Shipwrecked Summer

by Carly Syms

  Like clockwork, Grandma appeared at the top of the stairs, dishcloth in hand. Her expression changed when she caught sight of my face.

  “Alexa Anne!” she cried, hurrying down the steps. “What’s the matter?”

  I tried to will the tears back into my eye sockets. “Nothing!” I wiped my nose. “I’m fine. Why?”

  Grandma raised her eyebrows. “You don’t look fine.”

  “I am!” I insisted. “I’m just tired, that’s all. And my allergies are acting up a little.” I sniffled for her benefit.

  She looked at me and I knew she didn’t believe me. “Well,” she said. “If you’re sure you’re alright. There’s some leftover chocolate cake in the kitchen.”

  “I’m not that hungry,” I said, and I was surprised it was true even though I’d skipped dinner. “I think I’ll just go to bed.”

  Grandma nodded. “Sleep tight, dear. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  I collapsed on my bed without bothering to get out of my sundress and or take my makeup off. I felt zapped of all energy and the only thing I wanted to do was sleep, sleep until I forgot Jeff and Brittany and Anthony and Pia existed at all.

  If only it were that easy.

  xiii.

  Monday passed. And Tuesday. And Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.

  I didn’t leave the house much that week. I couldn’t risk running into Jeff, or Anthony and Pia. Gianna had come over to visit a couple of nights but I think she only did it to be nice. I wasn’t much fun to hang out with.

  I guessed that Brittany had begun spending a lot of time on the Gull Boulevard beach now that she and Jeff were back together and happier than ever.

  I’d rather stick hot, sharp sticks into my eyes than watch that play out.

  Grandma was worried about me, that much I knew, but she’d also never call my parents and tell them how miserable I was. It was just something I’d have to snap out of on my own.

  But every time I thought I was getting better, every time I thought maybe this would be the day I’d get over Jeff and move on and find some way to salvage this wrecked summer, I remembered something cute or funny that he’d said, something we shared that I knew I’d never have with anybody else, and it would all come flooding back, overwhelming, drowning me as if I was back in the open water.

  That Saturday afternoon should have been no different than any of the other days that had come and gone without me. Except I had to be at work this afternoon and I was pretty sure Ralphie would have my neck if I tried to bail on another shift by blaming allergies.

  Fortunately, the standard uniform required at the Treasure Chest meant I didn’t have to think about what to wear and even I could manage throwing my hair into a sloppy ponytail.

  Biking down Central Avenue did nothing for my mood. All it did was bring me back to That Night and how happy I was to get to Steamers and how confused and lonely and miserable it was to walk back to Gull Boulevard, all the while hoping that somehow, somewhere, our wires had gotten crossed and it was all a big misunderstanding and we’d grab burgers at Betsy’s and things would be okay.

  “Ho, ho, ho, look what the cat dragged in!” Ralphie emerged from the office, clipboard in hand, the second I walked through the Treasure Chest’s gates.

  “Hey, Ralphie.”

  “Hey, yourself! Looks like those nasty allergies finally let you out of their clutches!”

  “Yeah, I’m feeling okay.”

  “That’s dandy! You’ll need your strength. It’s Saturday night! I’ll put you on the Scrambler, how’s that sound?”

  “You mean I’m not working a kiddie ride tonight?”

  I knew graduating to the more popular attractions meant great things were happening in my Treasure Chest career, but I’d been banking on manning something low-key. Everyone loved the Scrambler.

  “I thought I’d throw you into the fire on your first night back!” Ralphie looked pleased with himself. “Been meaning to let you work one of the big rides, anyway, and Gianna’s got the Dragons, so it seemed like the right time.”

  I breathed a sigh of relief. At least Gi would be on the next ride over. The controls for the Dragon Coaster and Scrambler were back-to-back.

  “I’ll go take a look at it.”

  “Delightful! You just let me know if you’ve got any questions.”

  I could hear the Dragon Coaster before I saw it so I knew Gianna was already here, sending her ride through its pre-opening test drive.

