The Ocean

by Mia Castile

  “Very nice, Miss Moretti.” She sighed, relieved. “Please take the seat behind Miss Langley. Travis Nichols.” I was stil moved by Gia’s speech as I walked to the front of the room and scanned the faces.

  “Hey, I’m Travis. Most of you know that I guess. Um. Wel . I love to surf. There is something about being in the ocean and seeing that perfect wave coming toward you.” I looked at Gia. “And yeah, it terrifies you because it’s big, and it’s a lot of water. But you paddle out to it because it cal s to you, and you jump up on your board. You feel the sheer strength of the creature, of the wave. And it’s frightening. It could turn on you any second, but right now, as you tame it, al you feel is the salty, misty breeze over your head. Al you hear is the low rumble of the surf, and in that moment, al is right with the world. And you ride the wave until it becomes a smal swel . And you no longer have to stand on your board; you can sit and either wait for the next big wave to come to you, or you can paddle out to it. There’s just something amazing about it, and that’s why I like to surf.” I didn’t take my eyes off her, and I felt every eye in the room on me.

  “Wel put, Mr. Nichols, please take your seat behind Miss Moretti.” I got my things and sat behind her. I ripped out a page in my spiral notebook, scribbled a note, and handed it to her. I sat back in my seat and listened to the rest of the speeches.

  Chapter 4

  A Wave That Doesn’t Kill You, Only Makes You Stronger

  Gianna

  The note said,

  Go out with me on Friday night after the game.

  I didn’t know what Oliver’s thoughts were about his daughter dating. Mom had always said that when I turned sixteen, I could date, but when she got sick, I didn’t think about boys anymore. I knew Oliver would be working, so did it real y matter? I decided I needed to talk to Alex first.

  I was acutely aware of how close Travis was to me. I preferred sitting beside him, but I currently sat in front of him. I could feel him alternately slouch back and lean forward in his chair. He kept nervously kicking my seat, and I could have sworn I felt his breath on the back of my neck through my hair, but I couldn’t turn around to see. Class didn’t end soon enough.

  When the bel final y rang, I gathered up my stuff. As I stood, I heard Travis ask, “Can I walk you to your free period?”

  “Only if it’s on your way to your next class.”

  “Wel , it’s not, but can I walk you anyway?” We were slowly making our way into the herd of students.

  “I thought I answered this question already.”

  “Did you read the note? Wil you go out with me on Friday?” He had seen me read the note. He knew I read the note.

  “Yes,” I answered hesitantly.

  “Yes, you read the note, or yes, you’l go out with me? Or yes to both?” He was almost fidgety; was he nervous?

  “Yes, I read the note, but I don’t know if I’m al owed to date yet.” I was too honest; why couldn’t I just say I wanted to think about it? That was mysterious and didn’t show al my cards because real y I wanted to go out with him tonight.

  “Um, OK.” He didn’t seem to believe me.

  “Hey, handsome.” A blond-haired bombshel stepped in between us and looped her arm in his, smiling at him as if he were the only thing in the hal .

  “Jil ian, this is Gia.” He awkwardly pul ed away from her, backstepped, and then sidestepped to me again. “She’s new here. We’re going out on Friday.” Jil ian stopped abruptly. Travis and I stopped to keep from knocking her over. Some other kids around us stopped, watching what might happen next. I had a fear that it would be big, whatever it was.

  “I thought WE had plans! You said you’d help me get the float ready for homecoming. We are meeting to plan on Friday.” She had a pouty face that I assumed had worked on him before.

  “That was last year before everything happened. It’s not my responsibility; it’s yours.” He was polite but firm. He put his hand on the smal of my back, encouraging me to move forward. I did, but I looked back at her, too. If looks could kil , her head would have exploded, taking out everything in that wing of the school—us included.

  “You have to watch out for Jil ian,” Abby said under her breath, obviously a witness to the conversation between Travis and Jil ian. The art instructor was passing out boxes of colored pencils to each table. Abby and I sat in the back corner.

