Addy POV

I was absolutely miserable. I was hoisted into the air, nothing underneath me, for hours. What if I fell? I'd die, or at least break a lot of things. And I was so embarrassed! Terry could have NO interest in me now!

But while I was up there, I decided I wasn't interested anymore. I mean, seriously. If a boy can't recognize the advances of an extremely beautiful young lady after all I've done, then I do not want him.

And the flying thing was okay, I guess, because it least I didn't have to walk.

And I heard everyone's conversation.

We made it to Janesville by 3:30.

"Where is this car supposed to be?" asks Melia.

"Yeah, do we have any idea what it's supposed to look like?" asks Ray.

"It's white with a pink strawberry with a face on the side. Apparently it'll be parked in front of the Caliente Diablo, some kind of Mexican restaurant." Dylan says.

"Well, I have to pee," I say.

Dylan and Austin both point at Kyla and go: "You're it!"

Kyla sighs exasperatedly and looks around her.

"Okay, I'm gonna take the girl to the library. See it? Up there? I'll be back in twenty or thirty. Or later. We have some time to kill. But we'll be back at 4:50 by the latest."

Melia suddenly shrieks "there! See it? The Caliente Diablo: Home of the Fiery Burrito of… I can't make out what it's the firey burrito of."

It looks like Taco Bell and McDonald's had an ugly baby. Even the smell emanating from it wasn't that good.

"We should stay here and wait for the truck. Apparently…" Dylan grimaces, "it's a bit of an illegal ride."

We all groan.

"What? Why didn't you tell us this?" Kyla screams, bathroom forgotten.

Dylan defends himself with a sheepish look.

"Agh!" Kyla grabs me by the wrist and stomps off towards the library.

Ray POV

Dylan sits on the ledge and sinks his face into his hands.

I think it would be weird if I went up and tried to hug him, or something. I mean, he is my family, but it's been like that for about a week, and hugging… that's chick stuff.

So I just sat next to him and did the same.

I can only guess what he was thinking of, but me… I was thinking about Alison. It had only been about a week since I'd seen her last, and I missed everything about her, even though she probably didn't even know my name. I dug my hand into my pocket and produced the tiny bag with the golden rings. I meant to grab my phone and see if she'd texted back since I'd done what Anna told me to on the flight to Wisconsin, but getting the rings made me forget about it.

I knew why we had eight.

But I didn't know why we had them at all.

Dylan POV

I'm sitting here, just thinking about how starving I am, when Ray sits down next to me – way too close, by the way – and starts playing with the rings Aphrodite gave us. It's so irritating! And I'm so hungry! And tired! And freaking sick of trekking down the highway with a spoiled brat, an awkward kid, an irritating kid, a whining baby, a bully of a girl, a know-it-all fifteen-year old, and a guy that thinks she's pretty! Really! Is there no privacy for a seventeen-year-old guy? I want to be back at home with my girlfriend, maybe lounging on the beach and kissing. Or eating fondue by an open campfire. Or just watching a movie and cuddling.

Oh, my gods. I'm a freaking romantic.

And all the while, the Caliente Diablo is beginning to smell better and better.

Addy POV

Kyla and I walked up the steps of the library as the sun began to slip towards the horizon. We located the bathroom after talking with the librarian and my bursting bladder made me hurry into the ladies' room. Kyla hung around outside. When I got out, I didn't see her.

My first guess was waiting on the steps outside. But no, not there. Then I checked the bathroom to see if she'd gone in. I thought it was a stupid idea, but then I checked the teen section of the library.

And there she was, covered in books. I'm not even kidding you. Big, tough Kyla, cuddled up in a beanbag surrounded by sweet-smelling musky books. I smiled at her and her eyes, widened in the shock of being discovered, didn't smile back.

"You tell no one I like to read."

I smile more.

"I don't care. Your secret is safe with me." I swoosh my long hair over my shoulder and gracefully join her on the ground.

"Which one should I read?"

She digs around and hands me a plain blue book called Charm: a Modern Girl's Guide to Beauty.

I laugh at her and open up the book.

We read in silence for what I guess was a half an hour, until soft footsteps approached and Melia was gazing down at us.

Kyla throws up her hands. "Great. Now everyone'll know."

But Melia just collects her surprised expression and blinks her turquoise eyes.

