Brilliant Hues Read Online Free PDF

should have stood on the porch to wave goodbye. But I just couldn’t. Instead, I threw myself on the bed and squeezed my eyes shut.
What do I do?

Chapter 5
The City
    A s we walked out of the train station toward the Embarcadero, I remembered why I loved coming to San Francisco. Palm trees lined the waterfront street, and seagulls swooped between skyscrapers. The air smelled of ocean and roasting coffee and possibilities. Pips had seemed almost normal when we all met at the train this morning, and we hadn’t talked about the secret club at all on the ride up. For now, I hoped it could stay that way. I didn’t like the idea of my friends ganging up on someone, even if that person was a bully. And I couldn’t imagine taking part in it. But if I didn’t join in, I’d be even more on the outside.
    As we crossed the street, Alexis said, “Let’s hail a taxi and ride down to the pier, so we don’t waste all our energy walking there.”
    Alexis was right, of course. The pier was about two miles down and if Mom walked there, she’d probably be finished for the day. Even I might want to put my feet up if I walked that whole way. But I didn’t feel like getting inside a taxi right now either. I wanted to see the city. Behind us a bike bell rang.
    “Need a lift, ladies?”
    We turned to see a guy on a four-seater bike-cart.
    “You can manage us all?” Mom asked.
    “No sweat,” the guy said. “If you’re headed down to the pier, I’ll give you my famous tour, much better than a taxi ride.”
    We piled in and he drove us three or four blocks before stopping. “The Ferry Building,” he said. “Head inside and grab the treat of your choice. I’ll wait for you here.”
    The stalls were stuffed with loaves of sourdough bread and cheese and there were even trays of ice with fresh crabs. We sampled olive oil and ripe berries. In the end, Pips and I decided to share a basket of strawberries. Mom bought artichokes, tomatoes, cheese, and bread to take home for dinner, and Alexis found snap peas, organic olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. I searched for interesting doors, but nothing caught my eye. We carried our treasures back to the cart and surprised our driver with a plate of samples and a fresh baked snicker doodle.
    “Off we go to the pier!” He pushed off and wove through the crowds of people.
    As we passed a man in a tuxedo jacket outside a restaurant, he shouted, “Get your clam chowder here!”
    We all jumped, especially Mom. She glanced back over her shoulder, like she expected the man to suddenly transform into Karl.
    “It’s okay, Mom,” I said.
    Our driver—we’d now learned his name was Jack—pointed out Levi’s Plaza Park, where there was a museum all about blue jeans and this huge fountain where water spilled over large granite blocks. Kids splashed and played.
    It was only a few more blocks to Pier 39, and we could hear the seals barking.
    When we reached the main turn around, Jack pulled over and let us off. “Don’t forget to have some clam chowder. And of course, don’t miss Ghirardelli! I’ll be back in three hours in case you want a return ride.”
    Alexis gave him a big tip, and we headed down to the water. Like usual, Pips and I ran ahead of our moms, all the way out to the furthest point on the dock that we could go. Seals lounged on the rocks, filling the air with their laughlike barks and fishy smell.
    Pips laughed and plugged her nose. “Ick.”
    I snorted and then regretted it, because now I could even taste the old-fish stink. “I always forget how bad they reek.”
    “Race you back?” Pips said.
    It almost felt like yesterday hadn’t existed. “Sure!”
    We dodged people on the sidewalk and just as we plowed into Mom and Alexis, a man poked his head out of two bushes that he was holding and growled.
    Pips and I screamed and nearly leapt out of our skin.People all around us laughed, as though they’d been watching, expecting him to scare someone. The guy sat with his back