  “What’s the story?” I kept my eye on the teacher.

  “Oh, you know; she’s a typical mean girl. She went with Travis from seventh grade until last year. He was clueless as to how she operated. She had the wool pul ed over his eyes, and his close friends’ eyes too. It kind of exploded in her face last year, and he broke up with her. He hasn’t given her the time of day since. Froze her out. That’s kil ing her worse than anything. She wants what she can’t have. He doesn’t even know about al the teammates she slept with while they were dating. He’d have freaked!” She raised her eyebrows, emphasizing freaked.

  “Wow. Do I want to get involved with al of that,” I paused, searching for the right word, “drama?”

  “Travis is definitely worth it. He’s genuine, and a good guy always does the right thing you know.” She winked at me encouragingly.

  “I guess we’re going out on Friday,” I stated, as I copied the notes from the board while the teacher began to lecture about technique. Abby did too.

  “You deserve it. You know,” she paused and looked at me. “To be happy.”

  “It just doesn’t feel right; it feels like it’s too soon.” I leaned on my elbow and looked at her out of the corner of my eye.

  “I think your mom would want you to move on with your life. You can stil mourn Anna, but be happy, too. They are different kinds of love, the two.”

  “Whoa! Who said love?” I sat up suddenly, and half of the class turned and glared at me. Wow, they took their art seriously.

  “No one. You know what I mean, and you could fal in love, you know. It would stil be OK.” Abby was barely whispering now; we were on the instructor’s radar. She kept glancing our way. The conversation ended as my confusion began. Abby throwing the word love into the mix made me wonder what it meant now to get involved with Travis. I’d been able to stay off the mean girl radars at my other school. I blended, became camouflage. Now I felt like a linebacker, headed straight for a line of receivers, or maybe al the linebackers were headed at me holding the bal , and with no pads. I couldn’t focus on the lecture anymore, so I began doodling flowers in my margins. Friday loomed in the far-too-distant future. I felt like I couldn’t breathe suddenly, like when we’d first left Oliver and my mother couldn’t drive away fast enough. I had hyperventilated until we were out of Florida. We went to Atlanta first. She had an aunt there. We stayed with her for six months while my mother worked two jobs. She had to get a better car that could take us further away. When she had some money saved, we went to New Orleans. There was a promise of a new job from a friend of a friend. It fel through, and we were there only long enough to save enough money for the next move. Alex and I didn’t even try to make friends once we saw the job had been a hoax. In Texarkana, we had hooked up with some day labor field workers. My mom was desperate and worked long hours for nickels and dimes. We were robbed there; whoever it was took our last thousand dol ars. She piled us into her hatchback and went to the grocery store. There she picked up five hundred dol ars from Western Union, and we left Texarkana in the dust.

  In Louisvil e, she found a job in a diner during the day shift. She began taking classes in the evening. After a year she was accepted at the University of Evansvil e. We moved again. By this time Alex and I were used to being latchkey kids. We had our household chores and helped in any way we could. In the early days, dinner for us sometimes was PB and J sandwiches and carrots while our mom ate only a baked potato. She finished her schooling, moved us to Fishers, and took a job with a hospital as an executive administrator in Indianapolis. She had a nursing degree and a minor in business. That was when things began
to show a difference for us. The bel rang, ending art and taking me out of my memories.

  Mr. Martin was al business in U.S. History. It helped me stay on task, out of my memories and away from wondering what would happen next with Travis. When class was over, I made my way back to my locker. The plan was I’d drive the truck, and Alex would cal when he was going into the locker room for me to come get him. I opened my locker and another note fel out. I picked it up and put it in my pocket. Then I grabbed my bag and fil ed it with the books I needed for homework. I didn’t see anyone around I knew, so I made my way to the student parking.