"No, not at all! Just let me hang out with you guys." She sits down back to back with Kyla and wraps a long arm around my shoulders.

"Here," I give her one called: Children of the Sea.

"Thanks." She opens it and is captured by the world inside.

The three of us girls have barely been reading for ten minutes until Austin arrives. He doesn't seem surprised at all to see Kyla engaged in such a meek activity, and it makes me wonder who Kyla is trying to hide her true self from.

"Hey, guys. I was going to go check out the souvenir shop next door. Anyone want to come? Kyla?"

Kyla shakes her head too quickly.

"Melia?"

Melia looks at him, then around at all of us, the books, and the book in her hands. She sets it down thoughtfully.

"Sure, I'll go," she says.

He smiles a little.

I giggle once they are gone, and Kyla turns around fast.

"What's so funny, kid?"

"Them! They're so in love and neither of them can tell it! Each of them thinks the other doesn't like them! I mean, it's obvious, right?"

Kyla smiles at me secretively, since we both know a secret, and turns back to her book.

"I know nothing about Melia. And I only have my guesses about Austin," she looks in the direction they left, "They're pretty cute together, huh?"

Melia POV

At first, I thought: What is wrong with you? Why did you say you'd go? Are you trying to give yourself a heart attack? Or an ulcer? Or both?

And I was so right! The second Austin and I walked down the steps, my hands started to sweat and I could feel my face go red just being around him. He was so tall and handsome. He almost floated down the steps. I was such a klutz, I tripped on the third one, but suddenly he was beneath me and steadied me. I said quiet thanks, and we kept going.

The souvenir shop was really sketchy. But still, Austin opened the glass door and let me go first, and I kind of smiled at him.

The shop was full of kitschy little doodads like snow globes, alarm clocks, magnets, key chains, pens and erasers… all the typical souvenir stuff. We looked around, the silence between us feeling like ice to me. It was only when I held up a nail file with a horse's butt on it that he laughed and so did I, and the tension became less tangible.

In fact, we even started to talk. He asked me where I went to school and what classes I took. I told him and he told me. We joked about how ludicrous my sister was and I told him her real name, Adonia, and he said that might not be that bad a name.

"When I was in fifth grade, my best friend was a guy named Soccer. His dad was a huge fan and his wife let him name their first kid. She got to name the second, so of course she named the second kid John or something really normal."

"So it's like: There's Soccer and John! Wouldn't it be awful if his middle name was Ball?"

He laughs, "Actually, it was."

And we laugh together. It feels good.

"I never want to have kids," he laughs, "just in case my wife names my daughter Lipstick or something."

"Never! That's terrible," I'm still smiling.

"I guess that's why you don't marry someone insane, then," he says, smiling himself. Then our eyes meet from across a rack of paperweights, and he clears his throat and looks down. All this joking around… it's too familiar so soon.

I cross to the other side of the store to examine a necklace. It's really pretty, all blues and greens. I pretend to be really interested, but of course I'm still digesting our words. And wondering if he is, too.

Its five minutes until he comes up behind me and touches the necklace. It swings on the rack at his touch. I whip around and he's standing only a few inches away.

"You like that necklace? It's kind of pretty," he says.

"Yeah, it is," I say, "it's like the color of the ocean back home."

He's quiet.

"We should probably go," he finally, quietly says.

"Yep, probably."

He again pushes open the door for me to go first. I smile a little at him, and involuntarily throw a glance back at the necklace I want. It doesn't escape his notice.

The sidewalk is littered with empty McDonald's cups and fresh gum and cigarettes. I kick a chunk of pavement and it rolls in front of us. When we reach it again, he kicks it. We continue to alternate, this little activity bringing us together.

I shiver in the pre-dusk. It was kind of cold. I can't explain it. I mean, it's summer and not even evening yet, but it's like a cool breeze just blew through me, causing me to tense up and shudder.

Austin looks over.

"You okay?"

"Just a little cold. I'll be fine."

"Not to be cliché, but… do you want my jacket?" he holds out a gray coat, and I hesitate.

"Thanks," I say, grasping it from him and throwing it on.

Underneath his jacket, he wore only a blue T-shirt. Actually, this was great deal, because I got to be warm and I got to see his awesome arm muscles.

I cannot believe I just thought that.

What is wrong with me?