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said.
    “Nah, I’ve got to work in the morning. I shouldn’t even be here.”
    “Katie!” It was Megan again.
    “What the hell,” I said. “One round won’t hurt.” I moved out onto the porch with the others.
    *     *     *
    “What time is it?” I said to no one in particular, weaving toward my car in the dark behind the camp.
    Suddenly, Alec was there again. Omnipresent Alec , I thought to myself, laughing silently at my own little joke.
    “It’s after one,” he said, falling into step beside me. “What’s your curfew?”
    “No curfew,” I said, my words a childish singsong. “Nobody home, nobody cares.”
    He took the keys out of my hand. “You can’t drive like that.”
    “I can drive fine.”
    “I’m taking you. We’ll pick up your car tomorrow.”
    I looked at him; I could barely make out his face in the dark. He took my elbow and steered me toward his truck. Whatever , I thought, letting him guide me. All I really wanted was to sleep.
    *     *     *
    The next morning I slept through my alarm. Swinging my backpack over my shoulder, I pulled my bike out of the barn, hopped on it as I ran, and rode off toward the beach.
    Stupid, stupid, stupid , I thought as I wheeled around the corner and down Lake Road. If I had my car, I’d be driving it right now. I loved riding my bike; it was exhilarating, especially in the early mornings. It was great exercise, too—part of my plan to keep in shape for field hockey. But it was too late for even a fast bike ride to the beach this morning. I hadn’t been thinking straight. I hadn’t been thinking period .
    I glanced at my watch. It was past seven already. Why had I taken this stupid job, anyway? Who gets up at six thirty when there’s no school? The parents who had dragged their kids out of bed for Junior Lifesaving and driven them to the beach at this hour would not be pleased. I looked at my watch again: eight minutes late and counting.
    I leaped off my bike at ten past. “Sorry,” I said to whoever was listening.
    Will stood among his friends, looking puzzled and then slightly embarrassed. Parents in sweatshirts and shorts sat ata picnic table, drinking coffee from Styrofoam cups. A couple of them glanced over at me, eyebrows raised.
    “Get in the water. Hurry,” I said to the kids. The parents would have to get over it—and so would Will. I’d never be late again.
    *     *     *
    I pulled down the shades, shutting out the harsh afternoon light. My head hurt, my stomach hurt—every part of me felt like crap. Alec had said he’d stop by the beach in the afternoon and take me to pick up my car, but I’d left minutes after my last lesson. If I was going to throw up, it would be in a cool, dark place of my own.
    I had no idea how much time had passed when the phone rang, waking me. Pulling back a shade, I saw the light had faded slightly outside the window; the sun sat lower and to the west. Curled up on my bed, I’d been asleep for four hours. I reached the phone on its fifth ring.
    Omnipresent Alec.
    I felt terrible turning down Alec’s offer of help, but I couldn’t go get my car from Cheryl’s camp, not now. Matt’s family was expecting me for dinner in half an hour, and I’d promised Matt I’d look through his photographs with him after that. There were hundreds of them, and if he didn’t start weeding them out now, he’d never have a portfolio ready when he needed it in the fall.
    “No problem,” Alec said. “Are you working tomorrow night? I could drive you out to Cheryl’s before that. You’d get to workand have your car to drive home after your shift. I’ll come by at three o’clock.”
    “You’re amazing, Alec. Thank you,” I said, and hung up.
    Had I really just told Alec Osborne he was amazing?
    *     *     *
    “You look sick,” Matt said. “You should go home.”
    “I’m okay,” I said.
    “You don’t look okay. Even the twins noticed you hardly ate