"No Dan, no!" screamed Rob. The whole school was down at the pond, and the children were swimming. Since Rob was the youngest, everyone liked to pick on him, and this time Dan had decided to throw water on him.

"What, Rob, are you a sissy?" Dan laughed back.
"MOMMA!" Rob yelled.
"Dan, please stop picking on him," Hazel said suddenly. She had been swimming and had come up suddenly from under the water between Rob and Dan. Dan stared at her, while Rob clung to her. "Yeah, Dan, stop picking on me!" Rob yelled.
"Hey, buddy, why don't you go and see your ma. She looks pretty lonely over there," Dan said, pointing to Jo.

"OK," Rob sighed, jumped off of Hazel, and swam over to his mother.
"Thanks, for, uh, breakin' that up," Dan said, looking at Hazel. "It might've gotten ugly." He winked at her. "Riiiight, Dan," Hazel replied. She dove down underneath the water again and swam away.
"So, Dan, not havin' much luck, eh?" Nick said from behind Dan. "Luck? Wi-with what?" Dan stuttered.

"Oh, come on, Dan. It's pretty obvious, at least ta me, that you're looking to be with her, huh?" Nick said, winking.

"Oh, fine, Nick, you're right," Dan said, and sighed as he sat down on a rock. "I just don't know what to do, or what to say to her."

"Take it from me, son," Nick replied. "Just go with what they say. If she wants to talk, let her. If she won't, don't push it, but bring it up lightly. Ya know."

"Thanks for the help, Nick," Dan said, brushing his hair out of his face. "I hope it's gonna work." "Oh, it will, I guarantee it. It's worked for me," Nick said, smiling in Jo's direction before heading over there, leaving Dan puzzling over what he had just said.   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~