my brother, Chris, said. “I’ll teach you how to surf.” I held my hand above my eyes and squinted up at him from my beach towel. “I’m working on my tan,” I said. He frowned. “Don’t be so lazy.” It was summer vacation and we’d both been spending a lot of time at Sunny Isles Beach, along with everyone else who hadn’t gone to camp or summer school. “I’m not lazy,” I said. “Just comfortable right now.” I loved the feel of the hot sun on my face and the rushing sound of the waves as they rolled onto the shore. I was happy not moving a muscle. I even liked the rotting fish smell of the seaweed strewn along the shore. Chris threw his surfboard in the sand next to me and plopped himself down in the middle of it. “It’ll be fun,” he said, picking up my suntan lotion and squirting it on my leg. I sat up and scowled at him. “What’s wrong? No surfing buddies to hang out with?”
