The Big Splash Read Online Free PDF

little shorter than Nicole, with big brown eyes and long hair pulled back into a ponytail. She was definitely cute, but next to her sister, she looked ordinary, like a Ford parked next to a Ferrari.
    â€œYou don’t know what he’s like,” Nicole said, softly but firmly.
    â€œStop trying to control me!” Jenny yelled back. “You already screwed up your own life! Leave mine alone!” Jenny stormed past me, eyes smoldering like fresh bullet holes. Nicole still had her back to me. She hung her head down a little, rubbing her eyes with her hand.
    â€œWhat do you want, Stevens?” she said, withoutlooking. It was like trying to sneak up on a three-headed cobra.
    â€œUmm … hey … uhh, I’ve got a message from someone.” My voice sounded like an equal mix of nerves and puberty.
    â€œWho?” she asked.
    â€œYou know who.”
    She turned to face me. There was something in her eyes that wasn’t anger, but was close enough for my taste. “I know you don’t mean
him.
He and I have a deal,” she snarled. Her left hand moved slowly toward the squirt gun she had concealed in her locker, the one she denied she still had. I raised my hands in the universal sign of surrender, hoping she wouldn’t just pop me anyway. I felt like I was on a life raft that was slowly but steadily losing air. If I didn’t plug the hole fast, I was going to drown.
    â€œHe sent me because he said he respects you, Nikki—”
    â€œNicole,” she said. “I haven’t been Nikki for a long time.”
    I could feel my raft sinking. “Right … sorry. Nicole,” I stammered. “You have a trinket of his. A good luckcharm. He didn’t think it meant much to you anymore, so he wants it back.”
    â€œAnd you’re here to get it by any means necessary?” Her hand kept moving steadily toward her squirt gun. My life raft was completely deflated now and I was barely treading water. I became distinctly aware of the silence behind me. All action in the hallway had stopped. Kids were trying to decide whether I was crazy or stupid to rile Nikki up. I felt my scalp tingle as I tried to figure out the same thing, but deep down I already knew the answer: I was definitely stupid. I said a silent prayer for my salvation, and followed it up with a silent curse on Vinny and all his descendants. Then I tried to reinflate my life raft.
    â€œIt’s not like that, Nicole. You know my reputation. He sent me as a white flag. He wants the trinket back, but only if you don’t want it anymore. In fact, part of him hoped that you’d want to keep it, as a reminder of what you once had together.”
    Her hand stayed poised over the squirt gun, twitching a little as if itching to pop someone after months of inactivity. My chest thumped, and I wondered offhand if it was possible for a twelve-year-old to have a heart attack. Suddenly, her hand relaxed and dropped to her side. Shesmiled a sly little smile that made my heart beat even harder—something that hadn’t seemed possible a moment earlier. I managed to recover before my knees buckled, but only just.
    â€œThe surfer girl,” she said. A light danced in her eyes. She was pleased to remember something that represented the past she obviously missed.
    I nodded and smiled back. The crowd behind me let out a sigh of disappointment, then resumed their regular routines. The show was over with no casualties.
    â€œHe always used to say it was my good luck charm,” she said, “the real reason I made it out untouched.”
    â€œI think your quick hands had more to do with it than a good luck charm.”
    â€œMaybe, but there’s always someone whose hands are quicker.”
    â€œTrue,” I said.
    She turned to her locker. The move was smooth and graceful, her hair swishing like a rain shower. When she turned back, she was holding a small statuette, no bigger than a pack of gum. It