The Sea Taketh (Alex Singer) (12 page)

              “Our cousin tends to get his way too often.” Henrik passes me a bottle of apple juice.

             
“And why is that?” I ask.

             
“Because I am charming,” Christian says. “And my parents reward me for my hard work.”

             
“I wish my parents paid me for my grades,” Jen interjects. “I might not make much in math, but I would make a killing in PE.”

             
I watch Christian closely. The way he smiles at Jen’s comment tells me he wasn’t talking about grades, not at all. I want to say something but decide against it. Instead, I ask,” How much was this sushi?”

             
“Alex, just eat the sushi.” Jen rolls her eyes.

             
“I need to pay for it so no one thinks Christian and I are dating.”

             
“But we are dating,” Christian interjects, matter-of-factly, while opening his sushi.

             
“Wasn’t the knife a strong enough hint that we’re not?” I put down my food.

             
“I realize that you’re in denial and have a flair for the dramatics, but the truth is, you and I are destiny.”

             
“I don’t have a flair for the dramatics! And there is no such thing as destiny! No matter how many meals you pay for, I’m not sleeping with you!” I snap.

             
Sven drops his drink. Henrik’s mouth gaps open. Christian’s eyes narrow.

             
“Is that really what you think my intentions are?” he asks in a cool tone. His intense blue eyes lock with mine.

             
“All guys are looking for the next conquest, and you’ve hit a dead-end with me! I’m not that kind of girl!”

             
“Surely you can’t believe that’s all that interests guys,” Henrik asks.

             
Christian continues to stare into my eyes, and I refuse to look away. I will not let him win this argument.

             
“It’s exactly what guys want.” Jen laughs. “Take Jackson for instance, do you really think that his interest in Alex is innocent with the way he continually undresses her with his eyes? Come on, guys are pigs. But then again, so are girls. I could make a list of girls who would love to sleep with the three of you. If girls were solely interested in smart guys, than Kyle and Dan would have to fight them off with sticks, but we all know you three are hot, and that’s why the girls won’t leave you alone.”

             
“You too?” asks Sven. His face is very stern. “Is that what you’re after?”

             
She shakes her head. “Alex and I are prudes. We respect ourselves too much to sleep around. If you think you’re going get that by hanging out with us, then you better listen to Alex because it’s not going to happen.”

             
“I can guarantee you that is
not
what we’re after!” Christian says the words so forcefully it jars me. “We are old-fashioned and do
not
sleep around where we come from!”

             
“Denmark?” Jen smirks. “I thought Europeans were even more relaxed about sex than Americans?”

             
“We come from a very traditional village,” Henrik interjects very quickly, shooting Christian a warning look that I totally do not understand, but I’ve never been good at reading people.

             
“Hey, do you guys mind if we join you?” Dan stands above us, flanked by Kyle.

             
“Not at all,” Christian says, gesturing to a couple empty spots on the large picnic blanket.

             
I’m grateful to have our old friends sit with us and the uncomfortable conversation about sex - over.

             
“Alex, I’m sorry Jackson threw you in,” Kyle says, pushing his glass onto his nose as he opens his Star Trek lunch box.

             
“Not as sorry as he’s going to be.” Jen forces open her sushi container.

             
“Kyle and Dan, I have a question for you,” Christian changes the subject. “You two have been friends a long time. Do you keep tally? What I mean is, if one of you buys pizza, do you pay half every time?”

             
“Of course not,” Kyle snorts.

             
“That’s what I thought.” Christian smiles as he puts my sushi container back in my lap.

             
I sigh as the others begin talking about the meet that night.

“I will pay you back,” I whisper to Christian.

              “Do I need to pay for the meal I ate with you and Thomas last night?”

             
“No, we invited you to eat with us.”

             
“And I invite you to eat with me.” He hands me my apple juice.

             
“But you will think it means more than what I think it means,” I counter.

             
“I think it means exactly what it means,” he says.

             
“Yeah, and what is that?”

             
He smiles, showing his perfect teeth.

“Third date,” he whispers.

              “See, this is exactly what I was talking about.  I will get some money from Gramps and pay you when I get home so you don’t get any ideas.”

             
“Oh, I’m full of ideas, giving me a couple dollars isn’t going to change that.” He reclines on his elbows and pops sushi into his mouth.

             
“It doesn’t matter. I’m still paying you back.” I open my sushi and hungrily tear into it.

             
After getting some food in my stomach, my mood improves. I happily laugh and talk with my friends. My mood improves even more when Henrik surprises us with a cooler of ice cream bars. I sun in Christian’s shirt while eating a vanilla one.

             
“You guys can go back to the water,” I tell everyone, not wanting to ruin their afternoon.

             
“We’re going to play some beach volleyball.” Jen stands up. “Kyle and Dan, do you want to play?”

             
“No thanks, we’re going to explore the tide pools,” Kyle answers. “Thanks for the ice cream.”

             
The two head to the water while Sven, Henrik, and Jen set up a volleyball net. Christian pulls out his phone next to me.

