Page 85 of Debugging Love

“You make it look easy.”

“You’re not so bad yourself.”

I launch off the bottom and float on my back toward the center of the pool. My ears fill with water, prohibiting conversation. Because the more we talk, the more I wonder about his dude ranch.

He joins me and we both float lazily, enjoying the purple hue of the evening sky that’s dotted here and there with stars. They’ll never reach their full potential because of Charleston’s light pollution.

My hand flutters against Chance’s arm. The contact nearly electrocutes me. It’s not safe to play with appliances in water, sowhat am I doing here?Chance isn’t an appliance, Danni.I think my brain is scrambled.

I pop up and swim to the deep end, finding respite against the wall. Chance follows me like a dutiful puppy. I stay focused on the stars as he settles beside me.

We’re quiet for a moment, gazing upward, our slow breathing accompanied by the sounds of water lapping against the pool tiles and insects warming up for a night of singing.

“I wonder what the stars would look like without the light pollution?” I ask.

“Magnificent,” Chance replies.

I glance at him. “You’ve seen it?”

“My dad and I took a fifteen-day motorbike tour in Himachal Pradesh. We drove the Spiti Circuit through the Himalayas, stayed in tents without proper bathrooms or cell service.”

“Did you enjoy it?”

“I almost died a few times, but other than that it was amazing. You should go to the middle of nowhere sometime and look up, preferably during the night. Otherwise, it won’t work.” His face and lips are glistening with water.

“I don’t think I’m that brave.”

“You don’t have to bike through mountains. You could go out west, or up to Alaska. Then you might see the northern lights. Bonus.”

“I might be able to handle an Alaskan cruise.”

We fall silent again, enjoying the cool water against the hot night. Chance pushes off and then glides back to me, only his head out of the water.

“Do you miss India?”

He grabs the wall again. “Yes. But when I was in India, I missed America. It’s a lose-lose.”

“Or a win-win. You have two home countries.”

“But no matter where I go, a piece of me is missing.” His eyes track mine, refusing to let go.

Another electric jolt passes through me, quickens my breaths. His eyes are speaking volumes. I don’t need a translator.

“You wanna race?” he says.

Not where I expected this to go. “Here? Now?”

“Down and back. The winner wins.”

“That’s it? No trophy?”

“The thrill of victory is enough, isn’t it?”

I welcome the excuse to bury my face in the water, an opportunity to burn off the excess energy vibrating down my arms and through my fingertips. “All right.” I grab the edge and plant my feet on the wall.

Chance does the same. “You say when.”

“When.”

---