The Penderwicks at Cape Cod

New Feelings

Skye was walking down the hall of her middle school as her friend Pearson talked.

"Please Skye, just one date?" Skye's eyes flashed angrily as she made a sharp turn towards the cafeteria.

"Pearson, I've told you this a billion times. I like you as a friend. Only as a friend. I want to stay friends, but if you can't stop- urrg just, leave me alone!"

Skye stormed off in a huff. She wished things had just stayed simple like they were when she was younger. Why did everyone all of a sudden want to have a boyfriend or girlfriend?

Why, even Rosalind had a boyfriend. Sky stopped in her tracks. Rosy and Tommy had started dating when they were thirteen. And here Skye was, turning fifteen in a few months, without even a wish for a boyfriend.

Well, if she was being honest with herself, part of her did wish someone would love her like that. Well, kinda.

Later that day, after homework and dinner, Skye walked over to Rosiland's room and plopped herself down on her soft rug. Rosiland looked mildly concerned.

"Do you need something? What's wrong" she asked.

Skye sighed. "I don't know." She fidgeted with the rug for a minute before blurting out, "How do you know if you like someone? Like, not for me but for a... friend."

Rosiland smiled at Skye with a smile that showed she understood.

"Well, I guess you kinda just know. Like for me and Tommy. One day I just knew that I like him. And I wanted to spend more time with him. After that, well, we admitted that we liked each other, and started dating soon after that."

Skye sighed. "But what if it's not as easy as that?" Skye stood up and walked over to the door. "Thanks anyway Rosy."

"You're welcome. And for your information, I think Jeffery likes you too."

Skye smiled, then her smile quickly slipped off her face as she realized that she hadn't told Rosy that she liked Jeffery.

Both annoyed and embarrassed, Skye hurried into her room, shut the door, and sighed. She walked over to her closet and stared at the few clothes in there. She slammed the door shut and walked over to her dresser. Solid color t-shirts, soccer shorts, and a single pair of jeans were all she had.

Skye muttered frustratedly, "What am I gonna pack?" Then she realized what she was saying. Since when did she worry about what to wear? Let alone when going to see her best friend in the whole world!

Skye needed to calm down. She grabbed a soccer ball out of her closet and rushed down the stairs and into her yard.

Three days later, Skye and Jane walked to school. It was the last day of school, and tomorrow, they would leave for Cape Cod. Skye had managed to avoid Pearson for the last few days and hoped that over the summer, he would forget all about her. Unfortunately, today she would not be that lucky.

Right before her last class of the day, Pre-calculus, Skye was walking out of the bathroom when BAM! She bumped hard into Pearson. Red in the face, she tried to gather her books. Pearson crouched down next to her and started to help gather her things.

Their faces were close together, and as Skye tried to stand up, Pearson put his arm on her shoulder, stopping her. She tried to leave, she wanted to get away, but he held her with a firm grip, and... tried to kiss her.

Skye was angry. More angry than she had been in her life. She stood up, took one look at him, and promptly punished him. Hard. His nose started to bleed, and he looked pitiful, his eyes looked so sad.

They had used to be best friends, and now she couldn't even talk to him. She stood up and stormed off to her class, and when she looked behind her, she could see him with his face buried in his hands.

When Skye got home, she stormed upstairs and slammed the door to her and Jane's room. After an hour of math, she stopped. She was beginning to calm down but was still fuming mad at Pearson.

Suddenly, she realized that sirens were coming down her street. "Oh no," Skye thought to herself. Then she panicked. The sirens had stopped. Right in front of her house!

Skye raced down the stairs "Daddy?!?!" relieved, she saw her dad walking in from the kitchen with Batty and Jane.

Mr. Penderwick looked puzzled. "What's wrong mea Pulchra Filia?"

"I heard sirens, and they stopped in front of our house!" the words tumbled out of Skye's mouth like a waterfall. "And I was worried you or Rosy or Jane or Batty was hurt or dying or dead!"

"Calm down, lets go look" Mr. Penderwick's soothing words calmed Skye, and they hurried outside.

"Oh my," Mr. Penderwick gasped. "Jane, go get your sister" Across the street in the Grieger's yard, two paramedics were loading a stretcher into the back of the ambulance. And on the stretcher was Mr. Grieger.