Olive's Ocean

In April, Martha told Holly she liked Kyle Gilbert—the first time Martha confided in someone about liking a boy. Holly suggested getting someone to notify Kyle of Martha’s crush, but Martha rejected the suggestion. At school by their lockers, Holly told Martha that Kyle was here, and Martha, thinking Holly was joking, made kissy sounds and declared her love for him. The behavior pushed Kyle away and made her a subject of ridicule.

That day, Ms. Driggs, the communication arts teacher, asked the class to write about their most embarrassing moment. Martha looked around the room and made eye contact with Olive, who had a frightened look on her face. Martha cried out that the assignment was wrong and unfair. Ms. Driggs agreed with Martha and asked the class to instead compose a character sketch of a person over 50 or under five. The new assignment makes Martha popular.

Back in Cape Cod, Martha writes Kyle Gilbert's initials in the sand. She gets ice cream with her father and sister, and then Vince calls. Vince wants Martha to ask their mother if Vince can have dinner—lobsters and clams—at the Mannings. Martha can’t find their mother and gets aggravated until she learns she’s invited.