Page 43 of Places We've Never Been

CHAPTER 10

The RV park clubhouse was one big room with several groupings of couches surrounding several different multiplayer games—foosball and pool and Ping-Pong. There was even a big table with board games. The room itself was well-worn but cozy. And like at the river, there were several other visitors taking advantage of the space. Our group had taken over the Ping-Pong table, and the current matchup was Skyler versus Olivia.

As we headed that way, I heard a voice call out, “Norah.” I looked to my left. By the foosball table was Ty and the rest of the Oliveras family. He lifted his hand in a wave.

“You know that guy?” Ezra asked.

“Sort of. I’ll meet up with you in a sec.” I changed direction and walked toward Ty, who met me halfway.

“Twice in one day?” Ty said.

“The river has a wider influence than we realized.”

His brows shot down in confusion.

“Just a joke. Earlier, your mom said that the river forces everyone to make friends.”

“Oh, right. Yeah.” He pointed back over his shoulder. “Want to play some foosball with us?”

I scrunched my nose. “Sorry, I promised my brother I’d beat him at Ping-Pong.”

“Okay, I’ll come your way.” He walked toward the Ping-Pong table as if I had made the invitation. I followed after him.

When we reached the loud corner of the room where Skyler and Olivia’s game was still going strong, Ty and I paused behind the couch to watch a couple volleys. Apparently Skyler wasn’t taking it easy on Olivia. He was finishing his hits with dramatic grunts like he was some famous tennis star or something and everyone found this incredibly funny. Olivia would laugh and yell out, “Crap!” every time she missed the ball, which was nearly every time.

I narrowed my eyes at Skyler as if he could see me. I wanted to say,Maybe you’re not so different after all. Maybe you’re only different with me now,but instead my mind just filled with other instances when he’d acted like a goof around me over the years—solo caroling at my bedroom door one Christmas, sticking all the bows from my birthday presents on his head, Hulk-smashing a spider on the living room floor.

Paisley noticed me first and she called out, “Hi, Norah! Can I play you next?”

“I get her next,” Ezra said.

“Are you good at Ping-Pong or something?” Ty asked from beside me.

“Not really. I’m better at virtual games.”

“Like video games?”

I nodded.

“Wow, a girl who’s good at video games?”

“A girl can’t be good at video games?” I asked.

“No, I just don’t know a whole lot who are.”

I bit my tongue. I’d gotten in many debates with gamers over the years. I wasn’t going to get in another one right now.

Skyler looked in my direction and as he did, the ball whizzed by him and landed on the floor.

“Yes!” Olivia cheered. “I win!”

“I was ahead by twenty,” Skyler said.

“I saidnext point wins.”

He smiled that genuine Skyler smile of his. “You’re right. You win.”

She winked at him. “Yes, I do.” She turned toward the group and held up the paddle. “Who’s next?”