American Girl

New Jersey

Tara and Keith walked along the shoreline. The two dogs—a Red Setter and a Collie—ran ahead of them. Keith bent and picked up a long piece of driftwood. Slinging his arm back, he threw the stick above the dogs' heads. It spiraled as it flew through the air. The dogs yipped excitedly and raced each other down the beach. Callie brought it back to Keith; Lassie ran at her heels.

White-capped waves rushed to the shore and retreated. Tara Stevens stopped, and the salt seawater covered her feet. She wore a blue and white striped bikini top and cut-off Daisy Duke shorts. Her feet were bare. Keith stood beside her, the slight wind ruffling his wavy black hair. His hand brushed hers, and then he quickly withdrew it. Tara glanced at him through shaded eyes.

Keith had grown tall during the summer months. His bronzed torso rose up from his rolled-up jeans. Tara noticed a tuft of hair growing around his belly button and a thin line on his chest. She thought he looked very handsome. Perhaps she hadn't noticed his good looks before. They lived next door to each other and grew up together.

Night crept closer to the shoreline, but it remained light enough for them to see. A lone star appeared near the horizon. They continued to walk, the unleashed dogs remaining a few steps ahead of them. Other than the young couple, the beach was deserted.

Yesterday, crowds covered the beach. One could barely step between folding beach chairs, colorful towels, and striped umbrellas. Following the holiday weekend, the tourists disappeared in a mass exodus. The Jersey Shore shut down after the last rays of summer sun faded on Labor Day. Only the locals remained to face the cold winters on Long Beach Island.

Tara and Keith breathed in their last moments of freedom. School began on Wednesday. This time, they would not attend the Island School. In the morning, they would stand on the Boulevard corner at the top of Fourteenth Street. The bus would pick them up and take them to the mainland middle school. Their first-day jitters remained a silent knowledge between them. Neither wished to speak about it. Instead, Tara shuffled her feet in the surf. Keith stood stoically beside her.

Lassie pushed her nose against Tara's palm. She absently stroked the dog's head. The Collie was her dog; the Setter belonged to Keith. Slowly, they walked on. Tara's shoulder nudged Keith's, and their hands nearly met again.

"Promise you'll go to all the school dances with me," Keith finally said. He kept his dark eyes in the distance as he spoke.

"I promise," Tara whispered. The sound of the surf lapping the shore made her response inaudible, so she repeated it a little louder.

"You'll...you'll meet new boys at the middle school," her companion stated, soft and low.

Tara rolled her shoulders. They would both meet new students during the first few days of school. She liked her old friends just fine. Growing up in a small community brought young people into a close-knit group. The Mainland kids thought the Island kids were snobby. It didn't make for a pleasant experience.

"I doubt it, Keith," Tara assured him. "You know what it's like over there. We're apparently too good for them."

"I suppose." Keith kicked up water with his bare feet.

The darkness crept a little closer to shore. A few more stars twinkled in the approaching night sky. Tara's companion took on a shadowy form beside her. She expected she looked the same to him. Still, it was comforting to know he was there. Tara reached out her hand, but Keith's remained elusive. She stretched her fingers, hoping he would take hold.

Her parents thought they made a cute couple. If Tara could choose anyone to become her first date, she would pick Keith. It seemed apparent to everyone who knew them. She dreamed of becoming Mrs. Lazlo in the future. They would marry after they graduated from high school. When she received her grade school yearbook, she drew a heart around Keith's photo and gazed at it tenderly each night before she fell asleep.