Summer With My Dad’s Best Friend

“What guy?” I say.

She shows me a picture of a guy who is young, probably my age. He’s wearing a college football jersey and his hair is brown and cut short. He has a great smile and is very handsome. He’s definitely attractive, yet I’m not attracted to him in the slightest.

“Can you believe that he’s going to the same college that you’ll be going to? He and his parents are vacationing at the lake for the summer too! It’s like fate. You are meant to lose your virginity to this guy. His name is Kevin. I showed him your picture and he thinks you’re gorgeous and wants to meet you.”

I stare at her with my mouth hanging open. She didn’t do anything wrong, and yet I’m pissed. I feel betrayed, even though I have no right to. This was supposed to be the plan. I was going to find some beautiful boy to lose my virginity to this summer and everything was going to be great. But after what happened with me and Ben, how can I possibly think about other boys right now?

I will the muscles in my face to put a smile on even though all I want to do is frown. “He’s cute, but I don’t know if he’s the right one,” I say nonchalantly.

“What do you mean he’s not the right one? He’s perfect.”

I shrug and kick a rock in my path. “I don’t know. I’m thinking maybe now is not the right time to try to lose my virginity after all. I’m thinking maybe I might want to lose it to someone I actually care about and want to be in a relationship with.”

I gaze at Ben longingly. I was so excited to lose my virginity to some stranger. I was determined, and yet now, after everything that’s happened, I can’t imagine being with anyone but him.

Tulip and Annie both look at me like I’m speaking a language that neither of them understands.

“You’re just scared,” Annie says. “Once you meet some cute boys and get your flirt on, you’ll change your mind.”

I don’t want this to become an argument, so I just shrug and say, “Maybe.”

I’m watching Ben, not paying any attention to my feet or where I’m walking, when I step on a rock and roll my ankle. I go down hard and let out a loud yelp that has everyone looking back to find out what happened.

I sit on the ground, holding my ankle and wincing. The pain shoots up my leg and I fight to hold back the tears.

Suddenly, Ben is at my side. He had to have run fast because my parents are still a fair distance away, still running toward me.

“Did you get bit?” Ben says. He examining my leg, touching my skin. The pain is still there but I’m not as focused on it now that he’s touching me. I realize he’s looking for snake bites.

“No, I just rolled my ankle. I might have sprained it,” I say.

His whole body sighs with relief but he still looks troubled. “Can you stand up on it?”

He helps me to get to my feet, but when I try to stand, the pain is sharp and piercing and I cry out.

“I can’t walk,” I tell him, starting to panic. We’ve walked a long way and I can’t imagine having to walk all the way back to the cabin with this pain.

And I was so looking forward to the falls. They’re one of the most majestic things I’ve ever seen in person. Behind the falls is a cave and you can stand there behind the waterfall and watch the water cascade down. It’s romantic and I was hoping to get Ben alone to see it. I guess that’s not going to happen now.

“Is it broken?” my mom asks in a panic. She’s out of breath from running and my dad is bent over holding his side as if he has a cramp.

“I don’t think so,” Ben says. “I don’t think it’s even sprained. There’s no swelling. She just twisted it wrong, but I think she needs to get back and keep her weight off of it. We don’t want to make it worse.”

The boys start to complain about going back, and even Tulip and Annie look disappointed. I feel horrible for ruining everyone’s fun. My mom made a nice spread to have a picnic. All of that will go to waste.

“You guys go on,” Ben says. The boys and Annie and Tulip instantly perk up. “I’ll take her back to the cabin.”

“No, that’s okay, I’ll take her back,” my dad says.

Ben teases him by patting my dad’s rounding belly. “You going to carry her? Looks like you’re struggling just to carry that fanny pack.”

My dad gives him a playful swing and misses. Ben lifts me into his arms before my dad can protest.