Telescope

Mr. O

Benny

She stared at me, a slightly lopsided smile on her face. "Lemonade?" She asked, eyebrows raised as she got to the side of the pool. I offered my hand, which she took without hesitation, like it was just second nature.

I smiled. "Yes," I said as she hopped up on the side, sitting with her legs crossed so she was facing me. I swung my feet in the water, shaking my head. "When I was a kid, my dad would say to always carry this ten-dollar bill, so that if I saw a cute girl I could buy her lemonade."

"Aw you think I'm cute," She said, smiling. 

 "I'm offering to buy you lemonade! How could you say no to free lemonade?"

"I didn't say no," She said, standing. 

"You guys are so weird," Mason said. 

"Hey," Juno said mildly, running her hands through her hair. "When was the last time you had lemonade on a hot afternoon? Exactly!" She pointed at his silence as she dried off and pulled her big t-shirt over her shorts, waving at me to hurry. 

"Hey, Jordan!" I called, pulling my hat on as I walked towards her. "I'm gonna head out, I think."

"Oh okay," She said, then looked over my shoulder at Serena and Mason. "Who's that? With Mason?"

I looked at them. She was laughing as he splashed her, and then she hopped on top of his shoulders, pushing him under. He had a goofy grin on his face. "Serena," I said. 

"Weird. Didn't know Mason hung out with her," She said. I glanced at her. She was squinting, hand shading her eyes as she tore into Serena. 

"I think they're a good match." I shrugged. "Alright, bye!" I waved as I turned and ran back to Juno. 

As we headed down the stairs, she said, "Okay, so Mason likes Jordan, Jordan doesn't care, Serena and Mason would be adorable, one of them just needs to make a move. All caught up?"

I smiled as we pushed open the door. "More caught up than me. I'll drive," I said.

As we got in the car, the heat started slowly sinking in around us. I turned the AC on full blast, but it didn't do much. In the mirror, I could see beads of sweat already forming across my face, and Juno's face was flushed. She pulled her hair up, using the headrest to keep it off her neck. 

She reached forward to turn on the stereo, her hair tumbling down. She ignored it and turned the volume way up. A Gwen Steffani CD was in, and she shot me a look as she sat back. 

"Shut up."

"I didn't say anything."

I rolled my eyes, trying not to smile at her laugh, so light and addicting, like that feeling when you breathe in inside an ice arena. She shook her head. "So, tomorrow, we're starting the mural?"

"Absolutely," I said. "We should go in the morning."

"On a Saturday? Are you trying to kill me?"

I nodded. "That's the goal."

She scoffed, but she was smiling. "Rude."

"So?"

"Ten."

I shook my head dramatically. "Five in the morning. No, four-thirty! No later!"

I looked at her and she gave me a are you kidding me look. Then she grinned. "Okay."

"Okay?"

"Yeah, see you at four-thirty in the morning, partner," She raised her eyebrow. 

"Oh, that's how its gonna be," I said.