Weekend by Christopher Pike Page A

beautiful! What happened was… I probably shouldn't tell you. I don't want to ruin it. All of you have got to see it. They have it on the big screen at the mall."
    "Where's Lena?" Park wondered aloud, floating in the ozone. "She can go swimming with—"
    "I was surprised to see Lena show up," Angie cut him off.
    "It wasn't planned," Robin said. "After we ate, she insisted on coming. Sorry, Kerry, if her coming upset things for you."
    "Why should I care?"
    "Where's Sol?" Park asked, blowing it left and right.
    Robin lightly rapped the top of his head with her knuckles. "This poor little boy can't seem to hold his medicine."
    "I'm bouldered," Park nodded pleasantly.
    "Anyway, for myself," Robin said, "I was hoping you'd still be here, Kerry."
    "Why?"
    "Nothing important, just wanted to talk."
    "About what?"
    "A private matter. We can discuss it later."
    Kerry chuckled sarcastically. "Nothing's supposed to be private with me, any more. Say what you want.
    I don't give a damn."
    "I had a long talk with Lena," Robin began. "I'm convinced she had nothing to do with it."
    "I'm thankful for your objective opinion," Kerry said.
    "I know my sister. She acts the tough cookie, but she would never intentionally try to hurt anybody."
    "Her subconscious must be the culprit," Shani mumbled. The conversation was heating up, but her head was cooling down. She couldn't remember having closed her eyes, but a moment came when there were only voices to distract her dreamy thoughts.
    "Come off it, Robin," Angie said. "Lena did it. She delayed Kerry; she drenched her with Coke. She set her up."
    "I believe a lot of this could be explained by coincidence."
    "And the paper shorts?" Angie said.
    "I'm going to put on The Beach Boys!" Bert exclaimed.
    "Pure, unadulterated brilliance," Park said.
    Music, soft and pleasant, floated through her ears, mingled with Robin's polite defence, and Angie's and Kerry's sharp prosecution. But there were gaps, where Shani saw coloured pictures as vague as her mushy thoughts, and grey voids, where she saw and heard nothing at all. Yet she continued to surface periodically. The outside voices changed, in personnel and tone. Her name was mentioned, her foot pinched again. Doors opened and closed. The Pretenders started singing, people started dancing. The party was getting a second wind. Her bladder began to call for attention again. She opened her eyes.
    Park, Bert, Robin and Angie were dancing as one big couple. Sol was stretched on his back on the couch smoking, Lena sitting on his lap drinking vodka and orange juice. There was no one in the bathroom but it was such a bother to get up. Shani assumed that Kerry had gone home until she saw her come out of the kitchen.
    "My car still won't start," she said to Sol.
    "Jap junk," he scowled, blowing a cloud of smoke. "I'll take you home in a minute, babe."
    "When? It's one-thirty. I've got to work in the morning."
    "Shani will take you home," Lena said. Shani deeply appreciated the offer of her services. She doubted she could start a car, never mind drive one.
    "Shani's asleep," Sol observed, though her eyes must have been at least half open because she could see. The recordBack on the Chain Gang came to an end. Angie broke from the dance floor, heading for the kitchen. Bert made for the bathroom — naptime again. Robin fell, winded, into her chair, sweating and laughing, the picture of youth and vigour. Park collapsed at her feet, forever giggling.
    "Why don't you just walk?" Lena asked.
    Kerry had been doing an admirable job of avoiding Lena. Her approach underwent a dramatic revision.
    "Why don't you just go to hell?" she blurted.
    Lena sipped her drink, said casually. "When the time's right, I probably will."
    But Sol sat up suddenly, causing Lena to fall on her ass on the floor and spill her drink in her face. He put out his cigarette. "I'll take you home now, Kerry."
    "The hell you will!" Lena yelled, wiping at her dress. "You clumsy Cholo! Look what you've