  “Good lord, girl,” she said as soon as she caught sight of me. “You lose your bronzer or somethin’? You look whiter’n Casper, for Pete’s sake!”

  “What’s the point?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Didn’t anybody ever tell you that a tan gives you a nice, healthy glow? You look like a shut-in.”

  “I am.”

  “Oh, stop it, already, would you? You can’t keep gettin’ your undies in a wad over one dumb lifeguard. I bet he’s never even saved anybody’s life! Do you know how many men patrol the beaches on this island? You could find another one easy as pie.”

  “I thought you said Jeff was the one for me.”

  “No, I said he could be the one for you. That’s a whole different story and you know it. So you went out with a clown a few times and it didn’t work out. Get over it, girl! There’s plenty of fish out there and you’re already at the sea.”

  I cracked a smile for the first time in what felt like a week. “We’re not talking about some random guy here. It’s not like it’s Anthony all over again. Jeff’s different.”

  Gianna shrugged and cracked her gum. “Nah, he seems the same to me. You know Jeff just as well as you know Anthony, and that isn’t all that much. You can’t miss whatcha never had, Lexie.”

  “We had something,” I insisted. “I might not know a lot about guys, but I know there was something between me and Jeff.”

  “Something isn’t always everything.”

  “It was enough for me. Enough to turn me into this,” I said, gesturing at my dishelved ponytail and dull, listless skin.

  “Fine, you want to insist Jeff was great, let’s go with it. He still picked that blonde bimbo over you. That just means you gotta find someone else, someone who’ll make you even happier than he did. But you’re sure as heck not going to find him lookin’ like that. You gotta actually leave the house, you know.”

  “I’m here.”

  Gianna rolled her eyes. “What is with you today? You really think your Prince Charming’s gonna come riding into the Treasure Chest today knowin’ his princess is takin’ tokens at the Scrambler?”

  “He won’t know it when he gets here, but maybe he will by the time he leaves.”

  She just laughed. “You got a lot to learn, you know that? I bet you don’t see one guy on this ride tonight that you’d actually consider lettin’ take you out.”

  She was wrong and I somehow was more sure of that than I’d been of anything else in my life tonight. There’d been a reason I hadn’t completely dreaded coming to work tonight. Prince Charming would be here and he’d be on my ride.

  ***

  Three hours later, night had fallen and most of the children had cleared out with their parents, giving way to an older crowd that wouldn’t be caught dead at the Treasure Chest before nine.

  Three hours and so far, Gianna was right. I hadn’t seen a single guy that I’d let buy me a cheeseburger and Coke, let alone actually be my Prince Charming.

  The line for the Scrambler was longer now than it had been just twenty minutes ago, while Gianna hadn’t had more than two takers at the Dragon Coaster in the last half an hour. She now leaned up against the railing of my control booth, analyzing each guy in line.

  “Taken, taken, married, ugly, taken, doesn’t look like he knows what the heck a shower is, taken.” She shook her head. “I knew I’d be right but I didn’t think I’d be this right.”

  I rolled my eyes. “The night’s not over yet.”

  “It’s not going to get any better than this.
Taken, married, needs to lay off the spray tan! What’s a girl gotta do these days to get a good man?”

  I turned around to give her a look. “Listen to you. Joey’s a great guy!”

  “That’s true,” she said. “I like him okay. He just doesn’t take charge like I need him to.”

  “If that’s your only complaint, you’re in good shape. At least he shows up when you two decide to get dinner.”

  “Would it help if I told you how sorry I am about that?”

  I froze, my hand locked in the air just above the big red ‘STOP’ button. I’d been about to end the ride and let the next batch of people on, but all rational thoughts flew out of my head. Heck, all thoughts flew out of my head.

  Gianna let out a low whistle. “Oh, boy.” She hurried back to the Dragon Coaster.

  Slowly, very slowly, I turned around to face Jeff the Lifeguard.

