We found some space on a log and sat down to enjoy the party while it lasted. Three senior girls came over and talked to Sara and me, but they all kept glancing at Jack. I introduced everyone. Jack was more interested in the senior girls than he had been with the tweeners at the half-pipe earlier, and I could see why. Megan Paterson, Nichole McGill, Rebecca Vlas— they were all major hotties.
I was talking with Rebecca when Danny McNaughton stepped in front of us and spit on the ground. I looked at his giant bare arms. I had only ever seen McNaughton in something other than long shorts and a white undershirt once, at a funeral for a classmate who died in a Sea-Doo accident.
“What’s going on over here?” McNaughton said, resting a hand on Rebecca’s shoulder. She cringed and shifted away. He looked down at Jack. “Oh, Teen Beat is here. That’s what all the commotion’s about. How’s it going, Teen Beat?”
“Do I know you?” Jack said.
“This is Danny McNaughton,” I said. Rebecca managed to duck under McNaughton’s arm and disappear into the crowd.
“That’s Mr. McNaughton to you, Finnegan.”
“All right,” Jack said, before turning back to Megan.
“Yo, Teen Beat,” McNaughton said, moving over to introduce Goat. “My friend Fraser, Goat, has something to discuss.”
“With you and with Head Case, actually,” Goat said, leaning toward us.
McNaughton turned and clapped his hands. “Hey, shut that music down,” he yelled. “Everyone, listen up here.” The music was silenced and conversations dwindled.
“Jack, I hear you’re a decent guy. I’m a decent guy too,” Goat said. He had a disgustingly sweet, fake smile on his face. “I want to put a little proposition forward. I know you’ve hired Head Case to train you in the ways of skateboarding and be your stunt double, but I think you’re missing an opportunity here.”
“Am I?” Jack asked.
“Your agent, or whoever signed Head Case up, didn’t look deeply enough into the local skate community. I would make a better trainer and stunt double. And I can prove it.”
“Oh yeah?” Jack said. A little smile had settled on his face. He stood up and brushed sand off his pants. “This sounds interesting. What’s your plan?”
Goat turned to me. “You got me today, Head Case. I’ll give you that. But overall, I’m a better skater.”
“Whatever, Goat,” I said, feeling as if everyone was watching us—because everyone was.
“Okay, okay. You might not think so. I can understand that. So here’s what I propose. A contest. We’ll cover all kinds of skateboarding: street, vert, everything. We’ll start tomorrow with a street competition. And, to be fair, I say we let Jack be the judge.”
Jack was staring at Goat. His eyes narrowed, and he started nodding his head. “That could almost make this place interesting,” Jack said. “What do you think, Casey?”
“I think this place is interesting enough as it is,” I said.
“Yeah, but it couldn’t hurt, could it?” Jack put his hand on my shoulder. “I could learn a lot from watching you guys. Plus, this town is so dead, it needs something to liven it up, or I’m going to die of boredom.”
“I think your time would be better spent practicing,” I said.
“I only need to learn how to push around a little. Maybe drop in on a ramp. No big deal. What I really need for this part is to understand skateboarding.”
“I can teach you to drop in and stuff,” Goat said. “No problem. But yeah, skateboarding isn’t only about pushing around. It’s a culture.”
“As long as Casey is up to it, I think a contest is a great idea,” said Jack. “And nothing with Casey is nailed down yet.”
Goat beamed. “What do you say, Head Case?”
I thought it was the dumbest idea I had ever heard. I thought it was stupid and probably dangerous. I also thought there was no way for me to say no. Jack wanted some excitement. If I said no to the contest, he would dump me and hire Goat instead. I was stuck.
“Whatever,” I said. “Sure.”
“We’ll start tomorrow at the skate park over at my end of town. I’ll even give you the half-pipe today. You’re up one nothing,” Goat said. He clapped his hands together and turned back to Jack. “Listen, I noticed the board you had today, and, well, it kinda sucks. Just to show you I’m a decent guy, I brought you this one.” He handed a skateboard over to Jack. “It’s a little used, but that makes them better.”
“Thanks, man,” Jack said.
“No problem,” Goat said and stepped away from us. “I’ll be in touch.”
McNaughton leaned forward. “I know you’ll make the right decision, Teen Beat.” Then, for no other reason than that McNaughton is an asshat, he pushed Jack over a log. Jack toppled backward and fell into Tyler Allen. Now, McNaughton may be big and mean, but he’s not unmatched in town.
Tyler cocked his head back and said, “What the hell, McNaughton?” “My bad,” McNaughton said.
“What did you do that for?” I asked.
McNaughton shrugged. “A mistake, that’s all. My bad.”
Tyler stepped over the log and shoved McNaughton. “Oops,” Tyler said. “My mistake. Didn’t mean to shove you.”
McNaughton shoved him back, and then all hell broke loose. Tyler put his head down, as if he was in the middle of a football game, and tackled McNaughton to the ground. A moment later, two of McNaughton’s friends started shoving a couple of Tyler’s friends. Jack picked himself up off the sand and ran swinging into the mess of people.
I leaped off the log, pulling Sara with me. People scattered in the jumpy way they do when a fight breaks out. Everyone moved far enough away to not be involved, but not so far they couldn’t still watch. I was about to drag Jack out of there, figuring he was partially my responsibility, when a series of bright flashes blinded me.
“What is that light?” Sara said, covering her eyes.
I reached in and grabbed Jack’s shoulder. “Come on,” I said.
Jack stumbled out of the crowd, and the camera flashes followed him. He swung out at the light, and then he backed away.
I was about to leave him behind when McNaughton tossed Tyler toward us. Jack half caught him and shoved him away. The beach filled with flashlight beams. Everyone started running and yelling, “Cops! Cops!”
“Come on,” I said again, grabbing Jack’s shirt and pulling him up the bank toward a cluster of trees. We had made it out of the glow of the bonfire when a rush of people came toward us, followed by half a dozen police officers waving flashlights and batons.
“This way,” I yelled. I leaped over a log and landed in a marshy area along the edge of the woods. Sara and Jack followed. One cop slowed down as he passed where we had ducked into the trees. But I guess he decided there were already enough kids on the beach to chase after.
I pressed my back against a tree and peered out at the scene on the beach. Sara had fallen into me. I could feel her struggling to catch her breath.
Jack was bent over, heaving in and out, with his hands on knees. “What is that guy’s problem?” he said.
“McNaughton or Goat?” I asked.
“The big guy. Does he always shove people around?” Jack asked.
“Yes,” I said. Jack looked at me, and I looked away. I was pissed he had put us in this situation and pissed he had gone along with Goat’s contest.
“We should get out of here,” Jack said. “That paparazzi guy snapped a million pictures. The last thing I need is to get busted and have photos of me being cuffed and dumped in a cruiser.” He hefted his new skateboard under his arm.
“So that’s what all those flashes were—a camera?” Sara said. “How did he know you were here?”
“They find out.” He looked around the wooded area. “How do we get out of here? My shoes are getting ruined in this mud.”
I pointed to a path through the woods. “We can get to the road that way, then double back to my car.”
Jack started walking without another word.
“Real piece of work, isn’t he?” Sara said quietly.
I looked ahead at Jack, and I had to agree with her.