When the Stars Fall (Lost Stars Book 1)

rope, swinging wildly above the creek with one arm raised in the air as he whooped and hollered before he flew back and landed on his butt, sending up a cloud of dust that nearly choked me.
Jude took the rope from him and I watched him do the same thing Brody just had. But Jude’s style was different. He flew like a cannonball, so fast he was a blur and then he was back by my side, both feet planted on the ground, offering me the rope. I got the feeling that there was nothing Jude couldn’t do.
I’d later learn that he was one of those boys who was good at everything and made it all look easy. Even when it wasn’t.
My hands were all sweaty and I wasn’t sure what scared me most. The crocodiles or the fear of embarrassing myself by not being able to do it.
“Can you swim?” Jude asked, his voice low like he didn’t want Brody to overhear.
I nodded and swallowed hard, tightening my grip on the rope.
“If you’re scared, it’s okay,” Jude said quietly.
I turned my head to look at him, trying to decide if he was just being nice or if he was making fun of me. “I’m not scared.”
“Okay.” He crossed his arms over his chest and smirked. “Whatever you say.”
I backed up so I had a good amount of space to take a running jump. If I fell I’d end up in the creek. In a dress. With hungry crocodiles ready to eat me. But I couldn’t back down from a dare. Not now that the boys were watching and waiting to see what I’d do.
So I took a deep breath and I ran and then I was flying through the air. The rope slipped from my sweaty hands and I hit the water with a splash and went down, down, down. This creek was a lot deeper than I’d expected. My arms flailed as the current carried me away.
Gripped by panic, I forgot how to swim.
Arms wrapped around me and my head emerged from the water. I coughed, my nose burning from all the water I’d inhaled. My body thrashed, struggling to break free.
“Stop fighting me.”
He was treading water, keeping us both afloat, hanging on to me for dear life. His grip was so crushing, it squeezed all the air out of my lungs and I was struggling to breathe.
“Let me go,” I wheezed. “I can swim.”
He loosened his hold but still didn’t let go. “Sure could have fooled me. You looked like you were drowning.”
“I wasn’t drowning. Just let me go.”
No sooner were my words out when Brody came flying through the air and landed in the water with a big splash that rained drops of water down on our heads.
Jude released me and I got my wits about me, treading water while the boys horsed around, dunking each other and laughing. I couldn’t help it, I was laughing with them. All thoughts of hungry crocodiles flew right out of my head.
We took turns swinging from the rope and dropping into the creek. The more times I did it, the easier it was and the braver I got. Jude cautioned me to drop into the water at the deep part or I’d get hurt.
This time I heeded his advice.
“Jude McCallister! You have some explaining to do.”
I pushed my wet hair off my forehead and looked over at Jude’s mom, who was standing on the other side of the fence with her hands on her hips, a look on her face that said she clearly wasn’t happy. My mom was right next to her and wore a similar expression.
We were in so much trouble.
The three of us trudged to the back porch to face our punishment, creek water dripping from our clothes. We were all questioned. I kept my lips sealed. I wasn’t a tattletale so I didn’t mention it was a dare. Brody didn’t say a word, just stood there looking bored with the whole thing.
Jude stepped forward. “It was all my fault. My idea. I talked them into it.” His voice never wavered, it was strong and sure, his shoulders squared as he stood tall in the face of the four adults who were acting as our judge and jury.
“It wasn’t his fault,” Brody said, stepping forward. “I dared him to do it.”
“Nuh uh.” Not wanting to be left out, I took my place right in the middle of the boys. “It was all my idea. I wanted to see what was on the other side of the fence.” I jerked my thumbs at the boys. “They followed me.”
Jude snorted. “I’m not a sheep, Rebel. I lead. I don’t follow.”
“I’m not a sheep either, and I wouldn’t follow you anywhere.”
“Pretty sure I was the first one down at the creek, waiting on you two,” Brody chimed in.
We were so busy squabbling over who followed who that we barely heard our punishment. The boys were given chores around the house and so was I. I didn’t even care though. It was worth it.
After that first day, Jude, Brody, and I were thick as thieves. I spent more time at the McCallister’s house than at my own. Kate stayed home with the kids and didn’t work so she told my mom she’d be more than happy to watch me too.
That wouldn’t be the last time we got into trouble either. We ran wild and we ran free, and by the end of the summer my skin was tanned to a nut brown and my arms and legs were covered in cuts and bruises.
One time, Brody found a wasp nest on the side of the barn and got the bright idea that he’d squirt it with the hose. Sure enough, he angered the wasps and they chased after us. All three of us got stung and my arms and back were covered in welts.
That was the summer I learned how to ride a horse. How to skip rocks in