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Secret Of The Beach

"What did I tell you about looking where you were going?" he whisper-yelled. Whispering because I really nailed him that time. Yelling because I truly am a nincompoop. I couldn't do anything except blubber that I was so sorry.

"I better introduce myself if I don't want to keep meeting you like this." Bill said, regaining his breath. "My name's Jim Harrison."

He offered me his hand to shake. I took it.

"Regina Shields." I answered. Suddenly, I couldn't find myself to ever think of him as Bill ever again. Jim he would now be. Jim smiled at me. He had a warm smile.

"Well, Regina Shields, do you ever meet anyone by not headbutting them?"

Shoot. He was one of those guys who thought they were cool by calling girls by their first and last names. I had such high hopes for Jim.

"Generally, I meet people by shaking their hand precisely three times. And just call me Regina, please."

Jim's smile widened.

"Well, I'd like to see you sometime without a greeting as you've given me these last two days. Perhaps we could meet somewhere more appropriate and chat?"

I nodded.

"Excellent. How about the bench at the beach? Tomorrow at three?"

I nodded again. Jim chuckled and started to walk away. I did the same.

"Oh, Regina?" he called. I spun around.

"Chatting involves talking." I nodded, then realising my mistake, called:

"I know."

I heard Jim chuckle again. He was so much happier than yesterday. It was contagious. I found myself skipping down the street. I was going to chat with Jim. I was going to be stimulated! I would have an open window into his brain! The next day passed quickly. I couldn't stop thinking about Jim. He reminded me of someone, but I couldn't quite remember who. At two o'clock, I pulled on all my winter gear and walked to the beach. The beach was much farther than I should have agreed to go, but it didn't matter. I was going to chat with Jim! I found the one bench on all of the beach. It was quite similar to the one I watched squirrels on two days before. I was a little early. Okay, a lot early. I started fidgeting. Hair twirling, thumb twiddling, knee bouncing, the usual. I saw a speck moving from across the beach. I stood up and covered my eyes with my hand to see better. It was Jim running towards me. I checked my watch. It was two minutes to three. Jim slowed down a little and checked his watch. He must have seen the same time I did, because he started to sprint like I've never seen any man sprint before. He was easily a kilometer away. I smiled a little. He seemed like the kind of guy who prides himself on being on time. It must bug him immensely to be late. Jim's arms were pumping at his sides as he sprinted like a madman. What if he was a madman? I didn't know Jim, and I was a million miles away from anywhere. I'd have to trust him. For now, at least. I shook off my doubts of Jim. He still had a minute to reach me, and I could barely see his hair. I started counting down the seconds. 48... 37... 16... 5... 4... An out-of-breath voice whispered in my ear.

"What are you counting, Regina?"

I turned to my side. Jim was standing there, smiling in the way only he can. I had to smile, too. How could I have thought Jim was a madman? He didn't wait for my answer.

"Shall we sit?" he asked, motioning to the bench.

"We shall." I answered, cockily. Jim sat on my left, with his right leg lifted up onto his left knee, with his hands folded in his lap. He wasn't smiling anymore. More of a thin line of consideration. He faced the frozen, cracking ocean with a distant look in his eyes, like he had something very important on his mind. The Jim I was seeing now was a whole different person than Bill was.