The Only Exception Read Online Free PDF Page B

me some Tylenol and tell me to sleep, not everything else I could possibly buy.
    We sit like we are for about two more hours, with Grammy bringing sandwiches in at lunchtime and various movie watchers helping me take the ice pack off and tie it back on at 10-minute intervals. I notice Sawyer’s hair, now dry, is a medium brown, almost like a cross between auburn and chocolate, that he runs his fingers through, sweeping it off to his left.
    Grammy comes over a little later and evaluates my face. The swelling in my eye, according to her, has gone down, but the bruise will last about a week, maybe longer. Daniel and Sawyer get ready to leave after Grammy suggests I go lay down in my room for a little while. “Sorry again,” Sawyer apologizes on his way out the door.
    “It’s okay,” I reply hesitantly, holding up a hand on my way back to my room.
    “Later,” they chorus in their Aussie accents. I carry my pillow back to my space and flop as gently as one can flop onto my sunset duvet.
    “Thank you, Grammy,” I say to no one in particular, grateful my grandmother could tell I needed to be rid of them. Sawyer, specifically. McKayla drops onto the giant bean bag in the corner. “Yeah, he’s definitely the most fun person I’ve ever met. Likes to dance.”
    “Aw, come on, he’s not that bad,” she chides, trying not to laugh.
    “Not that bad?! He kicked me in the face, Mac! Then, and this is the best part, he tried to act like it was my fault I almost drowned! What would you think if a guy cut you off on the road and totaled your car?” I ask, bringing memories of remarks shouted at other drivers and an ear-splitting car horn. “I’ve seen your road rage, Mac. That guy would be #1 on the CIA’s ‘wanted’ list if you could make it happen.”
    McKayla can’t hold it in any longer. Her light, loud laugh bursts forth and she just keeps laughing, unable to stop. “It’s good to have you back,” she laughs.
    “Even when I’m all bruised up?”
    “Definitely,” she reassures, still giggling.
    “Anyway, I just don’t like him,” I continue. “There’s just bad news written all over the whole thing. Not to mention his stupid ego.”
    “Fine. Be that way. Just so long as you don’t mind competing against him,” she adds.
    “Oh, I don’t mind. I’ll kick his butt any day,” I respond. “Just like yours.” She laughs again and chucks a teddy bear at me. “Foul! Attacking a maimed opponent! Disqualified!” I shout, throwing a pillow at her. She and I start throwing anything relatively soft we can find at each other, both of us shrieking with laughter. My door opens to reveal Papaw, who charges through the room with my surfboard in front of him as a shield.
    “Cease and desist!” he commands. We do as he says, still giggling, and he sets my board in the corner. “Annie, if you’re up for it, I can drive you to the offices for signups for those competitions I mentioned.”
    “Of course I’m up for it!” I reply enthusiastically. “What competitions?”
    “The Oahu Juniors Championships, the Annual Pipeline and, maybe, just maybe, if you do well in the other competitions, regionals,” he says.
    “Seriously?!” I exclaim. “Thank you, thank you, thank you! But what if I make it past regionals? I’d qualify for state, right?”
    “Right. After state, would possibly be nationals, and certain positions at nationals can get you a spot on the international team for the World Championships,” he explains. “But that means you could be in this for the long haul. And a spot on the world champs team is extremely iffy.”
    “What about my parents? Did they agree to this?” I question. He shakes his head.
    “I don’t know. I haven’t talked to them yet,” he says. “I didn’t know if you’d want me to.”
    “Why don’t we wait and see about the first two, then figure out regionals after,” I decide. He nods approvingly.
    “Alright,” he agrees. I shoot a glance at Mac.
    “You want