  He stood just a few feet behind me, his mop of blonde hair tamed with gel, dressed in khaki shorts and a pink polo. I wanted to curse him for wearing that shirt. I wanted to curse myself for telling him how much of a sucker I was for men in pink polos.

  His green eyes lost their spark and dark purple bags clouded the skin beneath them. He gnawed at his bottom lip and I noticed an envelope in his left hand.

  “What are you doing here?”

  He looked right at me. “Lexie, please just give me a minute to talk to you.”

  “I’m working.” I should’ve turned around and finished the ride, but I didn’t want to stop looking at him. He was the only one who’d ever totally taken my breath away even when he looked like he was locked in a battle with the Grim Reaper.

  Even when he was the one who’d broken my heart.

  “I just need a few minutes. Please.” His eyes matched the pleading tone of his voice and I wanted so badly to smile and jump into his arms, forget this whole thing ever happened, but the dull ache in my heart reminded me why we were here in the first place.

  “I really don’t have time.”

  “Uh, excuse me, but hasn’t this ride gone on long enough?” A chubbier man dressed in a yellow T-shirt with a giant ketchup stain on the right shoulder glared at me.

  “It’ll just be a few more seconds,” I said. “Look, Jeff, I have a job to do. You’ll have to do whatever this is some other time.” The expression on my face remained steely (I hope) but my insides were twisted into one giant knot that I didn’t think would ever be completely untangled.

  “Can I talk to when you get out tonight? Please?”

  I swallowed, but somehow found myself shaking my head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

  “Hey, buddy!” Ketchup Man now directed his ire at Jeff. “Save the Romeo and Juliet crap for a time when I’m not next in line.”

  Jeff either didn’t hear him or didn’t care. “It is a good idea, Lexie. Please. Give me a chance.”

  “All you had to do was show up at Steamers, Jeff. Better yet, all you had to do was call and tell me that you’d be late, that you couldn’t make it. But it’s over now. Don’t forget that I’ve seen you with Brittany before. I know she’s more important to you than I am. I’m sorry you came all the way over here, but I really have to get back to work.”

  I forced myself to turn around and press the red button, bringing the ride to an end. Ketchup Man applauded sarcastically and I shot him a look.

  “You know I’m still the one who takes the tokens, right?” I said to him. “You better hope I don’t accidentally kick yours under the ride and send you back in line.”

  “Lexie.”

  I refused to look at him and began admitting the next round of riders to the Scrambler. I didn’t dare turn around until all the passengers were loaded into their cars and the ride started. When I did, I was sort of surprised not to see Jeff. I’d half-expected him to wait right there for me until my shift ended.

  But I told myself I wasn’t disappointed he left.

  Gianna was back at my side in a flash.

  “I sure hope you talked to him,” she said.

  “What? Are you serious? You of all people want me to talk to Jeff?”

  She shrugged. “He just looks so snappy the way he’s always dressed up in those khakis and polos. Hard to believe he’s not a good guy.”

  I shook my head, dismissing Gianna’s faulty logic. “I didn’t talk to him.”

  “Yeah,” she said. “I know.”

  “Do you ever stop eaves-dropping?”

  She looked wounded. “I didn’t have to! He gave me this before he left.” She held up the envelope I’d noticed him carrying earlier and waved it around. “In case you didn’t figure it out, it’s for you.”

  I stared at the envelope in her hand.

  “You have to take it,” she added.

  I turned my attention back to the ride, pressing the red button.

  “Hey!” Ketchup Man bellowed from his cart. “We didn’t get nearly as long as the last group!”

  “Suck it up,” I snapped.

  The last group of riders loaded into the Scrambler before the park closed for the night.

  “You’re not gettin’ off the hook that easy, girl,” Gianna said as the ride started up again. “This letter’s for you.”

  “He didn’t give it to me.”

  “He tried!”

  I gave her a long, hard stare. “Since when are you on his side, anyway?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know what to think. But it’s somethin’ that he came here. He looked sorry, you know. And, besides, you were the one who was all convinced your Prince Charming was going to show up tonight.”

