Winning Skylinn

62

I got a call from Denver the next day, saying the pool was up. They were waiting for the water to warm up a bit so they could swim, but he said I could come over anytime.

"Sweet. I'll be over around four, if that's okay."

"Any time's okay," he replied.

"Great."

Matthew tugged on my sleeve. "Miss Skylinn!" he repeated over and over.

"Hang on, buddy," I whispered to him, holding the phone away from my face. Then I said to Denver, "Hey, I gotta go. I'll see you later."

"Okay, talk to you later."

I hung up and shoved the phone in my pocket. "What is it, Matthew?"

"Bobby is being mean!" he whined.

"What did he do?"

"He stole my action figure! And it was my Batman one!"

"I'm sorry, buddy. Did you bring the Batman toy?"

Matthew sniffled. "No."

"Well, then it's not really yours. But Bobby shouldn't have taken it from you. Let's go talk to him."

I took his hand and led him over to the carpet where Bobby and some of the other boys were playing. "Bobby," I addressed.

The little redheaded boy looked up. "Yes, Miss Skylinn?"

"Matthew says you took his Batman toy. Is that true?"

Bobby frowned. "I only took it because he wasn't sharing."

"Is that true?" I asked Matthew.

"Well..."

"Boys, we have to share. That's what we've been learning all week, isn't it?"

"Yes, Miss Skylinn," they said in unison.

"Right. So let's share our toys and try to get along, okay?"

"Okay."

"Here, why don't we look for another action figure? Then you guys can play together," I suggested.

"Okay!" Matthew agreed happily.

I dug through a tub of action figures and pulled out one of the Robin, Batman's sidekick. There were some of the Joker and Penguin too, but I thought that might cause even more fighting. "Look. Why don't you be Robin, Matthew?"

He took the toy from me and studied it in concentration.

Bobby was eyeing it too. "Can I be Robin? You can play with Batman."

"Sure!" Matthew chirped.

"Yay! Sorry I took it from you."

"That's okay. Now we can fight crime together!"

Two other boys joined in with the Joker and Penguin action figures in hand, and they played contentedly for the rest of the afternoon.

Problem solved.

- - -

After work I went home and changed into my swimsuit before heading over to Denver's. I left my parents a note, in case they got back before I did.

Jonny was still at work, or I would've invited him to go with me. Oh well, I thought. We spent the whole day together yesterday. Now I could just focus on Denver.

He was waiting on the back porch in his yellow swim trunks with the penguins on them. I had to laugh when I saw them. "Nice suit," I teased, giving him a quick hug.

"What, I like penguins," he insisted.

"Uh-huh." I dipped my hand in the pool to test the water. It wasn't too bad.

"Is it ready?" Denver asked.

"I think so. Here, what do you think?" With that, I reached in and splashed him.

"Hey!" he cried in shock, twisting away from me.

I laughed hysterically. "Gotcha!"

"I'm gonna get you for that!" Before I knew it, he picked me up and tossed me in the pool.

"Ah!" I screamed, taking in a mouthful of water. I spit it back out, gasping for air as I returned to the surface.

"Cannonbaaaaaall!" Denver shouted, clutching his knees as he jumped into the pool.

I splashed him as soon as he came up, and he splashed me back. "Oh, it's on!" he exclaimed, splashing me over and over.

I couldn't stop laughing, which only made me swallow more water. But I didn't mind. These little pool fights were things I'd missed all year.

~~

Jonny's first job was a lifeguard at the neighborhood pool. Denver and I had just started dating, and the pool became our regular hang-out that summer. We went almost every day, except on the weekends. Those were reserved for fancier dates, like dinner and movies and mini golf. But during the week, we went to the pool almost every day. It was our place.

Not only did I get to hang out with my boyfriend, but I got to see my best friend and neighbor all the time, too. He worked most days during the afternoon shift, so he was there every time we went. Sometimes when it was nearly empty, except for us, he'd join us for a game of sharks and minnows. I was surprised he never got caught.

Maybe he did, and I just never noticed. The whole staff liked him, and thought of him as a great employee. Even though he was only sixteen, they respected him. And they had every reason to. Jonny was a rule-follower; he never let anyone in after hours, even me. He blew his whistle at the kids who were being too rowdy, and he made sure people walked instead of ran on the concrete. Everyone liked him.

That summer, there was a girl I assumed he liked. Her name was Maggie, and she was really pretty. She came to the pool almost every day, even though she didn't live in the neighborhood. I later learned that she was able to get in because her grandma lived on our street, and liked to take her in the summertime.

One day when I was there alone (Denver was at his aunt's house doing yard work), Maggie walked in while Jonny was on duty. She made a big show of herself doing a backflip off the diving board and strutting her stuff when she climbed out. I remember stifling a laugh as she adjusted her bikini top right in front of Jonny. She was more shallow than the kiddie pool!

"Watch this," she said to him, and walked to the very edge of the diving board. Then she prepared to do a dive; but it came out more like a belly flop, and she hit the water with a loud smack.

When she didn't come up right away, Jonny blew his whistle and jumped in to save the day. I watched in anticipation as he swam out to reach her, and brought her back to the surface. He carried her onto dry ground, and her body was limp and cold.

He gave her mouth-to-mouth until she regained consciousness, coughing up pool water and gagging a bit. I felt bad for her until I realized it was probably her lucky day. The knight in shining swim trunks came to the rescue. It was probably her plan all along.

She couldn't stop thanking him, and I wondered if it was all an act. If it was, she was a pretty good actress. Because he seemed to believe and appreciate every word she said.

Later that day, when we were walking home after his shift, he told me that Maggie had asked him out. It must've been while I was at the snack counter.

"What did you say?" I asked.

"No."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"I said no. I don't want to go out with her," he repeated.

"But...why? She's gorgeous, and she obviously likes you!"

"She's totally fake. Not my type."

"Whatever. Someday you're gonna have to take a chance and go out with someone, ya know."

"And when the time comes, I will."

"If you say so..."