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“Hey!” Shane patted Ash’s friend on the shoulder. “Will I see you in the water later?”

The boy nodded with excitement. “Definitely.”

“Well, if that’s the case, we won’t stand in line next time!” My mom’s voice carried across the entire square.

“Mom!” I muttered to myself. “You’re being served.”

“But it seems to me that the second-class guests are standing here at the front.” She winked at me. “Oh. Hello, Shane, I didn’t see you.”

“Mom, please!” If she kept this up, she would scare away the customers. Everyone around her was still laughing. However, when hunger became too great, patience for others often suffered.

Loaded down with Shane’s lunch, I turned to him. “See you later. I have to get back to work.”

“Ash, burgers are coming right up.”

The line in front of my truck was growing.

Sway gave me a huge grin. “Come on, boss! Don’t pretend you’re tired.”

Shane

The kids devoured their lunch like starving wolves.

“Shane, when can we finally get in the water?” Ellis asked. They gazed out at the sea impatiently.

“Once you’ve digested your food, we’ll have plenty of time. First, there’s a little theory. You can familiarize yourselves with the boards. And after you’ve warmed up well on land, we can still paddle out.”

Ellis shook his head. “Man, I don’t want to be sitting around the whole time.”

They had been the first person to sign up for my surf course for queer kids. In no time at all, the course was full, and my vague idea from the winter had turned into a full-fledged course.

“Hey, guys, can you use another person?” Carissa came up the stairs to the surf school.

Ellis jumped up and a few of the teenagers who had already finished eating followed suit. “What’s there to do?”

My boss eyed me questioningly and I nodded. She had given me complete freedom, but I was glad of her support.

“Then I need a few helping hands to get the boards for you.”

While Carissa set off, I stayed with those who were in no hurry to finish.

“What if I can’t manage the takeoff? What if I lie on my board until the end of the course without ever really surfing?” Jasmin glanced at me hesitantly and chewed on her lower lip.

I tried to appear as relaxed and unknowing as possible. “You go at your own pace. There’s no goal to achieve. All you are supposed to do is have fun.”

She nodded pensively. “That’s what my dad said.” Shaking her head, she studied her lunch leftovers.

I watched her as inconspicuously as possible and struggled with myself to ask if there was anything else on her mind. But the wait was enough and she continued. “However, I’m not sure if his only concern is that I finally take up some kind of sport.” She grew quiet. “He said that after everything that happened last year . . . and I’ve never been the biggest sports fan . . . and then he said he didn’t even know what sports girls do . . . as if the only thing people could be interested in was sports . . . ” She exhaled deeply and put her food back in the box.

“But you wanted to come here, right?” I felt compelled to ask. Two of her friends were sitting next to her. Tony took Jasmin’s hand and Darla watched us all intently.

Jasmin nodded. “Yes. A course on the beach is not something I want to miss out on. But I don’t want to have to win anything. No race or no final exam in the course, or . . . ?”

I shook my head. “You don’t have to.” I desperately tried to decide whether what I was about to say was right. “And of course, I don’t know how things work at your house, but when you registered, your dad didn’t say anything like that at all. He specifically wrote that you shouldn’t be forced to do anything you don’t want to do. The surf camp is supposed to be fun for you.”

“He said that?” Jasmin stared at me in disbelief.

I nodded. “Of course, I don’t know your dad, but people sometimes express their concern and affection differently than we do or than is good for us. Maybe your dad feels connected to you when he can talk to you about sports.”