“Practicing with the band again, of course.” Kate’s face clouds over. I know she doesn’t like it that he doesn’t hang out with us much but, to be honest, it’s fine by me.

The intense way Fender stares at me with those brown eyes—it gives me the shivers. Whenever I have an opinion about something, Fender automatically has to say the opposite. I constantly have to defend myself when he’s around.

Lucas looks back at the opposite bank. “Just as long as he’s there tomorrow, right?”

I lean over the handlebars of my racing bike and speed up. It’s late, but we got to talking about the Riverside and I lost track of the time.

I’m so curious to see inside the fancy five-star hotel, with the huge glass dome above the pool. Apparently you can see the stars through it when you’re swimming on your back.

As I ride my bike past the park, I hesitate for a moment, but it’s by far the shortest route home, so I turn right anyway.

The lampposts shoot past and my bike light swings to and fro.

There’s something eerie about the park in the darkness. The trees tower above, like huge creatures with long arms.

Behind me, I hear a rattling sound coming closer and closer. Another cyclist?

I look back, straight into the bright front light of a dark bike. It’s so big that it’s more like a car’s headlight. Why won’t they just pass me? There’s plenty of room!

I cycle a bit more to the right, but they’re still panting down the back of my neck.

“Go past,” I shout over my shoulder, but there’s no reaction.

I feel my heart pounding. What does this person want from me? Are they some kind of creep?

I should have taken a different route!

I cycle faster, but the distance between us doesn’t increase. In fact, I think it gets smaller.

I lean a bit more forward and go even faster. I’m really quick on my racing bike. I can get to school in just a few minutes.

The rattling behind me is farther away now. I keep pedaling until I think I can’t hear anything.

Cautiously, I look back and then heave a sigh of relief. The bright light is gone. I’ve lost them!

I want to get home as quickly as possible.

But then I see a branch lying in my path. Just in time, I turn left, but I start swerving dangerously. My bike tips and I hit the asphalt with a bang, the handlebar grazing my ribs.

“Ow!” I grab the place where it hurts. For a moment, I lie there, but then I realize that the cyclist could catch up with me at any second. I scramble awkwardly to my feet, clutching my right side.

“Hello?”