  As I pul ed into the drive, I caught my breath again at the thought of going back into that house. I stood by the tailgate of the truck for what seemed like hours. Final y, I made my way up the walk to the back door. I opened the door and cal ed out, “Hel o?” There was no answer. Relief washed over me. I sat my things down on the kitchen table and perused the refrigerator and freezer for something to put out for dinner. After I found some hamburger, I sat it in the sink. Then I went to the cupboard and looked for something to add to it. Hamburger Helper. Perfect! I brought my bag into the dining room and sat down at the table, a rickety old thing, and spread my books across it. I had reading and questions to answer in literature, a vocabulary assignment, Spanish flash cards to make, and math homework, too. I’d done the U.S. History assignment at the end of class, so I was glad for that. I tried to begin my homework. Instead, I wondered what Travis was doing then. Should I be thinking about him? Maybe this was moving too fast. Maybe I wasn’t ready for something like this. His intentions were clear. He’d broken up with Jil ian last school year, so I wasn’t a rebound.

  He was interested in me. And not an I’ll show her kind of intention! He didn’t seem to be able to stand Jil ian. I felt the note in my pocket again. I pul ed it out and unfolded it.

  Gia,

  I’m sitting here in English, pretending to take notes. Mrs. Bennett might be on to me though. I don’t know you yet, but I want to. That’s kind of scary to me, but a good scary. I’m sorry about Jillian. I would have liked to have told you about her before you met her. She can be a real Bitch.

  I’m sure Abby filled you in on our history, but I think you deserve an explanation from me. So here goes. We dated for a long time. She’s not a nice person. I didn’t find out until it was too late. These days I stay as far away from her as I can. She still sometimes finds me though and puts on a show. I’m going to talk to her about that again; I want to make sure she realizes that I’ve moved on. I really have. And I’m hoping it can be with you. I don’t really know why I’m telling you this, or even how I have the balls to tell you this, but I am. I hope you will give me a chance and go out with me on Friday night. But if you’re not ready, I will wait until you are.

  Travis.

  I sat back and analyzed the note. I read and reread it. I was surprised by how presumptuous he was. I had the feeling he didn’t hear the word “no” that often. It didn’t matter because I didn’t want to tel him no either for some strange reason. His intentions were clear. I wrote him a note back. I decided I’d put it in his locker in the morning. I stuck it in one of the pouches in my bag, and then I tackled my homework. It was close to six in the evening when I finished. I couldn’t believe that Alex hadn’t cal ed yet; I looked at my phone one more time before I began dinner. When it was ready, I checked my phone again. He stil hadn’t cal ed or texted. I made a plate for myself and sat down to eat. I heard the front door open and froze, worried it was Oliver. I heard things hitting the floor and voices.

  “That was hilarious man! Chiz didn’t even know what hit him with Brandon coming at him from nowhere.” Alex was talking to someone.

  “DUDE! I know! Sometimes Mason has the best arm. Threw it right in there.” I stood and walked to the doorway as Travis and Alex gushed.

  “I made dinner, Alex. It’s stil hot. Travis, do you want to stay?” I leaned in the arched doorway between the dining room and living room, trying to look casual but feeling nervous.

  “I should probably go, actual y; I just wanted to make sure he made it home safe.” Travis shuffled his feet.

  “What did you make?” Alex cal ed as he ran up the stairs to put his bag up.

  “Hamburger Helper,” I said, not moving or taking my eyes off Travis.

  “Dude, you have to stay for dinner; Gia makes the BEST Hamburger Helper.” I knew that wasn’t true; I wondered what Alex’s motive was. He wasn’t being his usual sarcastic self.

  “Let me cal my mom and see.” Travis backed out the front door to the porch to make his cal . Alex walked past me through the dining room to the kitchen. I fol owed him and watched him warily as he scooped out his plate, leaving only enough for Travis.

  “What about Oliver?” I asked.

  “What about him? He eats at the bar. I wasted so much food cooking for him, and he never eats here.” Alex sat down at the table where he could see the front door. It opened, and Travis came back inside.

