Sea Breeze 01 - Breathe

I’m pretty obvious.”
    Marcus sighed. “Unfortunately, yes, you are.”
    “I know I spend all my time with Jax. I only have this summer with him, and then he’ll walk out of my life and I’ll have to learn to keep living.”
    Marcus leaned back against the wall and frowned. “You know when he leaves this summer, it’s over. I mean, he has told you this, right?”
    I thought about how to answer. It was between Jax and me, but Marcus was my friend and he needed some answers. He deserved some answers. “We both know trying to have a relationship, while he rocks the world and I finish high school, is impossible. We knew this going into the relationship, and we both agreed being together now was what we wanted.”
    Marcus stared at the large bucket of potatoes. “And you’re okay with this? I mean, you’re fine with dating him now? Then he just walks away when the summer ends, and you won’t be heartbroken?”
    I let out a short laugh. “I didn’t say my heart wouldn’t be broken. I’m afraid it’s inevitable.”
    Marcus leaned forward on his knees and studied me. “Then why’re you doing this to yourself?” he asked, low enough so no one nearby could hear him.
    I put the last potato in the bucket. “It’s too late now, Marcus. I love him. I no longer have a choice.”
    He reacted like I’d slapped him, and I hated hurting him, but I knew he needed to know.
    “He doesn’t deserve it. He can have any girl in the world’s love, and he took yours. Someone who deserves so much more than a summer fling.” He stood and started to walk away, but stopped and glanced back at me. “If you were mine, I’d never let you go.” He left the kitchen.
    The rest of the day went slowly, and I was glad when it was over. I went to change clothes and was starting out the door when Ms. Mary called my name.
    “I forgot to tell you, there’ll be a car waiting out front to take you home when you’re ready.”
    I sighed and thought about riding home alone in one of his cars and shook my head. “It’s okay, I want to ride my bike home tonight. It’s still early, and I want some fresh air.”
    Ms. Mary shook her head. “He ain’t gonna like hearing that. You rest assured, Kane’ll tell him you rode your bike home.”
    I smiled and opened the door. “He’s my . . . friend, Ms. Mary, not my keeper,” I replied.
    Riding home on my bike while the sun set was really pleasant. I stopped at the public beach and sat for a few minutes while I watched families enjoying the last bit of daylight. Red-skinned tourists covered the beach, and I recognized several kids from school working at the chair, umbrella, and WaveRunner rentals. Everyone seemed to be closing down for the day. I took in a deep breath and let the wet ocean air fill my lungs. Something about the air here seemed healing to me. As if it made everything okay just by being clean and pure and full of something beautiful.
    “Sadie White?”
    I heard my name and turned to see a girl I recognized from biology class standing beside me in a red one-piece bathing suit. I couldn’t remember her last name, but I remembered her first. “Yes. Amanda, right?”
    She smiled a friendly smile and nodded. “Yep. I haven’t seen you since school let out.”
    I nodded. “I’ve been working.”
    She grinned. “Don’t you know the great thing about being a local is you can work at the beach?”
    I thought the exact same thing at the beginning of summer. I’d wanted to have a job on the beach back then, but now things were much different. “I’m sure it is, but I make good money doing domestic work.”
    She frowned. “But where is the fun in that? . . . Unless there are cute boys around? You should come take the lifeguard test. Lifeguarding is so much fun. Hot guys are everywhere. . . . A lot of times you get to work with one!” She nodded toward a tall, tanned blond guy coming down the lifeguard ladder in a pair of red swim trunks. “Like Todd Mitchell! He’ll be a senior this year and is going to Tuscaloosa next fall to the university. He is soooo cute! Can you swim?”
    I nodded, trying to keep up with her quick-paced conversation. “Yes, but I’m happy with where I am right now. However, if I get too bored, I’ll remember the lifeguard job.”
    She frowned prettily, and in a way that reminded me of Barbie’s little sister.
    “Okay, I guess. Hey, you should come to the July Fourth party at Dylan McCovey’s. He has a house on the beach, and he throws a