a t t h e e d g e o f t h e w o r l d
9 4
Advance Reading Copy
I hardly ever take the road home from town because I
love walking along the beach, but I have a better chance
of finding Ivan if I go past his house, so that’s what I do.
I finally catch up with him as he’s fumbling with the lock
to his door. He opens the door and walks in, and I slip in
beside him before he even notices I’m there.
“There you are,” I say.
“Shit, Maddie, you scared the life out of me.”
“I wanted to see if you were okay,” I say.
“Okay as ever.”
“You saved a girl from drowning this morning,
remember?”
Ivan smiles at me and takes my hand. “You’re my best
cheerleader, Maddie.”
“Want to come out to the beach for a bit?” I hold up the
half-empty bottle of champagne that I’m still holding.
“Yeah, sure. I’ll just get a sweater. Wait here.”
Moonlight shines through the window at the top of the
stairs and gives him a halo as he walks up. I haven’t been up
there for years. The last time must have been before Ivan’s
mom left. We used to have sleepovers, and I’m pretty sure
the last time I went upstairs in Ivan’s house was also the
last time I had a sleepover with him. Ten, eleven years ago.
It’s not right that I never come here.
At the top of the stairs Ivan stops abruptly, and I bump
into him.
“What’s that smell?” I ask.
“I don’t know. You followed me?”
