The Sea Taketh (Alex Singer)

by Teresa Rae

  “Yeah, I do and I’m going to pay back every cent as soon as I get some money.” I stubbornly grab my peanut butter sandwich out of my beach bag and take it out of the baggie.

  Without saying a word, Christian takes the sandwich from me and throws it to a begging seagull.

  “Why did you do that?” I demand, holding my empty baggie.

  “Because that’s bird food,” he says, passing me a container of sushi. “Now, this is proper food. I can’t believe that Thomas lets you eat that garbage.”

  “Why is it that one second you can be almost charming and the next you’re back to your bratty self?” I glare at him.

  Henrik and Sven laugh hilariously.

  “You noticed that too, eh?” Sven says.

  “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.

  “Stanley, Donald, what do we know?” he asks.

  They shake their heads.

  The Pedersens give Jen and me the last empty chairs and they sit on the floor. We wait until Dan’s father walks into the waiting room. Everyone silences.

  “Sixteen stitches and a concussion,” he announces wearily but with relief. “He’s going to be all right. They’re keeping him overnight as a precaution. We appreciate all your concern, and ask that you post your well wishes on his Facebook and Twitter accounts to ease the congestion here at the hospital.”

  Seniors begin streaming from the building as Mr. White and Coach Jones talk to Dan’s dad.

  “Can you guys drop us off at the school?” Jen asks Sven.

  “We’re coming to watch the competition,” he tells her.

  “Good, then you can give us a ride home afterward.” She stands up. “And just so you know, I’m always starving after a swim meet.”

  Sven laughs. “Naturally, maybe we should make reservations right now.”

  “No, we can just grab a burger.”

  He shakes his head. “No burgers,” he says.

  “What are you, a vegetarian?”

  “More like fishtarians,” he teases. “You know us Danes, we like our seafood.” He pats his rock hard stomach and smiles.

  “Then how about pizza? We could get you some nasty anchovy pizza and Alex and I will get something normal.”

  “Normal is all a matter of perspective.” Henrik laughs as he opens the door.

  “Sven, Henrik, Christian,” Dan’s dad calls behind us. “Could you wait a minute? Dan would like to talk to you.”

  “We really don’t want to disturb him,” Sven says.

  “He’s been insisting to see you since I got here. It would mean a lot to him.”

  “Alex and I will wait here.” Jen takes a seat next to the door. I sit by her.

  The Pedersens nod and follow Dan’s dad down the hospital hall.

  “Why do you keep making plans with them?” I whisper to Jen.

  “Girl, what’s your problem?” She frowns at me with that what-are-you-thinking look of hers. “They are great guys and not just because they’re hot. Think of what Christian’s done for you: he takes you to school, picked you up in Portland, pays for everything without complaint, and treats Gramps and Marjory nicely. And those are just the things he’s done for you. Don’t even get me started on them pulling Dan out of the ocean. I think you need to rethink your standards. I totally agree with you on the whole Jackson thing, but the Pedersens are great, and I like hanging out with them.”

  I can’t argue with Jen on any of her points. She’s right, the Pedersens are nice guys. I just don’t want to date anyone, not even a nice guy.

  We both remain deep in thought for several minutes.

  “What do you think is taking them so long?” Jen eventually says.

  I shrug my shoulders. “Maybe it’s seafood day in the cafeteria?”

  She chuckles at my joke. “We better go find them before they empty out the joint.”

  Following her out of the waiting room, we turn into the hallway. We wander through the halls with no luck. We come to a divergence in the hall.

  “We’ll find them quicker if we split up,” Jen says. “You go left and I’ll go right.”

  I turn to the left and continue to wander for several more minutes. I decide to find the nearest nurses’ station and ask for directions to Dan’s room. It will take a lot less time than wandering around aimlessly. I make a turn and hear a heated argument at the end of the hallway. I take a step back when I see Jackson yelling at Christian, who is flanked by his cousins. I hide behind the wall but keep an eye on the argument.

  “I don’t know who you think you are trying to make my family look bad! Maybe in your communist country people get everything for free, but in America, people have to pay their bills!” Jackson looks like he’s going to pop a vein in his forehead.

  “We aren’t disputing the bill,” Henrik replies, calmly. “We are simply attempting to pay it.”

  “You’re trying to vilify my family to Alex, that’s what you’re doing! Everyone knows Dan’s dad was laid off when the garage
changed hands, and you’re hoping to make us look like heartless jerks when they receive my dad’s bill!”

  Hypothesis # 4 is upgraded to Theory # 7 – Jackson is a meddling jerk.

  Observations – He accused Gramps of neglect and is getting involved in Dan’s and the Pedersens’ finances.

  “No, Dan is a friend of ours, and we’re just trying to help him and his family,” Sven interjects.

  “Yeah, so he can brag to Alex about how generous he is to get her to date him!” Jackson points at Christian, looking condescendingly at his clothes. “I don’t know where you’re getting the money, but don’t think that the little you’ve scraped together can compare with my family’s sound investments!”

  Sven and Henrik begin to laugh like Jackson has said the funniest thing on earth.

  “Jackson, believe me when I say that Alexandra will not find out about us paying the bill unless you tell her because Dan’s family has already assured me that they will speak of it to no one,” says Christian. “You underestimate Alexandra if you think she is impressed by wealth. I’m sure you’ve noticed that she hasn’t looked twice at either of our cars. She’s not shallow enough to worry about things like that.”

  Theory #3 is upgraded to Fact #8 – The Danes are hot.

  Proof – Thick shoulders, handsome faces, hot accents, speak French, nice to Gramps and Marjory, saved Dan’s life, trying to pay Dan’s medical bills, and see me as more than a silly girl.

  Jackson takes a step forward, which is a very brave thing to do as the Pedersens are enormous. “No matter how hard you play the game, I will be playing harder.”

  “That is where you’re wrong,” Christian replies. “I’m not playing a game, and Alexandra isn’t some kind of trophy to be won. Now, we’ll excuse ourselves to go pay Dan’s bill so his family can enjoy peace of mind.”

  I duck behind the wall as the three turn around. I hear them take a couple steps before they stop.

  “By the way, Jackson,” Christian speaks in an intimidating tone. “If you ever lay a finger on Alexandra against her will, as you did today at the beach, you will live to regret it.”

  “Are you threatening me?” Jackson asks.

  “No, I am warning you.”