Seven Heartbeats

A Perfect Boy

My pale yellow canvas sneakers are dusty and I wish I was down by the water, dipping my toes into the ocean and feeling the salty wind on my skin. The bus ride to the boardwalk is eventless, the bus full of tourists and those working the stalls down on the beach. I go stand by the backdoor, it's only a 10 minute ride anyway. I lift my hair from my neck, wishing I had the guts to cut it, but my friends would be so pissed, since they all think I look like a princess with my long blonde hair down past my waist.

Cool Days is located on the middle of the boardwalk, it's been there for as long as I can remember and I've worked there since I was 13, that's for 4 years now. We usually don't get many customers until after lunch, but the last few days with this super hot weather has made people eat a lot more ice cream and drink many more slushes and cold drinks in general. I kinda miss the quiet mornings, the occasional ice cream customer and all the time in the world to daydream about the surfer boys catching waves down on the beach. On an average day there would be at least five surfers out with their boards, if the waves were big enough there could be as many as 20.

Before I unlock the door I shield my eyes with my hand and gaze out over the water. It takes a while for me to make out anyone in the glittering sea, but I only count one board. Guess this heat is too much even for the more hardcore surfers. As the lone surfer rises to stand on his board my heart immediately flutters and my eyes refuse to turn away. I've spent enough mornings at the window, watching the surfers and the passers-by, to know the silhouette of Jacob Dixon anywhere. Not many remember that this is his real name, he's been going by his surfer name for years now and unless you talk about "Shiny" Dixon, no one will know who you mean.

He rides the slow wave with ease, there's not been any decent waves since this heat started and if it stays the surfers will all go road tripping, looking for the perfect swell. My eyes leave him as he glides down onto his board to paddle out again, the sea is a hardly moving. He's going to be sitting out there a long time to get another decent wave. When he's on his board again, looking out towards the open sea, I turn around and unlock the front door. I need to wipe the counter, move ice cream from the big freezer, fill up the slush machine and hope the soda guy shows up before I have to open.

It's slower today, seems like a lot of people are opting to staying home. Just shows that you have to be careful what you wish for, I doubt they imagined getting tired of really hot weather when they complained about the cold start to summer. The air-conditioner is set to very cold, almost giving me goosebumps, but after being outside taking care of two overflowing trash cans, I'm not going to complain about it. I could feel the sun's rays dig into my pale skin and hear it sizzle as it bleached my hair another shade lighter.

The dishwasher beeps. It was almost wasteful to run it, but I had to do something and if I wipe the counter anymore I'll scrub a hole through the metal surface. I really don't feel like having that taken out of my pay. I'm saving up to buy a car, and since mom can't help me at all, I need every cent to go to what I call my "Getting the Hell Outta Here" fund. I don't want to go to college here, we really don't have any college money saved and I don't think I'll get a scholarship, so I need a way to leave this place. I haven't got a clue of what I want to do with my life, heck I don't even know what I want for dinner. But I do know that if I stay here I'll end up like my mom, working a job I don't like, only to be able to pay my bills and all feed my cats. And I'll die alone in a tiny house, surrounded by said cats and stacks of unused coupons.

My morbid thoughts are interrupted by the sound of someone entering and giving the bell on the counter a good shake. Mumbling about patience, I wipe my hands on my apron and adjust the hairnet cap I'm required to wear when working. A strong smell of salt and sea and sunshine greets me as I arrange my face into a smile. And then my smile falls off my face as I see Jacob standing there in nothing but neon colored board shorts. I can't stop my eyes from taking in his still damp shoulders, his strong arms and that six-pack all the other girls are swooning over. If my mouth wasn't closed I'd be drooling.