Maya sighed. “She just told me I’d have a family one day. See? Definitely not a fortune-teller.”

“You’re eighteen, Maya. Your life isn’t over yet.” Tyler popped his last bite of sandwich into his mouth, then stood. He reached his hand down for her to take.

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.”

Next thing she knew, she was clinging to the thick, scratchy rope swing, her feet perched on the huge knot at the bottom. Tyler was standing on the rock, holding on to the rope and counting. When he got to three, he jumped on the opposite side and together they soared over the sand, then the glittering green-blue water.

“Now! Let go!”

She released her tight grip and fell toward the river’s surface. It was both terrifying and exhilarating. A second later she splashed down, the water catching her like a soft, cool hand. When she popped back up to the surface, Tyler was already there, grinning and shaking water from his hair. She treaded water, her arms and legs moving in tandem to keep her afloat, then she started swimming back toward shore.

“Maya?” he called behind her. “Are you okay?” He appeared next to her, his arms slicing through the water to keep up with her. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have made you do it. I know it’s really high up.”

Finally she made it to the shore. She reached up and squeezed her hair, then grabbed his hand. “I want to do that again.”

* * *

Later, as they packed Tyler’s cooler into the back of his truck and peeled their damp beach towels from the rock, Maya heard Cassie’s voice. Cassie had eyed them all afternoon as she’d lain in the sun, laughed with friends, and danced in truck beds. Maya had also seen her tipping more than a few beer bottles back, and the way she stepped through the sand with exaggerated care told Maya all she needed to know.

“Tyler, will you come talk to me a minute?” Tyler glanced at Maya, but Maya kept her eyes on the cooler where she was scooping out melted ice. “It’ll be real quick,” Cassie said.

Tyler sighed and followed Cassie to the tree line on the other side of the rope swing. Their voices were low at first, but as Cassie grew more frustrated, she spoke louder. Maya tried not to listen, but it was hard to miss what she was saying.

“She’s not your type, Ty. She’s not one of us. She doesn’t know you like I do.”

Cassie stopped talking and Maya took a chance and peeked over her shoulder at them. Cassie ran a finger down the side of his face.

“You don’t know me that well,” Tyler said.

“I do.” Cassie pressed herself against him, still wearing nothing but her bikini.

“Cassie, stop.”

Maya let the lid of the cooler fall shut and climbed in the passenger seat of the truck where Ruby was already waiting. Through the open window Maya heard their low voices again. She reached over and ran her hand down Ruby’s soft back.