The Madrona Heroes Register: Underneath It All

Chapter 7 - The Sandbox Kiss

Zach needed a break. He’d stopped at Madrona Dry Goods for a drink and was sitting in the park weighing his options. This was insane wasn’t it? Biking around the neighborhood in the faint hope that he’d meet Zoe again. Who did things like that? But what were his options? What other pressing activities did he have this summer? 

He could spend the summer evading chess camps and island outings for blackberry picking, and play video games all summer. For some reason, what usually sounded like a great option to Zach, suddenly seemed kinda lame. He could spend the summer chasing after a girl he’d met for ten minutes and never finding her or stay locked in his room.

Even if Zach did find Zoe again, he wasn’t entirely sure she would agree with his assessment. Maybe she would have wished he’d stayed locked away in his room playing video games? Really what was the point of all this?

From his vantage point on the bench Zach could see the geodesic jungle gym where Zoe had made the wide hole appear in the ground. That just reminded him of his futile quest. Zach put his head in his hands trying to decide what to do next.

§

“You know I can’t buy you candy.”

“I have money.” Gabe raised his eyebrows hopefully.

“Where did you get money?” Zoe continued exasperated, sounding like she was repeating something she’d said a thousand times, “Money is not the issue. Mom and Dad don’t want you eating candy. If I get you candy, I’ll get in trouble.”

“I won’t tell.”

“You always tell.”

“I promise this time.”

“You promise every time.”

“I’m not a little kid anymore.” Gabe challenged his big sister.

“You are exactly a little kid.” Zoe snapped.

Gabe squinched up his face in anger, having run out of arguments for the moment.

Zoe was resolute in not wanting to get into trouble. The camera she desperately craved hung in the balance. But she was still somewhat sympathetic to her little brother. “How about we stop at the park. I’ll push you on the swings.”

Gabe didn’t respond, but Zoe could tell her suggestion made him feel a little better when he followed her in the direction of the park. She even thought she saw his face relax a little bit. Just a little though.

§

Zach made up his mind. He couldn’t sit here all day. He needed to do something. He was going to forget about this crazy search for a girl he barely knew, head home, do some reading, and start his summer fresh. He would do that right after he did one last circuit of the neighborhood to make triple sure he hadn’t overlooked any small spot where she might be hanging out.

“I knew this would make you feel better.”

Though he did his best to stay angry, Gabe couldn’t suppress the fun he was having on the swing. He said “No it isn’t” through clenched teeth. But his budding smile was unmistakable. 

I knew this would make you feel better. Where did that come from? And he was feeling better. The voice. He recognized it. Zach looked up from the palms of his hands where he’d been doing his thinking, and standing at the swings were Zoe and her little brother. All that searching the neighborhood for nothing. All he’d needed to do was wait at the original spot where they’d met. Why hadn’t he thought of that?

Zach’s relief was short-lived when he suddenly realized that he’d spent so much time trying to find Zoe, that he’d given zero thought on what he would say to her if he actually did. Unfortunately Zach had already started walking towards the swings when this thought had occurred to him, so he needed to come up with something quick.