Page 1 of Tourist Trap

ONE

CLAIRE

Fuck someone on a lifeguard chair.

The laugh that leaves me is almost worrisome as my best friend from college slides the paper back over to me. This has been going on for almost an hour now as we write things onto my summer bucket list, trying to plan for the most iconic season possible.

Something I desperately need.

“That sounds illegal,” I say with a cough as I catch my breath, wiping tears out of my eyes.

“Probably is,” she says with a shrug. “But it would be fun.”

I skim over the list filled with fun, random, classic, beach bum things we want to do while down the shore for the summer.

“Are you ready for that?” June asks after a moment of hesitation.

“Fucking someone on a lifeguard chair? I mean, I don’t know if anyone is really ever ready forthat, you know?” When I look at her, her face is more serious than I expected.

“I meant hooking up with someone,” she says. “You know, after Paul?”

I think about her question, then shrug. “I don’t see why not. It’s not like he wasgoodat it.”

She continues to stare at me in the way best friends always seem to be able to do: reading past whatever bullshit you’re saying and finding the truth you don’t want to admit.

That’s because six months ago, I broke up with my boyfriend of a year and a half, one I met two summers ago while visiting her. After a summer of what I now see as love bombing and then a year of things being…okay, I finally came to my senses, but not before I moved across the country to be with him.

Since the breakup, I’ve been slowly trying to get my shit together and, admittedly, failing miserably.

But tonight is not for worrying about that.

Tonight, we’re celebrating the fact that I am officially moving down to Seaside Point, June’s hometown, for the summer. Yesterday, Helen, the director of the recreation department, called to offer me the position as head lifeguard, and I accepted instantly, excited for the change of pace I so desperately needed.

Then I packed up my things and drove here from Evergreen Park this morning. I’m staying in June’s tiny apartment for the night since Helen found me a place to rent for the season, and I’ll be headed there to meet my new landlord tomorrow.

“Me next. Get drunk at a tiki bar,” I say, changing the subject and putting a hand out for the pen so I can add it to our list. She continues her assessing look for a moment longer before deciding to let it go.

“Oh, god, no,” she says with a laugh, shaking her head and moving the pen out of my reach.

“What? Why not?”

“Because locals wouldn’t be caught dead at a tourist trap like that. And you’re a local now, babe.”

I roll my eyes at her. “Come on. That’s the fun of it! We can pretend we aren’t locals.” She rolls her eyes and shakes her head like she can’t see the perk of doing so.

“Just imagine it! We go to the most touristy bar, get hammered and flirt with guys we’ll never see again.” I sit up, already mentally committing to the idea and smiling as June looks over at me, a look of understanding in her eyes. Understanding that she would have to go through a mountain of effort to convince me off my path, no matter the fact that I just thought about it.

“Tonight!” I stand to grab my phone. “I’ll call Lainey, tell her our plans have changed, and we’re going out,” I say. Lainey is June’s childhood best friend who is supposed to come here for movies and takeout, but she’s always down for some chaos.

June looks at me skeptically. “Please? We have nothing else to do. Let’s celebrate my moving down here for the summer. It'll be fun! The first official girls’ night of the summer.”

After a long beat, she lets out a deep sigh, then smiles. “Okay. But what do we wear?”

TWO

MILES

“That was Helen,” I say, walking back out into the garage where my best friend for as long as I can remember sits.

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