’t act like they were together. They didn’t hold hands. Or slip their arms around each other or into each other’s pockets or belt loops. Nothing obvious. It was worse. A constant series of bumping into each other. A collision of arms, hips, legs. Over and over, like bumper cars. Or magnets. Two people desperate to touch each other.

Now that she was watching, Ria spotted the sideways looks between them. Sean typed something into his phone and seconds later, Maggie read hers. Whatever he’d sent made her smile and play with her hair.

Charlie stumbled, his feet slipping and scrambling in the gravel, precariously stopping inches from the edge. “Shit! I thought I was going over!”

Hysterical giggles broke out, but Ria’s heart raced as if she had been the one sliding.

“Someone should jump in!”

“Ria said she could do it,” said Tony. “Right, Sean? Didn’t you think Ria was gonna do it?”

“Shut it,” Sean muttered, still not meeting her eyes.

“I bet Maggie will do it,” Ria said.

“Somebody do it!” yelled Charlie.

Cheers and laughter erupted around them. People chanted, “Do it! Do it!”

She turned and faced Maggie. “It’s not much higher than platform.”

“Wait.” Sean grabbed Maggie’s hand. “Are you sure? You don’t have to.”

“I’ve got this.” Maggie shook off his concern. She’d always worked harder for an audience.

Ria and Maggie didn’t talk during the walk to the other side. Once they reached the spot directly across from the crowd, Maggie waved. Then she turned to Ria. “Are we really going in?”

“We have to. No balking allowed.” She didn’t have to say Benny’s name for them both to know he was here, in their heads. He’d never forgive them for being this close, at the edge, then not following through. There was no running away, not anymore.

“Besides,” Ria continued, “this spot is safe. Some places have old equipment or rock shelves to worry about, but here it’s open and plenty deep.” She eyed Maggie to see if Fear was nuzzling up to her.

“Have you done this before?”

“No.” She’d only imagined it. Over and over again. This place had haunted her, the idea of falling off the edge jerked her awake when it popped in her head at bedtime. But she’d worked it