The Sphere Read Online Free Page B

parents to go to the movies tonight, you could come to a party with me. But really, if you felt like seeing a movie, I’d be happy to skip the party.”
    “I hope there’s a kids’ movie showing. That way they’ll take the brats along, too.”
    “You’d really come to the party?” Axel’s enthusiasm is a little scary. “That’d be great—you could meet my friends! And a bunch of other people, so when you start classes you’ll already know some people. Not that too many people will be there; it’ll be a small party. You know how it is, in the middle of summer there’s hardly anyone left in St Andrews. They’re all off on vacation. Well, everyone who isn’t working like I am. This time of year is when there’s the most work at the hotel. But yeah, some people will come to the party. You’ll have a good time.”
    “I didn’t say I would go.”
    “But you want to send your family to the movies, and you said you hope they take the twins. If they didn’t you’d have to stay home and watch them, right?”
    “Maybe I feel like seeing a movie with them.”
    All right, not even I believe that. But I don’t like seeing Axel so enthusiastic. The party sounded fine, but if it’s going to bring him that much joy... I don’t know. I think maybe not. We reach the end of the beach and turn around. I don’t even bother to check to see if my family is watching as we pass in front of their towels. This thing with Axel makes me sadder than I’d like to admit. But I’ve thought about it a lot, and I can’t go on like this with him. I know he’s hiding something. Practically every time I look at him I can see that secret in his eyes... The sensible thing would be to just get out now, and not take any more chances. Break it off and start college with a blank slate. Who knows? Maybe we could even be friends. I look at his feet walking next to mine. Okay, no, I couldn’t be his friend. Now we’ve reached the rocks at the far end of East Sands, where the little bay curves around. I try to head back toward my family, but Axel takes me by the hand and helps me pick my way through the seaweed and the little pools of water. There are tiny fish trapped in them—I can relate. I don’t know what to do with him. I don’t know what to do with myself. Axel climbs onto a rock and pulls me up to sit next to him. From here the surfers are just tiny figures in neoprene suits, dancing on the water.
    The wind sweeps our words away and we have to fight to be heard. We have to lean in close to listen; we’re nearly speaking right into one another’s ears. Little by little, as Axel goes on talking, my fears vanish. I am surprised—astonished—by what I’ve just heard. I never imagined that something like that could have happened to Axel. What he’s telling me should make me trust him. Still, I can’t help feeling that—just like he kept this part of his life secret until now—there is a lot more still under lock and key. I feel small, and not for the first time. That’s the biggest reason I need to stand by my decision to stop seeing him.
    We’re quiet for a while, watching the sea. I think that for the first time Axel’s head must be as crowded with thoughts as mine. I wonder if he has the same doubts that I do. One of the gulls flying overhead drops a little shell right into my hands. Axel smiles and comes a little closer to ask:
    “So you’ll come to the party with me?”
    I fidget with the shell. It could be a sign, but of what? I guess Axel interprets my silence as a no. But of course, he perseveres—if he didn’t, he wouldn’t be Axel: “You could also go to the party alone. Go alone if you want. I’ll be there, but we can ignore each other. I’m a professional at pretending not to recognize people who don’t want to be recognized. I’ll introduce you to everyone and then I’ll pretend I don’t know you, how does that sound?”
    I smile more than I ought to, because his face is dangerously close to