Give Me a Sign(17)

“I understand. Happy to help.” He wraps an arm around my waist to keep me above water.

“Thank you,” I sign, painfully aware of how much that sign resembles blowing a kiss. And how we’re so close together that if I were a confident flirt, I could lean forward and actually kiss his cheek.

But I don’t manage that. We just swim side by side toward the others.

It’s exhausting, trekking all the way to the trampoline that’s floating between an inflatable iceberg and flat lily pad platforms. Isaac and I climb the ladder and join the others. I lie back, letting the water coming up from beneath the bouncer mesh slosh over me. The stars are bright in the sky this far away from the city. I stare up, admiring them, ready to fall asleep right here in this spot. This is going to be an incredible summer.

* * *

We’ve been hanging out on the trampoline for a while when Simone casually sits up and notices something in the distance. She looks out to the beach, then says something to Bobby.

“What?” I ask, following her gaze. Someone is yelling, and it isn’t Mackenzie, though she’s still waiting there on the golf cart. “What’s happening?”

Simone raises her voice. “They want us off the lake,” she relays. “It must be the lifeguards.”

Whoops. I did invite Oliver and Ben to join us. I’d assumed we’d be hanging around the beach or something, not partaking in an activity that’s against the rules. I squint through the darkness and see the two of them stripping off their jackets, each grabbing a red buoy and wading into the water.

The other counselors have all sat up, too.

“Who is it?” Jaden asks.

Isaac and Natasha shake their heads, but Ethan fills them in. “The lifeguards,” he says and signs.

“The British are coming!” Bobby shouts. He’s the only one still lying on his back on the trampoline.

I read Simone’s lips as she whispers, “They’re cute this year . . .”

The lifeguards reach us. Ben climbs the ladder and stands on the top rung, towering over our group. “Well ——，” he shouts. He has a strong accent, clipping off the ends of words and making it very difficult for me to understand him. “—— trouble if we —— hours.”

“What if you joined us?” Simone asks. Bobby shakes his head.

“Sorry!” Oliver shouts from the water. He says something else, quietly, that makes Simone giggle.

“Okay.” Bobby sits up so quickly that the whole trampoline sways on the water. “You know what, why don’t you give us a minute, and we’ll make our way back to the beach.” He shouts even louder, his tone stern. “We’re being kicked out, everyone!”

Ben shakes his head, confused by Bobby’s outburst. “Cheers.” He jumps back into the water to rejoin Oliver. The two float on their buoys but don’t move any farther.

“What do they want?” Natasha says and signs, looking straight at me since Ethan’s already jumped down into the water.

“Lifeguards say time to go . . . ” I sign slowly, unsure how to phrase “kicking us out.” “Now is not—”

But as I’m contemplating what words I have in my arsenal to formulate a better explanation, Natasha interrupts me. “Just speak, I’ll read your lips.”

Ouch, I was trying here. “We’re being kicked out by the lifeguards,” I say, my hands clasped in my lap. I try to catch Isaac’s eyes, but he and Jaden are already on their feet. They bounce off the trampoline, launching themselves into the water.

Simone offers Bobby help getting down, but he ignores her and crawls straight to the edge, right over my legs. “Sorry!” he shouts. “I’d be able to find my way if Simone hadn’t abandoned me for her new boyfriends.”

“Come on,” Simone says, rolling her eyes. “Shh, they’ll hear you.”

Bobby dives into the lake, waiting for Simone to jump in after him. He’s one to joke about everything, but is he genuinely jealous? I think I heard “new boyfriends.” So does that mean he’s Simone’s boyfriend? Or was?

“Where are you?” he asks. “Why is no one else splashing into the water?”

“—— help?” Oliver says. The lifeguards kick their way over to Bobby.

“Nope, I can swim,” he says. “Better than you. The only thing is I don’t know which way the beach is.”

“I’m on my way,” Simone says. There’s a hint of exasperation in her voice.

When we all make it to the shore, Mackenzie is waiting for us. She’s scowling, gripping the wheel of the golf cart tightly, probably feeling left out.

Simone guides Bobby up the beach, but he detaches from her arm as soon as he can follow Mackenzie’s voice to the golf cart, where he hops on for a ride back. Simone follows and sits beside him. They seem to be having a serious conversation.

The rest of us grab our bags. Natasha and Jaden jostle for the last seat in the cart, but Jaden beats her to it. “Later,” he signs to her with his tongue sticking out as the four of them speed away back to the cabins.

I wipe the wet sand off my feet, putting my shoes on to walk back up the path toward the cabins with the others. Wrapped in my big beach towel, I carry my backpack off one shoulder. My ears are still too wet to put my hearing aids back in. I look around for Isaac, but Oliver approaches me.