Sean

"Dibs!" I yelled, making a dive for two open lounge chairs.

I heard Zoey's laughter behind me as she followed close behind and settled into the chair next to me.

"Aaaany minute now," I said.

"Till what?" she asked, kicking off her sandals.

"Till someone comes over, all amazed that you're with me," I replied, counting to ten in my head.

"Hey Sean!" someone called, and I smiled. I was good.

I looked back to see Alex and Cassidy in their bathing suits approaching us. I waggled my eyebrows and nodded at them. "How you doin," I said, more of a greeting than a question. "Zo, that's Cassidy, and that's Alex."

"Hi," Cassidy said, grinning at Zoey. "So you're the girl that Ashley was just talking about."

"The girl that Ashley's been talking about?" Alex scoffed, and I glared at him. "More like the girl that Sean's been talking about."

Glancing over at Zoey, I saw that she had this huge smile, but she was blushing adorably. I laughed nervously, and then said, "I think you guys have phone calls or something so you should, um, leave."

"Has Sean introduced you to anyone else?" Cassidy asked, completely ignoring me as usual.

"Just that Ashley girl," she replied. I noticed that now that she was around people she didn't know, she was more soft-spoken and timid than ever. It made me feel pretty good because it made me realize that she felt comfortable enough around me to be herself.

"Do you mind if we watch the fireworks with you?" Cassidy was grinning maniacally as she sat down on the edge of Zoey's chair.

"Yes, we do mind," I said pointedly.

Zoey turned her head to look at me. It was like she knew her eyes could turn me into Sean-mush. "Why do we mind? I don't mind."

"Okay, we don't mind," I said automatically to Alex and Cassidy. They burst out laughing. Cassidy made the sound of a whip cracking. "Do not do that, Cassidy, baby, I will unleash anger upon you. JIMBO!"

Jimmy heard me call his name and waved. "Hey, that's the girl that tried to kill me!"

Cassidy grinned at Zoey. "All right, Zoey! Better luck next time!"

"She didn't try to kill you, big daddy," I explained impatiently. "You're just paranoid."

Proceeding with caution, Jimmy came closer. "It's not paranoia when someone's actually out to get you."

Alex held up a hand. "Okay. Jimmy thinks Zoey is out to get him?"

Zoey smirked. "That's the popular opinion of boys who meet me. It's strange."

"Not Sean," Cassidy sang under her breath.

"If I throw a stick will you go away?" I demanded.

She gave me a dirty look. "Fine. I can take a hint." Cassidy smiled sweetly at Zoey. "Well it was nice to meet you. Don't let him talk you into anything that has to do with money or nude beaches."

Zoey looked at me, a small smirk on her face. "Should I be worried?"

"Of course not, dollface, Cassidy is just, like, an insane Barbie doll."

Someone on the deck turned on the radio. That "Yummy, yummy, yummy, I got love in my tummy" song blared. I glanced at Zoey, who was wrinkling her nose in disgust. "Some radio station you got here in Halifax."

She rolled her eyes. "It gets worse."

Sitting with her, with Alex and Jimmy staring at us waiting for us to do something was unnerving me. So I sprang to my feet and pulled her up.

"What are we doing?" she laughed.

"You're dancing with me," I informed her.

"Oh, I am not." She tried to retreat back to her chair, but I grabbed hold of her hand.

"Come on, it's fun!"

"Noooooo! I can't dance! If I dance, then you'll think that that's what normal Canadian dancing is and I would just embarrass myself in front of you and grrrr, Sean, grrrr."

"Hey, you should see Sean dance," Alex called. "You couldn't possibly be any worse than he is."

"Well excuse me, Mr. Jennifer Lopez Booty Shaker," I said defensively. "You're just jealous because I got the moves and you don't."

"Um, no, not really."

I took both of Zoey's hands gently, smiling down at her. "Dance?"

"Dancing is scaaary…"

"If you can surf, you can dance."

"You just wanna get me bouncing around because I'm a girl," she laughed.

I scoffed in incredulously. "Zoey, you wound me."

Zoey tilted her head at an angle and just smiled at me. My hands were clammy and shaky enough as it was, and that little smile did not help matters at all.

Alex and Jimmy apparently lost interest and left.

But then I forced her into something resembling a swing dance, and she giggled, bobbing her head to the music with a self-deprecating look on her face.

Zoey

Sean's hands trembled in mine. Up until that moment, I had not known for sure if I really liked him, or if I just thought he was cute.

But when my touch made him shake…I couldn't help it. I fell in love in an instant. The sun was casting sleepy rays into the rain-sweetened sky as dusk fell over us, the smell of the ocean was lingering in the air, laughter was all around me, and I was falling in love.

Boys of Summer by The Ataris came on the radio, and as I realized that the boy claiming my first infatuation would leave my life in two days, I sunk into his arms without even thinking, the mellow song flowing around me.

He hesitated in surprise for a moment, but then he placed his hands on my hips.

He lowered his head to murmur, "Am I hurting your bruises?"

It took me a second to figure out what he was talking about, but then his hand brushed against a bruise from surfing that morning. But I laughed, softly, "Nah, I don't think you could hurt me."

I never will forget those nights

I wonder if it was a dream

Remember how you made me crazy?

Remember how I made you scream?

Now I don't understand what happened to our love

But babe, I'm gonna get you back

I'm gonna show you what I'm made of

I can see you

Your brown skin shinin in the sun

I see you walkin real slow and you're smilin at everyone

I can tell you my love for you will still be strong

After the boys of summer have gone

"What's on your mind, doll?" he asked me.

"I'm thinking about the song," I admitted.

"I like this song," he laughed. "It's got moxie."

"The fireworks should be starting in like, less than hour, I think," I said quietly.

"Why the long face?"

I began to laugh. "You damn American!"

"What?" he cackled.

"I wish you were from here."

"Awwww are you gonna miiiiisss me?"

"Not if you continue to MOCK me." I sighed. "But yeah, I'll probably get all sad and stuff when you leave."

He was tall enough to rest his chin on top of my head, but he didn't say anything.

"You're a really…great guy, I just wanted to let you know that," I muttered.

He snickered, and I just wanted to sink into the ground and die.

"I want to let you know something too," Sean said, and bent over slightly so that our faces were centimeters apart. I looked up at him, wide-eyed, expectant and scared.

He smiled gently and looked at my lips.