He cuts the motor and we drift in the sun. We talk about the party for a while. “Chloe likes you,” he says. “She has a pretty lousy life. She could probably use another friend.” “What’s wrong with her life?” I ask. “Her dad left a couple of years ago. She’s living with her mom and her mom’s boyfriend, who she can’t stand. I’ve met him. He’s a total jerk.” “What does he do?” Van shrugs. “He’s just a jerk. He hassles her over dumb stuff. And he drinks all the time.” “That sounds depressing.” I think about Chloe’s infectious grin. She’s pretty good at hiding things too. “What about Chloe’s mom? Does she stick up for her?” “Her mom doesn’t care what Chloe does as long as she stays out of the way. She doesn’t even care that Chloe smokes.” My dad would freak if he caught me with a cigarette. And he asked a million questions before he let me go to the party. Something shifts inside me. Slightly. Maybe my life isn’t so bad. “Chloe spends most of her time riding.
