How to Outswim a Shark Without a Snorkel by Jess Keating Page A

schedule and safe.” I rambled off our zoo director Paul’s usual speech. It was one of the first I’d learned when I started to hang out here.
    â€œIs he going to be around for the first presentation in the new Adventure Zone?” Her voice was light, but there was a hard look in her eyes. She reminded me of those journalists that showed up when I did my presentation in June, always starting sentences and waiting for me to finish them. And maybe mess up. If there was one thing I knew from Grandpa, it was that newspapers loved when people said the wrong thing or caused a big uproar.
    â€œDani, baby,” Logan said, pulling her under his arm. “Ana probably doesn’t want to deal with your questions right now,” he said.
    He leaned closer to me to fake-whisper. “Dani’s a journalism student and an animal nut,” he said with a knowing nod. “She’s been so excited about coming here she hasn’t shut up about it in weeks. Meeting Shep Foster and his famous granddaughter.” He waved his hands in the air and gave me a wink.
    Oh, my heart. Logan seriously had to stop winking at me like that if I was expected to use proper words.
    â€œOh, shush,” Danielle said. Her face flushed, giving her cheeks a peachy glow. Not that I could blame her. If Logan had his arm around me , I’d probably be a puddle on the floor right now. I didn’t know how that girl was even staying upright with those eyes staring at her.
    Maybe she’s the android.
    â€œWe’ll leave you guys to your notes,” Logan said.
    The two of them walked away, locked in some sort of love-octopus hug. It seemed like they had more than two arms each. Did getting a boyfriend suddenly mean you sprouted an extra arm for all that hand-holding and hugging? I wondered for a moment how Danielle seemed so not nervous kissing Logan, but when I thought about kissing Kevin, I could barely think straight.
    â€œI don’t like her,” Ashley said when the door shut behind them.
    I scoffed. “Of course you don’t. She gets to kiss Logan.”
    â€œIt’s not only that,” she said. “She gives me the creeps. She’s one of those girls who is super nice to your face, but I bet she’s a real jerk.”
    I stared at her, surprised. “What? Are you actually talking about people being mean?” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
    Ashley glared. “Forget it,” she said.
    The chill from her words made me shiver.
    She shook her head. “I’m just saying. I don’t like her.”
    â€œYeah, well.” I sighed heavily. “Luckily you don’t have to hang out with her. It’s not like you had a chance with Logan in the first place. He’s like twenty years old.”
    Ashley looked unimpressed. “Whatever. In ten years he’ll be thirty and I’ll be twenty-three. That’s not that big of a difference.”
    I scrunched my nose. “Yes, it is! He’d never go out with you!”
    Ashley’s frown began to twitch. “Okay, fine. In fifteen years then. I’ll be”—she counted in her head—“twenty-eight. And he will be thirty-five.”
    â€œYou know that means he’ll almost be our parents’ age then, right?” I loved bursting her little bubble.
    â€œAhh! Why do you always have to ruin everything?!” She shoved me on the shoulder, but for a moment I could see the glimmer of something else in her eye. And it wasn’t hate this time.
    It was Ashley joking around.
    It was totally creepy, but almost… nice .
    â€œHey,” she said suddenly. “Did you figure out what you’re going to wear for opening day? I want to get a new top for the presentation.”
    â€œI don’t know.” I hung my head. I had tried to figure out how to get a better swimsuit for under my zoo uniform without having to actually shop for one. Training bras were one thing, but