Something a Little Special

Chapter Two

Me and Autumn are walking home when someone bumps into me, knocking the surf board out of my hand.

"Woah, sorry," a boy says and picks up my surf board. He sees the tiny shark bite in it and looks at my arm.

"Oh I heard about you, how you still surf and stuff even though, you know."

"Way to be polite!" Autumn snaps and pulls the board out of his hand.

"Sorry," he says and looks at me. "I didn't mean-"

"It's ok, I get it a lot, like little kids asking, "what happened to her mommy?". But, I don't think I've ever had a teenage boy do that." I say and smile.

Autumn gags and walks away. I don't why.

"What's her problem?" He asks when she's out of hearing distance.

"She thinks it's really dumb that I talk about my arm with people and stuff like that." I say and laugh. "I don't know why though, it's not her missing arm."

He laughs and says, "some people told me that after the attack you got all shy and quiet, but you seem normal to me." He says and gives me a flirty smile.

A boy hasn't given me that smile in a long time.

•~•~•

I walk back to my house and go inside. I see Autumn eating MY ice cream bar.

"That's mine." I tell her and laugh, I sit next to her and say, "but it doesn't matter."

"He's gotten to you." She says and takes a lick. "Normally if I eat ANY of your food you punch me in the arm." She takes a bite and sits up straighter.

"Well he's nice." I say and grab it from her, I take a big bite then hand it back.

"Really?" She says and laughs. "I know you miss it."

"Miss what?"

"Being flirted with. Even If you didn't like it then, you miss it now." She pauses. "So I like him, for not judging you." She finishes and puts the wrapper in my hand. I crumple it in a ball best I can and throw it at her face. She laughs and tosses it in the garbage. We grab our surf boards and head for the beach.

We get there and set our towels down. I see people give me quick looks then look away to be polite, but I saw them.

And honestly I don't care.

I dive into the water and paddle a little ways out. When surfing so I can hold onto the board while comin up from under a wave, my dad attached a handle, which I use to help me hold on to my board.

I see a wave start to build up and paddle toward it. It is almost fully made when I stand up. I can tell everyone is looking at me as I ride it.

Once the wave is done I dive into the water and hold my breath. I emerge to see people smiling and coming in.

I somehow always get people in the water.

I guess it is because they think, if she can do it, I can do it.

I'm happy that one good thing has come out of my shark attack.