  My rock-hard exterior wasn’t going to hold up much longer. I needed Gianna around, reminding me how there were plenty of other guys, that Jeff wasn’t worth my time or tears. If she flipped her allegiances, I’d crumble fast.

  I stopped the ride for the final time and began to clean up the Scrambler. Gianna, who’d shut down the Dragon Coaster almost an hour ago, leaned against the fence, dangling the envelope the whole time.

  We walked out the front gates and I unchained my bike as Gianna climbed onto hers, ready to head in the opposite direction.

  “I’ll text you tomorrow,” she said. “Maybe we can hit the beach.”

  Damn her! She was going to make me ask for the letter.

  “Okay,” I said, hoping she’d remember she still had it. But she put her feet on the pedals and began to ride away.

  “Wait!” I called out, and she slammed on the brakes as though she’d been waiting for me to say something.

  Gianna circled back toward me, a wide, triumphant grin on her face. “Yes?” she asked with innocent eyes.

  I sighed and tried to shoot a dagger straight through her heart with my eyes. “Do you still have that letter from Jeff?”

  “Why, yes, I do believe I do.” She reached into her bag and handed it to me. “See you later.”

  The paper felt warm and comforting in my hands. I tucked it the beach bag I always had with me and pedaled home, thoughts of Prince Charming at the Treasure Chest dancing in my head.

  Little did I know that tomorrow we’d come so dangerously close to losing everything we ever cared about.

  xiv.

  It happened so fast.

  No warning.

  The clouds looked heavy, rolling, dark, ominous, promising pounding rain. Thunder and lightning would soon follow.

  Radio reports buzzed with news of the impending storm forming just over the horizon. It would hit Fresh Water Island within the hour, no later.

  The island bustled with chaos as word of the storm spread.

  Shrill blasts of the lifeguard’s whistles filled the air as they closed the beaches.

  The wind whipped the glass windows of our shore house. Pictures rattled against the walls. Grandma had gone to the beach an hour ago and Poppy and I needed her back to get the house ready for the storm.

  I ran down the stairs so fast I almost tripped and face planted at the bottom of the steps, grabbing my be
ach bag as I flew out the door.

  The atmosphere had changed in minutes on Gull Boulevard. People ran in every direction, hurrying to secure loose beach chairs, umbrellas, and toys, boarding up windows that faced the ocean.

  I sprinted across the bridge and stopped before I hit the sand, scanning the beach for any signs of my grandmother.

  She wasn’t very hard to spot. In her fire engine red bathing suit that almost perfectly matched the color of her hair, she stood talking with Anthony’s mother next to the lifeguard stand.

  I sighed, not wanting to approach them, but knowing I didn’t have much of a choice.

  “Grandma!” The wind carried my voice. “Grandma!” I ran toward them.

  “Lexie!” She looked startled to see me on the beach. “Do you see those clouds? Don’t they look exciting?”

  “Yeah, exciting, definitely,” I said. “Come on, Poppy needs your help. We’ve got to take care of the house.”

  “I’m in the middle of a conversation here, dear. I’m sure you and--”

  “Do you not understand what’s happening?” I cried. “That storm is going to make landfall soon. We’re right on the ocean!”

  My grandmother gave Susan Killeen an exasperated roll of the eyes. “You’ll have to excuse me. It seems as though I’m needed.”

  Susan glanced out over the ocean as if she was just now noticing the rapidly approaching storm. “Perhaps I better get back, too.”

  “Ted dropped him off at the ridge this morning! He can’t get back out there to pick him up.” A lifeguard stood on the stand’s seat, scanning the ocean with a pair of binoculars.

  “He loves the ridge, Jen,” her partner said, but he couldn’t completely mask the worried expression on his face. “Jeff’ll be okay, even if he’s got to stay out there until the storm blows over.”

  Jeff? Jeff, a lifeguard? My heart sunk to my toes. There had to be another Jeff, they couldn’t be talking about my Jeff as if he was stranded out in the middle of the ocean in a storm that promised to be so violent.