Washed Up

Refraction

Riley

Refraction. Noun. [ri-frak-shuhn]. The change in the direction of a wave due to a change in its medium of transmission.

"Order up!" Lucy calls through A Pizza the Action and a grubby little kid with a gut that rivals his dad's beer belly runs up to the counter to retrieve it.

He looks at the pizza like I look at a bowl of Dutch chocolate ice cream. We meet again, lover.

I turn back to the stainless steel table in the kitchen and cover the dough with a thick layer of homemade pizza sauce. That's right, I've been promoted from dishwasher to pizza assembler. I'm basically living the dream. I sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top and resist the urge to sneak a handful in my mouth. I pass the pizza to Ronald who sticks it into the oven.

"Slow day, huh?"

I turn around to see Lucy leaning against the table, her cheeks red thanks to the heat of the kitchen.

"You can say that again."

I peel the latex gloves off of my hands and toss them on the table. Tuesday mornings aren't exactly prime time for pizza sales. It's so hot in here that my apron is sticky as I strip it off and toss it in the dirty laundry. Finally. Today's my half-day off, and I have plans.

"I need some ice cream," Lucy says, untying her apron and skipping over to the refrigerator. "What do you say?"

"I never say no to ice cream," I answer. Maybe it'll help me cool down so I don't look like an over ripened tomato.

She pulls out a carton of chocolate chip cookie dough and scoops us generous bowls. I grab a couple of spoons and we sneak out the back door to sit on the steps. The sun beats down on my face and I lift my chin up to let it soak into my skin.

"So, big plans for the afternoon off?" Lucy asks, shoveling a huge spoonful into her mouth. "Hanging out with Ross again?"

I feel a smile work its way across my face. "Yeah."

We've only hung out every afternoon or morning I've had off for the past two weeks. If I'm honest, Ross has become the focal point of my summer. When I'm not spending time with him, I'm thinking about him or texting him or wishing I were making out with him. I didn't know a single person could consume someone like Ross has consumed me.

"Oh gosh, you've got it bad. You look like me after Earnest's and my first summer together."

I comb my hair so it covers my reddening face. "So, uh, you and Earnest..."

Lucy elbows me with a tinkling laugh. "Don't change the subject. Are you guys getting serious?"
"What do you mean serious? We aren't even dating. I mean, we kind of are, but not really," I blabber, shutting myself up with a spoonful of ice cream. "We're not serious."

Lucy shrugs her slender shoulders, a sparkle in her dark eyes. "Of course not. You only spend like every waking moment together."

"It's just a fling."

I'm not stupid. I know summer flings don't last, so I can't expect this thing with Ross to endure past these next two months. No matter what I want, nothing about this is serious. Ross is a distraction, only a distraction, from my life that's falling apart at the seams. If it weren't for Ross, I would spend all my time complaining about being stuck on this island and trying to create a plan for my downward spiraling life. Now, I get to spend my time making out with a hot lifeguard and hanging out on the beach.

"Sure it is. Keep telling yourself that, Riles."

I glare at Lucy and consider throwing ice cream at her, but I can't let it go to waste. It's not like I even have a choice about whatever Ross and I have. He'll stay here on the island and go back to working at a warehouse and I'll go somewhere and do something that's supposed to lead to a 8-5 soul-crushing career. We can't have a future, no matter what we want.