Lizzy jumped atop the bike rack and watched the shadows peel away from the town below. She could see pets walking their owners along the early morning shores. Down on the wharf shopkeepers opened doors and rolled out carts, ready for a long day of tourist haggling. “I love the beginning of summer,” she said, breathing in the crisp morning air. “Going to Monarch Middle is torture with that vast ocean calling to us from the picture windows.” Kai nodded in agreement. “Now that school is out, we’ll have more time to explore the tide pools, pick olallieberries, and—” “Let me guess … surf?” Lizzy knew Kai’s one-track mind. “I was going to say run barefoot in the sand, but I like your idea better.” Jeff pulled up on his mountain bike wearing a bright blue helmet, nearly running them over; his lanky frame hunched over the sleek bike, which he had souped-up to hot rod status last summer.
