CHAPTER FOUR
{Conner}
I can not believe how different Mary looks. She is certainly not a little girl anymore. She is actually drop dead gorgeous. But she's like, my sister, practically. That's weird.
Last year she was fifteen and still a kid. She was super flat chested and wore one piece bathing suits. Not like it mattered, but it is just shocking when she pulls off her green tank top to reveal a cute pink bikini top. And she is not flat chested anymore, might I add. Dang.
'Oh god, weird! Stop thinking about Mary like that!' I scold myself. Truth is, Mary has always been just my very best friend. I've been her protective "older brother." So it's really strange when these thoughts are running through my head about her. Mary, of all people!
To cover my shock, I push her off the dock and into the water. Then I pull off my shirt and jump in after her.
When I surface, she starts splashing me. "You retard!" She laughs.
"Hey! Not fair!"
"You're getting what you deserve, buddy!"
I bite my lip when she calls me buddy. It sounds super sexy coming out of her mouth. Ugh, gross!
I've got to get past this. Mary is nothing more than my best friend. My very best friend. But not nothing more.
After engaging in a full-out-splash-down, she climbs back onto the dock and lies down, presumably tanning. She puts her sunglasses on her face and I can't tell if her eyes are opened or closed, so I take the chance. I silently climb on the dock and sneak closer. She doesn't move so I assume she can't see me. I crouch down and start tickling her belly, which I knew to be her ticklish spot.
She flips out and rolls off the dock in the process. I crack up laughing. She is too cute.
She comes up sputtering water. "Conner David! I am so going to get you for this!" She warns. I continue laughing at her outrage. She goes back under water and comes up with her sunglasses in her hand. "Later!" She finishes.
She walks out of the lake stubbornly and doesn't look back at me. I calm myself down and run after her. "Hey hey! Mary, calm down! It was a joke!" I say catching up to her.
She turns around and still looks angry. But then her face softens and she touches my shoulder. "You're it!" And she takes off running.
Oh boy, nothing has changed. She is the same Mary I always knew. And I love her for that.
{Mary}
"Mary!" Rebecca screams when I walk into the Soda Fountain that night. She comes out from behind the counter and envelopes me in a hug.
"Hey, Becky!" I squeeze her tight. She's an amazing friend that I know from past years of vacationing here.
"Conner!" She squeals when she sees him behind me. She gives him a big hug and steps back. "How are you guys?" She asks excitedly, returning to her side of the counter.
"Pretty awesome." I reply.
"That's great! Anything new?"
"Conner's got a girlfriend!" I tell her.
She looks shocked, "finally!" We giggle. We always used to tease him about not being able to get one. Conner rolls his eyes.
"That's awesome, Conner." She finally says, serious now. "What's her name?"
"Terri. She's whatever."
"I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to talk about your girlfriend like that." Becky teases. "So, are you guys serious, or what?"
