Page 33 of Dream On, Ramona Riley

Ramona laughed too, shrugged. “I don’t know. You seem cool enough that you might’ve.”

Lolli shook her head. “First time.”

Ramona grinned. “First time.”

“Dolly’s still crowin’, I guess,” Lolli said as she pressed her finger into the single dimple on Ramona’s left cheek.

Ramona smiled, then laughed so hard she knew her muscles would be sore tomorrow. Lolli laughed too and spun them around and around in a circle, the stars twirling above them, their giggles joining in with the gentle sound of the lake lapping at the shore, the cicadas in the woods behind them.

“Dylan?”

The word—thename—cut through the night, their dancing and laughter.

“Dylan, where are you?”

Lolli stopped spinning, her head turning toward the voice. Awoman emerged from the trail. She was tall and curvy, had long brown hair down to her waist, and wore a sundress that hit at her knees.

“Good lord, there you are,” she said, pressing her hand to her chest. She wore several gold chains of different lengths, and they shimmered in the moonlight. “Why did you disappear like that? Don’t you know how dangerous that is?”

“Sorry, Aunt Hallie,” Lolli said.

Aunt Hallie shook her head, took a deep breath. “It’s okay. But, baby girl, there are rules with me. You know that.”

“I know,” Lolli said. She was still holding one of Ramona’s hands, fingers all tangled up together.

“And who is this?” Aunt Hallie asked, walking a bit closer to get a better look at Ramona. Her eyes were careworn but gentle, her voice soft but firm.

Ramona opened her mouth, her name on the tip of her tongue because Aunt Hallie did not seem like an adult who would put up with any kind of fake name, but Lolli spoke first.

“That’s Cherry,” she said. “She’s visiting Clover Lake too.”

Aunt Hallie nodded, slid her eyes down to their joined hands. Ramona waited for Lolli to pull away, but she didn’t. She even squeezed tighter.

And Aunt Hallie’s gaze softened.

“I see,” she said. “I’m glad you met a friend, honey, but we have to go. We’re leaving tomorrow and we haven’t even started packing. Your room’s a disaster. And I’m sure Cherry needs to get back to her family too. It’s late.”

Family.

The word cut through Ramona’s heart, fast like a flash of lightning.

She had no idea how long she’d even been out here. Her dad was probably wondering where she was, the fireworks long over.

But her mom wasn’t. Her mom didn’t care at all.

Her throat knotted up, tears threatening, but then Lolli turned back toward her, and she felt herself relax. It was short-lived though, because this was it. Lolli was leaving tomorrow, and Ramona didn’t even know when she’d be back, where she lived, what her real name was.

Dylan.

That’s what her aunt had said, but Ramona didn’t dare use it. Lolli hadn’t wanted her to know it.

They were Lolli and Cherry.

“Well,” Lolli said. “I guess I’ve got to go.”

Ramona nodded, looking down at their entwined hands. “Yeah.”

“I’ll let you two say goodbye,” Aunt Hallie said. “I’ll be right over here.” She motioned toward the path back to the main beach, then disappeared into the shadows of the tree-thick trail.