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I don’t bother to ht crosses hthe pros"

We make it to the corner of Charlotte and Lumina and I’m suddenly aware of all the pedestrians on their way to the tournament I’m hyperaware that Adam and I must look like a couple I hit pause on ot what it feels like to be a couple in public Girls in short shorts pass us as we cross the street and solance up at Adaaze is fixed straight ahead to where Charlotte opens onto the beach

The street is packed with tourists in shorts and visors and, with no sidewalks, they all roa alimpse the bleachers constructed on the beach Off in the distance, I see a stage where people are already squeezing in against the platform as sound equipment and instruments are set up for a concert The briny s the hairs that hang loose fro my skin prickle The sand is warm on the surface but cool when my feet sink down I haven’t been to the beach in a couple of weeks and I always avoid the beach during big events like this

My hand is getting sweaty I feel an intense urge to let go of Ada unco in your farts when you’re in a new relationship It’s a necessary evil Suddenly, I think of the first time I farted in front of Chris and I can’t help but se across the sand toward the bleachers

"I’rips o"

"I’ll never let go, Jack," I whisper dramatically, and he shakes his head

"You juh

"You love Titanic," I tease him "You know, that first day I saw you in the café, I kept calling you Jack Dawson in my head"

"Do I look that old to you?"

"No, and you’rethan him, anyway"

"You’d better watch out, Claire," he says as we cli stuff like that I’ lesson"

"I knohat that means and I would never There are a million people out here"

We sit at the end of a bench a fen froainst the backs of o of ht you liked taking risks"

His lips linger against h me I s hard as I shift in roup hits the water in a few minutes," he says, as if I care "So we have soame of questions But this ti a question with a question" He grabs ins "What’s your favorite tih I already know the answer "That time of day when the sun hasn’t co It’s an elusive waro on with your day knowing you’ve been given another chance to get it right Soet up early just so I can sit outside with a cup of tea and feel it"

I turn to Adam and his face is serious "I know it’s a total cliché, but my favorite tiaze to the water "We used to live near Carolina Beach and my dad would take me out every day after school to surf until the sun went down It’s bittersweet because the sunset always nal for us to leave--and I never wanted to leave the water But it also brings back sos about that tiot complicated"

There’s so much I want to ask him now, but I have to pick just one question

"Okay, why do you still work for your dad if you hate it? And don’t give ation because you don’t strikeanything"

He leans forward, resting his elbows on the tops of his legs and I’ my hand like a life raft

He encapsulates uess we both have some questions we’re not ready to answer"

I wait a e his shoulder for hiroup just paddled out"

During the entire first round, and half the second round, Adam explains the rules of the tournament and what each surfer needs to score to move on Every tiets so excited and cheers with the crowd His enthusias so loudly my throat aches by the end of the second round I haven’t had this much fun on a date since… well, I don’t know if I’ve ever had thisfor the third round to begin, a group of guys in board shorts with beads of water and sand sparkling on their shirtless chests pass us on the way up to the next row of bleachers A couple of thehtens on my hand I look at hi

"Coo down and watch some of the bands while ait for the next round"

I allow hi down the bleachers to the sand and toward the stage before I say anything "What was that about?"

"What?"

"That?" I say, nodding toward the bleachers behind us "You’re not upset about those guys checking ain as he lets out a breath through his nostrils "I don’t like… Wait, letmy temper That’s part of the reason I moved here I’ve learned that the only way for me to deal with it is to avoid situations that set htsville Beach with anger issues I realize quite abruptly that we’ve both let go of each other’s hands as we approach the crowd huddled around the stage where a DJ is now playing electronic dance music Soainst each other Some hold cans of soda in their hands, which, by the enthusiasm of their thrusts, are probably filled with h-fructose corn syrup

The smell of a dozen different sunscreens, coconut, pineapple, jas against each other is intoxicating I follow Ada sea of bodies for e before he turns around, wraps his arms around my waist, and lifts me up