Room Service

FENDER

She s not here. 

But what was I expecting? That she d be waiting for me, here at the harbor? Just because she wrote to me doesn t mean everything will be the same as it was before. 

The letter has been burning inside my pocket all the way here. It was suddenly there on the mat this afternoon, with my name on it, in her handwriting. 

I stared at it for a few seconds because I couldn t believe it was real. But in a few minutes I ll finally know what it is that she wants to tell me. I really want to read the letter here. In our special place. 

I run the last few yards along the jetty. 

Hey! Good evening!

Startled, I look around. A man is waving at me from a nearby yacht.

I wave back. If she were here now, she d come up with a name for him. She often made up characters based on complete strangers she saw. She d think of a name, a profession, and a home life. I always thought she might become a writer when she was older. 

The man sails out of the harbor and I m alone again. I rest my hand on the hard edge of the boat. It s upside down, propped up on poles, and the space beneath it makes the perfect hiding place. I come here every Friday, even if it s raining or stormy. 

When I m here, I can pretend, just for a while, that everything is still the same. 

I crawl under the boat and take the letter from the inside pocket of my denim jacket. The envelope is a striking gold color. I hold it to my lips and breathe in deeply, hoping to pick up some of her scent. 

I recognized her messy handwriting immediately. It s just as chaotic as her. 

The stamp is postmarked with the name of the town where she lives now. I don t know her exact address. She doesn t want to be found--certainly not by me. 

I think about my friends. If Kate and Lucas knew where I was now, they d probably freak. They think I

Maren Stoffels published her first book at age seventeen. She likes stories that are based on real experiences. Reading her books make you feel like it could all happen to you. And maybe it will. . . .

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