Chapter One Would you stop that Ash jumps off her beach chair frowning at the freckled boy in khakis and golf shirt sitting in the sand between us Karl Barrington He’s been digging a hole with his popsicle stick and flicking sand everywhere since he sat down Sorry he grumbles 1
You’re not sorry at all snarls Ash wiping sand off her legs I roll my eyes and try to focus on my sketchpad My drawing of Wraith a wicked looking masked super villain of my own creation is only halfway done It’s for my graphic novel My dad convinced me to start one over Spring Break Said it would be good to try and make a story out of all these characters I’m always coming up with I want to finish it before the vacation is over so I can show him when I get home But with Ash and Karl around all the time it’s hard to focus I said I was sorry Karl snaps Why would I say it if I didn’t mean it Because you’re still doing it Ash shrieks pointing at the sand Karl keeps flicking out of his little hole Ridge make him stop it I don’t know why you think I have that power I tell her He listens to you 2
I look over at Karl sitting in the sand We’ve been at Juneberry Beach two whole days and the kid still hasn’t put on a bathing suit Just the same designer khakis and various colors of identical golf shirts I didn’t know they were designer but Ash did Ash is a label girl She loves labels Especially the kind that seem to be plastered all over Karl and his family She knows what kind of sunglasses Karl’s dad wears and what kind of purse Karl’s dad’s girlfriend Gina carries around She’s impressed by their shoes watches even their luggage And she talks to me about it All Day Long I don’t know why she thinks I care None of it means much to me But I do know that labels like those mean Karl’s dad is rich Filthy rich How a guy like Karl’s dad became friends with my mom and Ash’s mom I’ll never understand Karl stares at me as if expecting orders Knock it off Karl I say I’m sick of listening to Ash whine 3
