Page 139 of The Friend Scheme
We reach the front of the line.
“Can I get a sundae, and then whatever this one wants?” He puts his hand on my shoulder.
“Can I get a choc-dipped cone?”
“You sure can,” says the server. She’s dressed in a pink-and-white-striped shirt. “You two are the cutest, by the way.”
“Thanks.”
“He’s the cute one,” says Jason.
I blush.
She hands us our ice creams, and Jason pays.
Then we start walking toward the beach. We both take off our flip-flops and walk. The sand is so warm. A pair of girls in bikini tops and denim shorts totally check Jason out as they pass us. One even lowers her sunglasses to ogle. It’s right out of a CW show.
He stomps onward, oblivious.
He glances my way.
“What are you thinking about?” he asks.
“Just that the beach looks really nice today.”
He tousles my hair with his free hand.
I smile.
We find an empty spot, and he tosses his towel down hard onto the ground. We sit down, and eat our ice cream.
“Now?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “Not yet. You really need to be sure.”
“I am!”
“Just give it a little longer, okay?”
“Fine.”
We finish our ice cream. My hands are all sticky now.
“Want to go for a swim?” he asks.
“Yeah.”
We both stand. Then he grabs the hem of his shirt and pulls it off. I do the same with my shirt and throw it down onto his. He stretches, then adjusts his trunks, pulling them up a little higher.
I’m not over seeing him like this. Not even close.
I grab the sunscreen from my bag and start slathering it onto my chest. I feel like the palest person on this beach, so this will savemy life. Without it I’d be beet red in half an hour. I put some on in the hotel room, but I really want to be sure I’m covered. The last thing I need right now is a sunburn.
He turns to me. “Want some help with that?”
“I’ve got it.”
He frowns. “Oh.”
