Seasons by Katrina Alba

proud smile on his face.
    “Thanks!” I beam at him.
    I catch two more fish, and Charlie catches two nice size fish himself. I, of course, took full advantage of bragging rights for catching more fish and for him being beat by a girl in his own boat.
    Around lunchtime, he takes me home to grab my suit, and we head to his house to swim. We lounge by the pool most of the day. I meet his mom, who is this petite, dark haired beauty, and we all eat lunch together on the patio. After lunch, I lounge in a chaise enjoying the heat of the sun on my face. The bright rays I can see through my eyelids disappear. I open my eyes expecting to see the clouds that I suspect are blotting out the sun, only to be surprised when I see dimples in their place. Before I can even question what he’s doing, he places one arm under my knees, the other behind my back and scoops me up in one fluid motion. He walks over to the edge of the pool, and despite my protests, he drops me flailing into the water. I jet to the top of the water and come up sputtering.
    “Charlie! What the heck was that for?” I scream at him.
    “Maybe next time you will respect my fishing skills.” He smirks. What a cocky ass. I brush my hair back out of my face with my hands. I smile and swim over to the ladder. Slowly and seductively, I ascend out of the pool and then ring the water out of my hair. My bikini bottom is riding up from being thrown, mercilessly into the pool. I leave it, since it’s revealing just enough cheek. I sashay over to where Charlie is standing.
    “Oh, Mr. Amazing Fisherman, do you have a towel?” I ask in my best sex kitten voice.
    He reaches over and grabs a towel from the chair next to him. I look up at him from under my lashes innocently, and he holds the towel open for me. I’m about two feet from him when I turn around so that he can wrap a towel around me knowing that he has a glorious view of my butt cleavage. I hear a small whimper behind me and there is hesitation before the towel comes around me. I try to contain my smile, but it’s impossible. Teach him a lesson of my own, I think as I laugh internally.
    Charlie drops me off at home around dinnertime. I come through the front door, followed by the clang of the storm door.
    “Mom?” I call out. “Are you home?”
    “Brynn, in the kitchen!”
    I walk into the kitchen and Mom is at the table with her bifocals at the end of her nose, hair pinned up in a messy bun, and paperwork covering every surface of the tabletop.
“Hi, Mom.” I kiss her cheek and head to the fridge for a bottle of water.
    “Hey, babe. How was your day?”
    I face the fridge and hesitate before turning around, because I can’t help the smile on my face when I respond. “It was all right.”
    “I can hear your smile. My guess is it was better than just all right . What did you and Charlie do? You left so early this morning, and then you popped in and out in such a flash, I didn’t get to talk to you.”
    “This morning, we went fishing, and there was the most amazing sunrise over the lake. I caught more fish than he did, naturally,” I brag. “Then, we spent the day by the pool. I had fun.” When I look over, Mom has a giant smile from ear to ear that I haven’t seen in ages. “What?” I ask, puzzled.
    “Baby, you really like this boy.”
    “We’re friends. I really enjoy hanging out with him.”
    “You practically floated in here on a cloud, and you haven’t stopped smiling since you came through the door. Plus, he’s not so hard on the eyes, either.” She chuckles.
    “Mom!” I roll my eyes.
    “Well, it’s true, and besides, I’m just happy to see you happy. I haven’t seen you smile this much in far too long.”
    “He’s become a really good friend, Ma, but that’s it. We’re just friends, okay?” I say before I head upstairs.
    I hear her say behind me as I walk away, “Okay, but me thinks thou dost protest too much.”
    “Yeah, yeah,” I mutter under my breath as I leave the