summer plans to finish lifeguard training. And Nick from her English class was going to be in class too. Of course that wasn’t the only reason she was taking the training, but perhaps “sweet sixteen and never been kissed” would finally not be true by summer’s end.
"When did you say your last day of school was?"
Shelby sighed. "I told you, it’s next Monday, June 4th. My last final is tomorrow. Why?"
"Oh," her mother said. "Well, I might have a surprise coming for you. Very soon.”
Shelby highly doubted it was a surprise she would be happy about. That giddy smile Dana was wearing now usually meant her mother was supposedly falling in love. Again. That word, again, like a mantra in Shelby’s life.
Striking a pose, her mother asked, “Do you like my new top? Gus is coming to take me out tonight. You remember him. He’s so dreamy.”
Shelby stared at her mother, shaking her head.
Her mother bristled. “This one is different.”
“Right,” Shelby said. She looked down at her own faded, too-tight shirt, bought from the thrift shop in the former town they’d lived in. And if it got any hotter in their apartment from trying to save money by not turning up the air conditioning, Shelby would melt. With Dana, there was always another man, another job, another scheme. Something that was going to make their life better. As soon as she heard her mother's cell phone ring, and the sugary voice Dana answered with, Shelby knew exactly where this was heading.
Shelby retreated to her bedroom and closed the door. Not that it would make a difference in this closet-sized place with cardboard-thin walls. At least the room was hers. It was only 8:00 p.m. After her mother went out for her date, Shelby would try again to study. And turn the A/C up so her brain wouldn’t vaporize in the process.
Thanks to her mother not coming home until after 2:00 a.m. the night before, Shelby breezed through the test the next day in school. Mostly that's what she was good at, school. Studying, figuring out what the teachers wanted and giving it to them. It was the one place where if she studied hard and applied herself, things would work out in the form of a top grade.
Shelby sat with Maddie in the corner of the lunchroom, picking at the peanut butter sandwich she’d made herself before leaving home. She didn't have many friends. Maddie was new and in her sophomore English class. They hung out sometimes at lunch, but conversation was limited. Shelby and Dana were never in one place long enough for Shelby to make a good friend, and so she usually kept her distance.
Shelby scanned the beige-on-beige room. They were serving tacos today and it made her mouth water as kids walked by carrying trays filled with real food. As usual, the established cliques had already claimed their tables along the windows.
She noticed Nick, with his broad shoulders and cool hairstyle, sitting with a group of friends, and the longing started again. Before she could stop herself from staring, he looked over and caught her gaze. With a wide smile and noticeable wave, he acknowledged her presence. His friends at the table turned to see where Nick’s attention was focused. But after spotting it was only Shelby, they fell back into their own conversation. Nick shrugged and turned to join them.
“He was looking right at you,” Maddie said.
Shelby wanted to be invisible. “I know,” she whispered. “Don’t stare at him. It’s no big deal.”
“But it is,” Maddie said. “He’s on the football team. And maybe he likes you.”
“I don’t think so. Nick and I are in the same lifeguard training course at the pool, that’s all.”
Maddie was quiet. “I guess,” she said, “but I think he does.”
Shelby looked down at her wrinkled, out-of-style outfit of jeans and a dated t-shirt she’d managed to find clean today. A guy like Nick hung out with the popular girls with the nice clothes and fancy cars. She glanced back over at the table where Nick and his pals were. Their raucous laughter echoed throughout the room. She hoped they weren’t laughing at her. She could feel her face getting hot when Nick stole a quick glance back at her.
One of the cheerleaders, with long, silky, auburn hair, sat down next to Nick at his table. Her hand reached across his back as she slid in next to him and rested her head on his shoulder.