The Boy Who Made Everything Okay

Chapter Seven

Today is one of the only days I have off from work, and Carter is teaching me how to surf. I've decided to wear my polka dot two piece, but I'll bring along a wet suit just incase.
I'm nervous as I pull up to the beach. He's facing away from me, towards the water. His arms are at his sides, dangling past the bottom of his trunks.
Just as I am about to run up and tackle him, I see Anna. She's gorgeous as always, gold aviators covering her piercing green eyes. I'm too far away to hear what they're saying but I slowly pace forward to listen.
She's rambling on, and as she talks his hand clenches and releases. Over and over. "Look, I know you like this girl or whatever, but what you have with her is temporary. What we have is forever. You're my soul mate Cart. You always were. We're bound together. We'll always be bound together. I hope you didn't let this ice cream shop loser change your mind about us. If you need to be with her just to take a break from us, then sure. Go right ahead. You just need to have a better attitude when we get back together. Okay?" Anna says. She then gathers her towel and bag and walks down the beach a few feet. She then turns around to say, "But don't let her confuse you. We're meant to be together. I will always love you."
The words cut me like a knife. Carter is still standing there, now motionless, watching the waves crash. I walk to my car and sit back in the driver's seat. I turn the radio off and lay my head on the wheel. I can't help myself from thinking, this isn't the way it was supposed to go.
My self pity swallows me right up. Before I can go as far as to turn up some sad songs, there's a rapid tapping on the window. I'm startled, but as I look I see Carter's face showing a half grin.
I open up the door and place my feet on the warm ground. I smile at him and take the hand he has outstretched in my direction. If Anna wants to play, let's play. I just have to convince him that what we have is real.

An hour later, I've accomplished absolutely nothing, and Carter can barely breathe from all the laughing. "It's not funny," I say, knowing very well that it is, in fact, hilarious.
"I know," Carter says, between laughs.
"You ready? I'm going to kill this wave. You just watch," I state, as I start paddling out towards the water. Carter looks unsure, but lets me go anyway.
I find myself a great wave, and paddle to catch it. I'm about to attempt to stand up, when I suddenly remember that I don't know what I'm doing, and the wave consumes me.
It feels like I'm under forever, fighting my way to the surface. Eventually I win, taking in a gallon of air. The wave took me almost all the way to shore, where I expect Carter to be laughing his ass off, but he's not. He looks worried and rushes over to me.
"Are you okay?" He asks, as soon as he gets close enough.
"Yeah, I'm fine," I say, but then there's a sudden sharp pain on my foot. It feels like a burn, and really hurts. "Actually, maybe not."
"What's wrong?" He asked, eyes expressing actual genuine concern.
"It's my foot. It burns. Like really badly," I say, trying to ignore the lightning pain.
"Let me check it out," he says, then bends down near me to inspect it. "Ahh, just what I thought. You got stung by a jellyfish."
"WHAT? But I didn't even see it!"
"The jellyfish we get around here are practically invisible. Can you walk?" Carter asks me.
I shake my head, and the next thing I know, Carter is hoisting me up on his back. I would be smiling if my God damn foot didn't hurt so much.
Carter sets me down by his car, and goes digging for something in the back. "Um, do I have to like, pee on it?!" I ask, my face turning all shades of red.
Carter laughs in response, and keeps digging. "Urine doesn't help at all actually. That's just a myth. I'm looking for my jellyfish sting ointment."
"Oh," I say, and if my face wasn't red before, it definitely is now. "Do you get stung a lot?" I ask.
     "All the time. When you're in the water as much as me, it's inevitable," Carter says, locating the ointment. "We'll have to rinse it off and put gauze on it too, so I better just take you to my house. I have everything I need there."
     "Okay. Sounds good," I say, feeling odd amounts of happy and nervous.