Two Steps Forward

"Look, I know the last thing you want to do is be stuck with me," Curry says the second our feet hit the ground outside.

"We don't have much of a choice back in there but out here you can do whatever you want. Go wherever." He shoves his hands in his pocket, the bright sun outlines his body with a golden aura.

My eyes fixate on a vein snaking from his forearm to his bicep and I realize it's free of a cast. I don't know how I didn't notice it before.

"Your arm...It's better now?" I ask.

"Oh, yeah. It was just a grade two sprain. Good to go after eight weeks," he explained. For an athlete that news would be as big as winning the lottery, but he only sounds tired and deflated.

"Anyway, I'm gonna go this way, check out the shops," he points toward a narrow downhill road and begins his descent.

"Wait." I take a small step towards him. Please don't go. "Do you know where the beach is?"

"It's that way. Just pay attention to the signs so you won't get lost. Whipz uh, they have some good stuff there. Snow cones, shakes...You'll like it. You should stop there first."

"Thanks. See you at seven, I guess."

"Yep." The words fall out of his mouth tightly like he just confirmed a root canal appointment.

The beach is only about a ten-minute walk from the house. Almost every square inch of the sand is littered with people, towels, and umbrellas. I follow the paved trail of cement on the outmost edge of the beach, passing by couples on those goofy family bikes and watching groups of friends kick up sand while they play volleyball. No matter where my eyes land, it seems the world is screaming reminders at me that I'm as single as a dollar bill.

Along the shoreline a jagged border of rocks sitting at a slant, dipping towards the water and some jutting out of it. I finally cross the sand and head towards the bedrock, stepping onto the nearest flattest rock available.

Gosh wouldn't it be nice if I had wings. I could just take off here and now and leave everything behind. Maybe poop on Curry's head as a little parting gift.

Two green orbs glow between the dark cleft of the rocks appear and a small meow emerges from it. Although I have a dog, my inner cat lady stirs and I climb further down the rocks, planting my feet on what looks to be the most secure ones. My foot slips against the hard wet surface and my body flings forward, headed right for the pointiest rock of the bunch.

Suddenly I'm suspended in animation, hanging at a slant, staring down at what would've been my doom. A hand is clamped around mines, keeping me in place. My mind flicks to none other than Curry, recalling the day he caught my fall in class. Automatically, I turn my head only slightly enough to see him from my peripherals to thank him but to my surprise I'm met with a different unfamiliar voice.

"I'm gonna pull you back towards me on three, okay? You ready?" The voice asks.

"Yeah," I stammer, afraid that if I move another inch, I'm gonna fall, break my face, and become a crab's dinner. Maybe a nice married crab couple.

On three he pulls me backwards with controlled forced, collecting me from what would've been a pretty messed up fate. He manages to spin me around and get me back to my feet, the momentum of the pull stopping when I bump into his chest. His bare chest. His golden bare pectorals and perky nipples surrounded by a dark island of color.

"Whoa. You okay?" He plants two large hands on my shoulders, staring me right at the face although the only thing I can mange to do is stare at his chest and the small scar near his collarbone. I manage a nod and squeak out a tiny thank you before he releases me from his protective grasp.