Dive in.

Chapter 4

I pulled back. Part of me felt off. I had only known this guy for about eight hours and now he couldn't control himself around me? As hot as he was, this felt wrong. And I felt slightly violated.
"Ethan...I don't...I'm just your instructor...I'm not sure this is entirely appropriate." He looked crushed. A lost puppy. But I had to be honest with him.
"I just thought...you know what, never mind. It was stupid, I'm sorry." Ethan stood up and head back to the SUV. I'm guessing he didn't feel like continuing. I followed him and started putting my gear in the trunk. I felt him shift away slightly. What have I done, I was so mean! I grabbed the beach towels be brought along and put them on the front seats so they wouldn't get soaked. With the residual water from our wetsuits. The drive back was painfully quiet. I glanced over at him but he was looking out the window. A sad expression lay over his face. There was no way I could continue to teach him lessons if things were this awkward between us. I would have to step away and let some one else take over. I suddenly felt depressed.
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"Where's Alexandra? She's supposed to be taking me for another lesson today." I could hear Ethan from the back store room. I told my fellow employee and friend, Kate, that I was too busy with inventory to take him out today. I lied, obviously. But it was for the greater good. Or at least, that's what I was trying to prove to myself.
"I'm sorry," I heard Kate say, "she's busy today so I'm going to take over your training for now."
"Right..." A bit of Ethan's Irish accent started seeping through his words. "I'll just get my gear then." I hid around the corner, out of sight. I didn't want to see him, for fear I'd change my mind about my decision to avoid him.
Once the left I busied myself with the inventory, I wasn't lying when I said I had other stuff to attend to. Unfortunately, this left me alone with my thoughts, with my memories. Of James...

***
"Come on, Andy!" James dragged me by the hand to the ice cream store. The summer after grade 8, beautiful. Even more so when I had my best friend beside me. We raced through the shop to the back, and leaned against the counter, our breath fogging the glass.
"What can I get you two?" the lady behind the counter asked.
James got vanilla, like always. He was strange that way. I ordered Rolo. We sat out on the bench by the wharf watching the waves crash against the rocks.
"Andy," James started. It looked like he was waging a war within him. All of a sudden he leaned in a kissed me lightly on the lips. I was so startled I dropped my ice cream all over the wharf deck. Sea gulls swarmed immediately.
"What was that?" I whispered. Why would James do that, he was my best friend? He didn't love me.
James stood up glanced down at me, eyes full of sorrow and left. What the hell was going on.
***