Lina remembered back to a time when she had just turned 10. It was about a week after her birthday, and she was so excited to be a double-digit age. She was at the swimming pool, it was the summer, and Lina, in her bright blue one-piece bathing suite, was bored. She dipped her toes into the cool water and watched the ripples spread out and disappear. It was now an adult swim, no kids allowed in the pool, and Lina had nothing better to do than wait.
A girl walked away from the snack bar with two Rainbow Pops in her hands, one in each hand, and sat down at a table alone. Lina sighed, and decided she was hungry for a Rainbow Pop herself. They were her favorite of all popsicles, because she loved being able to taste a whole other ring of flavor after the first one had been licked off. It was the one with the most varieties, which Lina liked.
She dug a few dollars out of her knapsack and walked over to the long snack line. Her feet were getting hot from standing on the scorching pavement, and she hopped back and forth, from foot to foot, as if doing an awkward dance. This made the girl at the table, only a few feet away from her, laugh.
Lina jerked her head in that direction, and blushed, realizing how foolish she looked. The girl gave her a gap-toothed smile, but the Rainbow Pop was melting in her hand. Lina smiled back shyly, and didn’t move even though the bottoms of her feet were scorching hot.
The line progressed little. She rocked back and forth on her heels, now feeling insanely thirsty.
“Hey!” the girl at the table called.
Lina turned fully around and gave her attention.
“Do you want this?” She held up an unopened Rainbow Pop.
Lina stepped forward towards the girl, and grinned. “Sure. Thanks.”
Even though her mother had told her not to take anything from strangers, Lina felt that this girl was perfectly nice. And it was only a Rainbow Pop, after all.
She took it from the girl’s hand and decided to visit the water fountain instead of buying a bottle of water.
“Hey, wait.” The girl stopped her. “Aintchya’ gonna’ pay me?”
Lina furrowed her eyebrows and walked in front of the girl. “Pay you?” She asked.
The girl nodded at her closed fist, in which she held her money.
“Well, uh……sure, I guess.” She shrugged and handed her a dollar.
“Thank you.” She said politely and squinted her eyes at the sun. She seemed ready to say something, looked around, hesitated, and then asked: “Do you want to sit with me?”
Lina studied the girl carefully. She had long blond hair, an orange and yellow bathing suite, and little brown freckles running up the bridge of her nose. She looks nice, Lina decided. Why not?
She took a seat across from the girl, and her feet felt relief under the shade of the table.
“So, what’s your name? My name is Jaclyn, but just call me Jackie.” The girl started.
“I’m Lina.” She said shyly.
Before Jackie could say anything more, Lina asked: “Why did you have two Rainbow Pops?”
This seemed to take the girl by surprise, but she shrugged. “I like ‘em. A lot.” She grinned. “And plus, my friend was supposed to come to the pool today, but never did. I got it for him, but I don’t even know if he’ll like it.” Jackie wiped at a smudge of ice cream on her cheek.
Lina giggled. “I like ‘em too. They’re my favorite.” She explained her theory of it having all kinds of different flavors.
“I like the colors. All the other popsicles look boring.” Jackie explained.
They shared melting Rainbow Pops, talked in the heat of the sun, and finally went out to swim together after the adult swim.
Their mothers met, and after that day, Lina could still remember how sticky her hands were from the melting popsicle. It was a day she’d never forget.