Almost Like Every Other Day March 30, 1998
Kiki was always one of the first middle schoolers on the bus. Only a few sixth graders were already hunkered down up front by the time she eased into her seat, five rows back on the right.
Kiki sat near the front of the bus, even though as a seventh grader she could call dibs further back. Sitting sideways, her feet planted on the seat beside her, she hovered over a notebook drawing a self-portrait while more students filed in. A wad of paper whizzed overhead, lost speed, and hit the boy in front of her.
He turned around. “Hey, what the heck?”
Kiki motioned to the back with her thumb and went back to her drawing.
Most of the eighth graders scribbled down stolen answers to a math worksheet or chatted away with friends. Jesse and Jimmy ping-ponged back and forth about which video games deserved “Best Of ” in PC Gamer.
Behind them in the last seat, Ralphie stood, pointing. “Sorry, dude. That was meant for her.” Ralphie’s chin jutted upwards as adrenaline threw him back into his seat.
Kiki stopped drawing and looked toward Ralphie. Her eyes caught Jesse’s just before he leaned around.
“Give it a rest, why don’t ya?
“What’s a matter? Afraid I’ll hurt your girlfriend’s feelings?”
“Forget it.” Jesse rolled his eyes and shrugged at Kiki.
Kiki returned the shrug with a smile. Even though Jesse sat with those jerks, she caught him sneaking a look her way whenever they weren’t paying attention. Like now. She missed spending time with him, but summer was in a few months. They’d be back at drama camp being best buds again and the school year would seem a millennium away. Kiki penned “For Jesse” on the drawing and shoved her notebook into her backpack. She took a note out of her pocket and waited for her opportunity.
As the bus stopped and the boys filed past her, Kiki pretended to fumble with her backpack. She hopped into the aisle behind Jesse. Just before they got to the steps, she tapped him on the shoulder. “Hand out.”
Jesse reached his hand behind him, and Kiki snuck the note into it.
“Read it later.” Kiki jumped to the ground and turned away from the trio.
Jesse smiled and rammed it into his pocket.
Moments later, the Wagnerville School bus wheeled up Hilltop Terrace, leaving four kids standing in a cloud of dust. Ralphie tore off his sweatshirt and wrapped it around his waist. Jesse and Jimmy bragged about beating levels in Zelda while they kicked rocks toward home. Kiki hummed a tune as she walked across the covered bridge that connected her neighborhood to the main town.
Without warning, Ralphie halted the energetic chatter. “Hold up!” He ripped a sheet of paper from his notebook and told Jimmy to turn around.
“Ouch,” Jimmy complained as Ralphie scribbled a note on his back.
“Wuss.” Ralphie picked up a beer bottle peeking out from beneath a bush and jammed the note inside. Ralphie puffed out his chest and shoved the bottle into Jesse’s hands. “Throw it to her.”
Jesse’s mouth went dry. He searched for the words that would make Ralphie shut up.
“Yeah, throw it to your girlfriend,” Jimmy joined in.
Jesse glanced across Lenape Creek where Kiki was searching for flowers. Blond braids flopped down her back as she picked an early spring daffodil. Jesse remembered how nervous she had looked at camp last summer just before they went on stage and wondered if now he looked the same.
Ralphie yelled across the water, “Hey, Kiki, Jesse has something for you.”
She stood up, a few flowers in her hands. Jesse saw a look of confusion on her face.
Ralphie gritted his teeth. “Throw it, Jesse.”
Jesse had more than one reason for not wanting to throw the bottle. He saw what Ralphie wrote and knew it was true. But Ralphie and Jimmy didn’t know that, and Kiki Lewis didn’t know either. This wasn’t the way Jesse wanted her to find out.
“It’s now or never,” Jimmy pressed.
Jesse’s chest tightened as he looked down at the bottle. He cocked his arm, envisioned himself a quarterback making the game’s last pass, and threw it to lose the game. The bottle landed in the water with a splash.
Jesse turned to Ralphie and Jimmy. “Oh, well.” His shoulders relaxed. “I tried.”
Snickering, Ralphie pointed back toward the river. “Look! This is going to be even better.”
Jesse’s head whirled around to see Kiki chase the bottle downstream before a raging current could whisk it away.
“The water’s running quick today,” Jimmy said. “I’ve never seen it so high.”
Jesse said, “It looks—"
“It’s the dam, you morons. They released water today. They do it twice a year.” Ralphie raced to the water’s edge. Jesse and Jimmy followed.
Kiki jumped rocks and slipped a foot into the water, eyes glued on the bottle, as it twirled and swirled, hit a log, and lodged itself between two rocks. The boys watched as Kiki bent to retrieve the bottle.
Jesse struggled to breathe. “Kiki! No!”
Kiki reached. She stretched herself and reached further until her fingers clutched the trapped glass.
Jesse let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding.
“Got it!” And, as Kiki stood, the world went into slow motion. Her foot slipped down the rock. Her body tilted forward. She clutched the bottle to her chest and went under.
Then, everything flipped into fast-forward. Kiki’s head bobbed up, then down, then up again. An arm reached out. Flailed for something to grab. The boys blinked, and she was gone.
“Run!” Ralphie took off toward home.
Jimmy trailed behind.
Jesse’s body froze. His brain clicked off. When it flicked back on, everyone was gone.
