The Islanders by Katherine Applegate Page A

on. But let’s stay back.”
    â€œYou want to follow him?” Zoey sounded shocked. “You want to spy on him?”
    â€œNo way. But we did come here to go to the mall, and if we just happen to all be walking in the same direction—”
    â€œSo we’re not spying?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œBut we should be careful not to let him see us?” Zoey asked.
    â€œYou’re very quick, Zoey, anyone ever tell you that?” Aisha set off, edging along the lines of parked cars, watching as Christopher opened the glass door of the mall entrance and held it open for the girl.
    Christopher and the girl disappeared from view inside. Aisha, with Zoey alongside, entered a minute behind him. Christopher and the girl were standing just a few dozen paces inside. Aisha grabbed Zoey’s arm and pulled her behind a pod of telephones.
    She peeked cautiously around the side. The quality of Christopher’s smile had changed, becoming subtler. Worse yet, the girl was playing with her hair, pulling the ludicrously long ponytail forward as if displaying it for Christopher.
    Aisha slid back behind the phones. “Did you see that?” she asked Zoey.
    â€œI wasn’t looking,” Zoey whispered.
    â€œShe’s playing with her hair and smiling,” Aisha said.
    Zoey winced. “That scrote.”
    Zoey peeked cautiously around the side. “She’s gone now,” she whispered. “Christopher’s over at the ATM getting some money out.”
    â€œYou’re sure she’s gone?” Aisha asked.
    â€œI didn’t see her.”
    â€œCheck again,” Aisha said.
    â€œOkay.” Zoey leaned out again. “Now they’re both gone.”
    â€œHe’s probably gone after her,” Aisha said bitterly.
    â€œI’m sure it wasn’t anything. Maybe he knows her from somewhere. Besides, she left first, right? So it couldn’t have been anything.”
    Aisha narrowed her eyes. “Uh-huh.”
    â€œLook, Eesh, you can’t get jealous every time Christopher talks to a member of the opposite sex.”
    â€œThey were grinning like baboons and she was playing with her hair,” Aisha snapped. “I’m not blind.”
    â€œMaybe she just has a habit of playing with her hair.”
    â€œAnd maybe he just has a habit of trying to pick up on girls at the mall.” She bit her lip, trying without much success to relax and stop the spiral of irrational anger that was building inside her.
    â€œDid you guys ever say it was supposed to be a steady thing?” Zoey asked.
    The question took Aisha by surprise. “We never said much of anything,” she admitted. “But, I mean, I assumed . . .”
    â€œTalk to him about it at the game tonight,” Zoey suggested. “Straighten it out. Maybe all he needs is for you to ask him flat out whether you guys are going to make it monogamous. Talk before you get all upset, okay?”
    â€œI’ll talk,” Aisha said, “but I’ll go ahead and start getting upset just in case.”

NINE
    CLAIRE FINISHED GETTING DRESSED FOR the evening, emerged from the gym, and walked toward Portside Weymouth, wandering through the quaint shops that were so much like a somewhat larger, better-stocked version of North Harbor. She bought a pair of silver earrings at one shop and almost bought a sweater at another before deciding against it. Then, glancing at her watch, she decided to find something to eat. It was either eat now or wait and be forced to consume the hot dogs the team booster club sold at the game.
    She walked through the cool, busy, cobblestoned streets and aimed for Big Mikey’s, a slightly disreputable but cheap diner that was an after-school hangout for Weymouth High kids.
    Big Mikey himself was behind the counter, looking dissatisfied and a little dangerous. Claire sat down on an empty stool at the neon-trimmed counter. “Hi, Big.”
    â€œAh, the