I pop another sour patch kid in my mouth and squint at the screen of my laptop, my fingers flying frantically over the keyboard as I finish up the final tweaks to my marine biology project. The classroom buzzes with excitement, my classmates eagerly anticipating the beginning of summer, but I ignore them, lost in my own world of marine ecosystems and habitat preferences. I glance at the clock—just a few more tweaks and I'll be done.
"There," I mutter to myself, a satisfied smile playing on my mouth as I upload the file. I release a deep breath and sit back in my chair, stretching my arms above my
head as I survey the room. Everyone's packing up their things as laughter and
chatter fills the air.
I can't help but join in the buzz talking to a few of my classmates. Usually, I didn't
care to be sharing laughs with any of these people—I barely knew them—but I'm
just as excited about summer as the rest of them, mainly because it's my last
chance to see my plan through. No more excuses, no more backing out. I have to
tell her how I feel before I leave.
Briar Crawford. The girl I've been in love with all my adolescent life. She's wild and free and everything I'm not—popular, social, unpredictable. I feel crazy about her. But it's hard to tell her that when she only sees me as her best friend's lame little
brother. Or worse...her little brother.
"Romeo! You ready for summer or what?" Jaden claps a hand on my shoulder, snapping me out of my thoughts. He is the closest thing I have to an actual friend, which is sad seeing as we only ever talk before or after the one class we have together for the past 4 years—advanced math.
"Yeah, just finished my extra cred project," I reply as I close my laptop.
Jaden smiles and shakes his head, "What more credit could you possibly need? You're already top of the class and, not to mention, the best swimmer this island has seen since Will." He pushes at my shoulder.
I laugh, "Will taught me everything I know."
"Yeah?"
"He also told me that when I feel like I've accomplished everything, that's when I
should work my hardest." Because now I have something to lose. I never thought that I'd be losing him a week after he said those words to me. Almost four months
later and I'm still in shock.
"Too bad Will didn't teach you how to bag his sister," Jaden says, smirking. "You still hung up on Briar?"
I feel my cheeks heat up. I told him she was my crush when we were like 15 and he hasn't forgotten it. I blush as I say, "It's not like that. She's just…" I stutter, "You know, my sister's best friend."
Who was I kidding? She's so much more than Ira's best friend. I knew that from the first time I laid eyes on her. I was nine, and Briar was the bravest girl I had ever seen.
We had just moved to Barbados from New York in the middle of the school year. Our parents, both diplomats, had been reassigned, and we didn't know anyone on the island. I remember feeling so lost in our surroundings, everything from the salt air to the vibrant colors being unfamiliar and strange.
Day two at our new school, we took a trip to the beach. My sister had already made a bunch of friends, and I was kind of just following her around like a puppy. She and a group of other kids snuck off to the beach. Among them was a girl with wild,
long, sun-streaked brown curly hair flowing down her back, with a mischievous
grin painted across her angelic face—Briar. She stood out, not just because of
her breathtaking beauty, but because of her fearless demeanor and the way she
captivated attention without even trying.
I watched as she climbed a tall rock, her movements as fluid as the waves below. Whether she was nervous, I couldn't tell, and I knew even then that something as small as nerves wasn't enough to deter her. She climbed that rock and the only way she was getting down was jumping off of it into the ocean. Besides, I had
enough anxiety for each one of us on the beach that day.
The other kids watched from below, eyes wide with anticipation. Briar turned back once only to wave to her friends. Then, and without a moment's hesitation, she leapt from the rock, slicing through the air before tucking her knees to her chest
and plunging into the ocean. My heart raced, thinking of every possible thing
that could have gone wrong. But then her laughter echoed as she resurfaced, a
triumphant smile plastered on her face. It was the bravest thing I had ever seen.
She swam back to shore and was greeted by her friends. Amidst the joyful chaos, Briar glanced over her shoulder and caught my eye. She flashed me a smile and my heart raced, a mix of awe and envy swirling inside of me. How could someone be so fearless? I wanted to be like her, to have that kind of courage. And even
though I was too shy to approach her that day, I knew I wanted to be her friend. Little did I know, she would become so much more.
The bell rings, snapping me from my thoughts, and marking the end of the school year. The room erupts with shouts. I grab my bag and follow Jaden and the rest of our class out of the room.
"So, you ready for your sailing trip?" Jaden asks me as we maneuver through the sea of students in the bustling hallway.
"Yeah," I reply with a mixture of excitement and nerves, adjusting the strap of my
backpack. "I've been preparing for this for months now, it's going to be a real adventure."
Jaden grins, nudging me playfully. "That's awesome man. Sailing around the world solo at seventeen? It blows my mind. I can't wrap my head around it. Like you're
seriously doing this."
I chuckle nervously, feeling the weight of my decision. "Yeah, it's insane to think about. But I've been prepping for it, you know? Just got to finish up some school
stuff and some… other stuff." Other stuff being trying to win over the 5 foot 9, doe eyed, sun kissed goddess who has lived next door to me for nine years.
"School stuff?" Jaden raises his brow. "Dude, it's summer and you're leaving in about two months."
"I know, I know." I sigh, thinking about the pile of assignments awaiting me at home. "I've been working ahead as much as I can. Got some online courses lined up for when I'm gone too. I don't want to fall behind."
Jaden nods, impressed. "That's pretty cool man. How you gonna keep up with all of that while you're out there?"
"I've got a plan," I assure him, though uncertainty lingers at the edges of my confidence. "Gonna rely on satellite internet for research and stuff. And I'll probably have to check in with teachers now and then."
"Well, good luck with that, Romeo," Jaden says sincerely. "Can't wait to hear all about your crazy adventures when you get back."
"Thanks, man," I grin, feeling a surge of determination. "I'll make sure to send you a postcard from every port. Have a good summer, Jay."
Now outside, I grab my skateboard and leave my high school behind. Gliding through the car park, I try not to notice everyone hanging out and laughing with each other. Everyone here is a stranger to me. The ocean is my life. I don't regret
anything. It was my choice to let high school pass me by, knowing I'll be back only to graduate before heading off to college. I won't miss these halls when I'm on the waves.
The only thing I'll miss is the sound of Briar's laughter through my sister's bedroom
wall as I lie in my bed hating the fact that I'm not the one making her laugh. And that realization was all it took to solidify my decision—I have to tell her how I feel before I leave.