             
“Aren’t you going to play?” I gesture to the volleyball net.

             
“No, after Jackson’s earlier actions, it’s best if I remain here.” He starts texting.

             
“I’m just going to read.”

             
“And I’m just going to text. We’ll be perfect company for one another.”

             
The afternoon passes quietly as I finally get the chance to read. True to his word, Christian sits next to me and sends texts all afternoon. When I put down the finished
A Tale of Two Cities
, he chuckles.

             
“What is it?” I ask, grabbing another book.

             
“Oh, I just find all the murderous looks I’m receiving amusing,” he answers. “Every boy on this beach is infatuated with you, and they’re not happy I’m keeping you company.”

             
“The heat must be getting to you because no one’s infatuated with me,” I dismiss his comments.

             
He laughs. “Not only is everyone infatuated with you, they can’t keep their eyes off you. You are rather stunning wearing my shirt.”

             
“Besides Jackson, you’re the only one infatuated with me.” I roll my eyes.

             
“Correction, Jackson is obsessed with you, and I’m not infatuated with you.”

             
“You could have fooled me.” I take my eyes off my book and look at him, raising an eyebrow.

             
He peers in my eyes, gently dusting sand off my cheek.

“Alexandra, I’m not infatuated with you. I am deeply and madly in love with you,” he says reverently.

              My heart skips a beat and I have to force myself to breathe. I’m a creature of intellect, not a silly little girl. However, strangely, I am finding myself increasingly drawn to him, in spite of myself.

             
“HELP!” Kyle screams across the beach, ending our conversation.

             
Christian immediately jumps to his feet. He takes off sprinting with his cousins and Jen across the beach. I dash behind them in a crowd of running seniors.

             
“What’s wrong?” Coach Jones demands loudly as we run.

             
“A wave pulled Dan under!” Kyle yells frantically. “I think he hit his head, and I don’t know where he is!”

             
Before anyone can stop them, the Pedersens jump into the water, and disappear under the waves. My heart feels as though it’s going to beat right of my chest, and I force myself to breathe as I worry for Dan and now the Danes. The ocean beats against the shore. I desperately scan the breaker. Inexplicably, the waves calm, almost as though they know we’re looking for Dan. The calmer water makes it possible for us to watch the Pedersens swimming under the surface as they search.

             
“Damn it! Everyone else, stay out of the water!” Coach Jones swears. “Blasted foreigners! Marsh, call 911! Tell them we have four students in the water, one possibly injured!”

             
There are several tense moments as we wait. Kyle stares at the water in shock. In the background Jen talks to the emergency dispatcher.

             
“They’ve got him!” someone yells, pointing down the beach.

             
Sven and Henrik run out of the water, carrying Dan. Christian runs behind them. Dan is unconscious, has blue lips, and a gash is on his head. I hold my hands tightly together as he’s put on the sand. Christian immediately begins CPR.

             
“Come on!”  I whisper, traumatized by the thought of losing my friend. 

             
“He’s unresponsive,” Jen says into her phone.

             
Christian’s undaunted as he continues CPR. Suddenly Dan throws up a bunch of sea water and sucks in a deep breath of air. Everyone breaths a deep sigh of relief as his eyes flicker open. He tries to talk, but no sound comes out.

             
“You’ve swallowed a lot of water. Rest your throat,” Coach Jones tells him. “The ambulance is on its way.”

             
Sven and Henrik grab our picnic blanket to wrap Dan in. While everyone’s trying to help him, my attention turns to Christian. He’s at the back of the group, still on his knees. He spits a considerable amount of water on the sand, so much that I don’t know how he fit it all in his mouth. It doesn’t make any sense to me. How could Christian do CPR on Dan with all that water in his mouth?
It’s probably some strange Danish procedure which hasn’t made its way to America,
I tell myself. Christian stands up, and I quickly avert my eyes.

             
Sven and Henrik carry the shivering Dan to the road to meet the ambulance. Jen stays on the phone as we grab our things.

             
“Everyone, go home,” Coach Jones tells the senior class. “The Senior Ditch is officially over!”

“Kyle, I’ll give you a ride to the hospital.” Mr. White puts an arm around his shoulders.

By the time we get to the convertible, the EMTs are loading Dan into the ambulance. Jen finally hangs up her phone.

“That was too close!” she says to me. “I’ve been a lifeguard for a few years
, and I’ve never been so grateful to have the Pedersens around. Did you see them swim? I don’t think Dan would have made it if they hadn’t been here. It would have taken me too long to find him by myself.”

             
I nod, knowing the Pedersens are very convenient friends.

             
“We’re going to the hospital to make sure Dan’s all right,” Sven says as he, Henrik, and Christian jump into the car.

             
“We’re going with you.” Jen pushes me into the car and sits next to me.

             
“We have to make a quick stop at home to change our clothes,” Henrik says.

             
“Alex and I will change at her house.” Jen puts on her seatbelt.

*     *     *

The hospital waiting room is packed with teenagers in swimsuits when we enter. Christian goes directly to Kyle, Coach Jones, and Mr. White.