Socially Awkward

I.

I surface from the water somewhat dramatically and take a deep breath.

McKenzie holds onto the edge of the pool floating on her stomach. Berlin struts around the perimeter of the pool. I swear she suggested this to show off her bikini.

They both have that hourglass body thing going on.

I look like a twig.

"Girl, you swim like a... better than a damn dolphin." Berlin tells me.

"I guess." I don't know how to take a compliment.

"There are no boys here." Berlin pouts. She must not be paying attention to the lifeguard. He is pretty old though.

"I appreciate no guys creeping on me." McKenzie chips, bobbing in the water.

I appreciate that they aren't any boys here because I don't need anyone laughing at me.

"We should go to the gym then." McKenzie suggests.

"In our swimwear, definitely begging for attention." Berlin replies then smiles.

I dip my head beneath the water and admire the weightlessness. The nothing that I hear around me. My hair gently floats around me and the water is the perfect temperature.

When I surface, Berlin and McKenzie are toweling dry so I decide to follow suit. As I'm walking towards them, I see a familiar face.

Dammit! I cringe and begin to walk faster.

"Yo!" Alex waves at me and rushes toward me.

"Uh..." Suddenly I feel hot.

The boy blatantly ogles me and smiles boldly. "Thought I'd have to take you on a few dates before I got to see you like this."

Can I implode into myself now?

"Um..."

"Aw, she's tongue tied." McKenzie cheers.

Berlin is checking Alex out brazenly.

"Did you do Assignment Three yet?"

It's an exercise we had to do with the periodic table.

"Yup." I look away from the green eyes that are sparkling with life.

"I haven't started yet. Dr.Ryanleer is a tyrant." He complains.

I nod in agreement. "It's not that hard if you use the periodic table in the back of the book."

He seems to take my advice to heart and gives me a big wide grin. "I haven't even cracked that book open. Had to sell my organs on the black market just to get by that piece of junk."

"Waste of paper. The last edition has all the same stuff in it." I comment.

"Didn't know that, too late to return it now."

"Just sell it at the end of the year to some other clueless student."

"I like the way you think." He roughly raps on my shoulders then saunters off to the showers.

As much as I hate chemistry, I'm actually really good at it. Dr.Ryanleer hates me though.

Meh.

On the way back to Dartmouth, I spot Dr.Ryanleer hustling along campus, red curly hair flopping around in the breeze. Still looking grumpy. I bet he's a sadist.

I've been stuck hanging around Berlin and McKenzie for the past three weeks. I've learned that they both are themselves all the time, no matter who they are around.