Free The Summer I Learned to Dive by Shannon McCrimmon Page A

leaving me. Instead, she berated me for being so serious. “You’re never going to get a boyfriend if you keep this up,” she said.
    “Maybe I don’t care about that,” I replied sorely.
    She scoffed, “Well, your high school years will suck then.”
    That cut deep. “That’s fine by me,” I said defensively.
    She sighed and said, “I’m just trying to help you be cool, Finn.”
    “I’d rather be me, thank you,” I replied, hurt beyond repair. The conversation lagged and was awkward. She promised to keep in touch, but I knew it was what people said to each other, that it was a broken promise. I said goodbye to her knowing it would be the last time I would ever speak to her.
    ***
    Meg whispered in my ear, “Ugh, you get this table okay, Finn.” She rolled her eyes.
    “Okay,” I said, deciding not to press the issue.
    Two boys and one girl sat down in one of the booths. They chatted loudly, which caused some of the other customers to stare at them. And the fact that they were dressed in expensive clothing and looked like models made them an obvious attraction to the Graceville locals. I could tell by the way they handled themselves that they were rich. The girl hovered over the boy with brown hair. She couldn’t keep her hands off of him.
    “Blake, we have a new waitress to admire,” the blonde boy said. His muscular skin had a bronze tint. His friend looked up at me. The girl glared at me.
    “What would you like to order?” I asked.
    “I’m Dylan,” the blonde said. He smiled at me; his teeth were perfect and were bright white, almost artificial looking. I wondered if they would glow in the dark.
    “Hi,” I said.
    “What’s your name?” he asked.
    “Finn.” I could feel my cheeks turning red. What an inopportune time for it to happen.
    “Nice to meet you, Finn. I’ll have a hamburger, fries and a Coke,” he said. His friend ordered the same and the girl ordered a small salad. Nothing irritates me more than when a thin girl eats like a rabbit.
    I walked behind the counter and called out the order through the window to Jesse. “One rabbit food in the alley. Two cows, drag them through the garden with 2 orders of frog sticks!” I hollered. Jesse nodded coherently. To anyone else listening it would sound like I was an alien speaking. The diner lingo was starting to become second nature to me.
    “Thanks, Finn. I did not want to deal with him today,” Meg whispered to me, inconspicuously staring at them and then back at me.
    “It’s fine,” I said.
    “It’s just hard to see Blake with another girl. Did you see the way she was hanging all over him? It’s disgusting,” Meg said, rolling her eyes.
    “Was he your boyfriend?”
    “He was only the love of my life, Finn. We dated for an entire year. I gave my heart to him and now look at him, over there with that girl.” She sounded frustrated and hurt.
    “I’m sorry.” I tried to understand where she was coming from, but it was hard for me to relate. I had never had a boyfriend. I’d only come close—once. 
    ***
    Trace Johnson was the closest contact I’ve ever had with a boy and the only person I’ve ever gone on a date with. We were in several classes together my junior year. He wasn’t very talkative, he mostly kept to himself. He had a nervous, quiet voice, as if he was questioning himself when he spoke. We were lab partners in chemistry class. I liked having him as a partner because he was smart and easy to work with. We were a perfect team and worked together seamlessly.  When he asked me to go to a laser show with him I was surprised.
    “Finn, there is a laser show this weekend at the science center,” he said quietly. 
    “Oh. I hadn’t heard,” I said, looking through the microscope examining the slide.
    “I have two tickets,” he said.
    “Okay,” I barely uttered. I was more concerned with my slide and had almost tuned him out.
    He cleared his throat. “Do you want to go?” He almost tipped over the beakers