  “What’s the word?” he asked.

  “She said I could stay. I stil have so much homework to do, so I can’t stay long.” He came into the dining room. I went to the kitchen and made his plate and grabbed some sodas out of the fridge for al of us. I balanced three cans in one hand and a plate in another.

  “You’d make a good waitress,” Travis said with a smile.

  “Not real y; she tried it and spil ed eight drinks on a table once, drenching her customers.” Alex laughed with his mouth ful .

  “Yeah, with closed containers, I’m good.” I smiled while blushing with embarrassment.

  “Then let me help.” He took the drinks, and I sat down his plate. We ate in silence. Two meals in one day. I could get used to this . As soon as I had the thought, I looked at my food wide-eyed. I liked this boy. I liked him a lot, and I didn’t know him at al . I was terrified.

  Chapter 5

  Love at First Sight? Love at Any Sight!

  Travis

  Gia was quiet throughout the rest of the dinner. Alex jabbered about the day he’d had. He was also talking about Kiarah, a girl from our school. I knew who she was, but much to Alex’s disappointment, I didn’t know much about her; she kept to herself. I did know she was artsy, so I told him everything I knew about her.

  I tried to stay off the topic of footbal . I loved the game but hated the hype. I could tel after two weeks of boot camp training and now school, Alex was beginning to feel the same way. I’d offered to bring him home when he mentioned needing to cal Gia to pick him up. Getting to share dinner with Gia was a bonus. I could have stayed in the car when he invited me in for a few, but I knew I’d have regretted it. I couldn’t help noticing that she seemed so sad again. I didn’t feel comfortable asking what was wrong though.

  We finished eating. Alex and I washed up the dishes while Gia wiped down the dining room table. It was time for me to say goodbye. Alex told me

  “later” and was gone, disappearing up the stairs. She walked me to the door. It had to be close to eight o’clock, and I knew I had tons of homework to do. I couldn’t avoid it anymore—as much as I wanted to.

  “Thanks for bringing him home. It’s been a long day, and I hate driving the monster truck back there.” She jerked her thumb toward where I assumed she’d parked their truck.

  “Yeah, it’s no problem.” I shuffled my feet nervously, adding, “I can probably bring him home most days. You guys are pretty close to my house. I can let you know if I have to rush home for my mom or something.”

  “That would be real y nice, but you don’t have to.” She didn’t look at me; she just looked out the storm door toward my car.

  “It wouldn’t be a problem. I’l see you tomorrow at school and lunch right?” I asked as nonchalantly as possible.

  “Yes.” She smiled. “Oh wait.” She turned and went to her bag that was stil in the dining room. She came back. “Here, I was going to give this to you tomorrow, but since you’re here, I’l give it to you now.” H
er hand trembled as she handed it to me. Nerves, I thought. I began to open it.

  “No, wait, ‘til later, after your homework or something. Promise me? I know you stil have a lot to do.” She put her hand on mine to stop me from opening it.

  “OK.” I smiled. “Tomorrow?” She nodded yes. “Um. Bye then.”

  “Bye,” she almost whispered, it was so soft. I opened the storm door, and she closed the front door behind me. I went to my car and got in with the note, feeling like it was burning a hole in my pocket. I turned up the radio to soothe the heat from it and went home.

  I came in to see my mom and my sister sitting on the couch together watching Nickelodeon. They giggled at the comedy show for teenagers.

  “So how was your first day?” Mom asked. Hailey didn’t even look up.

  “It was good. Practice was good, but now I need to do homework,” I said, beginning to climb the stairs.

  “So tel me about Alex. You ate dinner with his family? Are they new in town?”

  “No. Wel , Alex is. He’s on the team. I ate dinner with his sister Gia and him. His dad owns a bar in town; I guess he’s been here for a long time.

  They used to live with their mom, but she died not too long ago.” Might as well get it over with. My mom’s eyebrows rose when she heard sister. I knew what she was thinking.