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in the evenings could be just what I need.” I hugged her. “See you tomorrow.”
    “Yes,” she replied, “but I’ll talk to you first.” She waved her phone at me.
    “Definitely,” I said, waving mine back at her.
    I started huffing and puffing my way up the hill. When I was halfway home, I leaned against a tree to catch my breath. There was a squawk from the branch above my head. I jumped and looked up into the silver-ringed eye of a familiar crow.
    “And what are you looking at?” I said to him. I took another deep breath and battled the last of the steep hill to my house.
    “Hi, Dad! Wait until I tell you what I saw,” I shouted as I let myself in. “Dad?” There was nothing.
    I went into the kitchen and flicked on the lights just as my phone beeped with a new text.
Having dinner at work. Order pizza. See you later.
    “Oh, Dad.” I sighed. “Of all the nights for you not to be here.”
    My stomach was still in knots, so I decided to skip the pizza. I picked up the remote and turned on the TV for some much-needed background noise.
    The sound of a cracking branch drew my attention to the window. There, in the tree just outside, was the same weird crow. His beady eyes glared at me in the half-light of dusk.
    “Yah!” I shouted at the window, but the bird simply jumped to another branch. With the hairs standing up on the back of my neck, I hastily pulled the curtains.

Four
SAILING LESSONS
    I couldn’t believe a month had passed since we moved to Kinsale. Time had flown by, and I had settled into a comfortable routine: Monday to Friday I did the whole school thing, and then on the weekends I hung out with Caitlin and Jennifer, either at one of our houses or in one of the coffee shops in town.
    I hadn’t ventured into Cork City yet, though there was a trip planned for a week from Saturday. Caitlin had even been given a pass on her usual cleaning duties in the B and B. I was really looking forward to it. As much as I liked Kinsale, it was hardly Rodeo Drive, and I was desperate for new clothes. My pursuit of Adam might be futile, but I needed to look good anyway. Making myself a tad more visible couldn’t hurt either.
    It was funny: When I first arrived here Adam seemed to be everywhere. True, besides the odd looks and furtive glances, he generally ignored me, but he was a regular presence. Lately, though, Adam had been keeping a lower profile. He was in school, but I was seeing him less and less.
    I had even asked my dad about him. He said Adam was still working at the yacht club, and sailing and instructing more than ever. Strangely, Rían, who’d graduated last year, still skulked around the place. It was creepy. What on earth was he doing lurking around the school anyway? Shouldn’t he have been in college or something?
    And while Adam had been pulling a disappearing act, Áine had become more approachable since our meeting at the equestrian center. But though she was always nice and friendly, she never got too close. One day in art, I plucked up the courage to ask her about the moths.
    “Áine…” I chickened out at the last minute. “Could you pass me a red oil pastel?”
    “Sure,” she replied, handing it to me. I noticed she avoided touching my hand, though. Weird .
    I swallowed hard and tried again. “Do you mind if I ask you something?”
    She looked at me, half-wary, half-surprised. “Sure.”
    “What happened with the moths that night at the equestrian center?”
    “I don’t understand what you mean,” she said quietly, and turned back to her drawing.
    “They were all around you, dancing. I saw them covering you.”
    She laughed, not making eye contact. “That’s a good one.”
    “But I saw—”
    “I don’t know what you saw, Megan, but whatever it was, it had nothing to do with me.”
    “Oh, I’m sorry. I just…” I felt my face redden. She must think I’m deranged .
    She looked at me with pity. “Don’t beat yourself up over it. The light can play tricks at