“Just get in.”

Ethan is standing on the platform and fidgeting with his life jacket as he’s looking down at me in the water. A dolphin swims by him and he takes a step back.

“I’m just going to watch from here,” he says, clearly nervous.

I try, but I can’t stop laughing at him. This is too funny.

Aaron is on the other side of the tank watching us. I turn my floating body and put my back to him. I saw him shopping in the jewelry store at the resort this morning. It must be going better than I thought with Stephanie. I’m actually happy about that. I want him to completely forget about me the way I’ve completely forgotten about him.

“Ethan,” I say, “don’t be a pussy.”

That seems to work. Ethan’s face gets serious as he reluctantly climbs into the water. We’re in the ocean at the Dolphin Sanctuary Club swimming with the gorgeous mammals. It’s a large tank with netting along the sides and bottom. I feel bad that the dolphins are trapped but they seem so happy the way they’re swimming around and playing with the tourists.

Ethan swims over to me, constantly looking below the water like there’s a shark swimming around in the tank. A dolphin swims under the water below him and he lifts his feet up and takes a sharp breath.

I can’t stop giggling. “I didn’t think you got nervous.”

“I don’t,” he says, flinching as another dolphin swims by him.

“You’re totally nervous,” I say, trying to hold in a laugh. I love seeing him on edge like this. “Mr. King of the Jungle is nervous around a harmless dolphin.”

“That’s right,” he says, constantly looking around. “King of the Jungle. The ocean is not my kingdom.”

A dolphin swims towards me and spins onto its back. He glides past me, chirping for a belly rub. His skin is so rubbery and smooth. I wonder what’s going through his mind as I pet him. Dolphins are way smarter than we give them credit for.

Ethan is watching me touch it with wide eyes. I wonder what’s going through his mind as well.

“Come,” I say, waving Ethan over before the dolphin swims away. He shakes his head no.

“Touch him,” I say. “Did you know that dolphins can use tools to solve problems?”

“Problems like how to get around and breathe on land?” he asks. “They can’t be that smart.”

“They are,” I say. “They can speak to each other and even transmit knowledge to their young.”

“So?” he says, not looking impressed at all. “Humans have made airplanes, cell phones and even went to space. We’ve discovered math and art and invented thousands of languages. You think I’m going to be impressed over a few chirping noises?”

I roll my eyes at him. “You’re the worst.”

“Look at that!” he says, smiling for the first time today.

Stephanie screams as a dolphin humps her. “Get it off me!” she screams. It’s holding onto her with its flippers and going to town on her life jacket.

The guide blows his whistle and pokes the dolphin with a pool noodle and he vanishes under the water. Stephanie fixes the enormous sun hat on her head and tries to act like nothing happened as Megan is dying of laughter beside her.

“Wow,” I say to Ethan. “Her sluttiness transcends species.”

Ethan is barely paying attention. His huge eyes are scanning the water underneath him. “God they’re everywhere!” he says in a panic as a dolphin swims below, not anywhere near him.

He shoots me a dirty look when I can’t stop laughing at him.

“I’ll go take some pictures of you instead,” he says, swimming to the edge of the enclosure.

“Okay, Aquaman,” I say. “Or should I call you Awkward-man?”

He climbs out of the pool and takes off his life jacket. “Ha ha very funny,” he says.

A dolphin swims by me on its back but I just ignore it, choosing to admire the other animal in front of me. Man, I’m going to miss seeing those tattooed muscles every day.

He leaves to get the camera in our bag when Megan sees me and swims over. She starts singing and I join in with the next verse:

I frown as a dolphin swims by. “Poor guys stuck in here. Now I feel bad.”

“Me too.”

Ethan comes back with the camera as another dolphin swims in front of us upside down, wanting to be pet.

I smile at the camera as Ethan takes a picture. He checks the screen and nods. “You two look great.”

Megan is looking at me funny. “You guys are hanging out a lot,” she says. “Isn’t Aaron jealous?”

I shrug. “Probably.”

She looks confused. “Am I missing something?”

“No,” I say, looking away.

Megan grabs my arm. “Tanya. I know when you’re lying.”

I take a deep breath and let it out. “Aaron cheated on me.”

Her hands fly up to her mouth. “Oh my God!”

“With Stephanie.”

“OH MY GOD!” she screams. “That bitch!”

“Wait,” I say, grabbing her wrist as she’s about to swim over to give Stephanie shit. “It’s fine. Really.”

Megan grinds her teeth. Her nostrils are flared and she’s breathing heavily. “No, it’s not fine,” she says in a tight voice.

But it is. Ethan has made it all worth it.

“When did this happen?” she asks. Her hands are clenched into fists under the water.

“Monday,” I whisper.

“MONDAY?!? I’m going to kill that bitch.” I haven’t seen her look like this since Cindy MacMillan stole my recorder and broke it on the jungle gym in the sixth grade.

“Please don’t make a scene,” I say, holding her back. “It should have been over between me and Aaron a long time ago. I’m happy that it happened because it made me realize that at least.”

Her face softens from anger to sadness. “I’m so sorry Tanya,” she says, rubbing her forehead. “I’ve been so busy with the wedding and entertaining Lucas’ family. I didn’t realize what you were going through. I’ve been a shitty friend.”

“No, you haven’t,” I say, feeling bad. “It’s your wedding week. Of course, you’re going to be busy. I just didn’t want to ruin it for you.”

“You?” she asks. “It’s not your fault. At all.” She turns and glares at Stephanie. “It’s that bitch.”

Stephanie is rubbing a dolphin’s belly in a very sensual way. She’s wearing a big white t-shirt and an enormous, flopping sun hat. Her skin is still way to sunburnt to be exposed to the sun.

Megan looks pissed. “Look at her,” she says. “Is she going to give it a blowjob? I can’t stand that girl anymore.”

“Then why is she the maid of honor?” I ask. It just blurts out of me before I can stop it.

“I’m sorry about that,” she says, looking down. “She helped me so much at work with the magazine. I really didn’t know anything and she’s taken me under her wing and really helped me out. She’s Lucas’ sister and she paid for the honeymoon.” She shakes her head and sighs. “And I never really asked her. She just kind of claimed the role. I asked her to be a bridesmaid and she said that she’d love to be the maid of honor. She just kept talking about it and I didn’t have the heart to tell her no.”

My best friend looks like she feels really bad. I think it’s time to let her off the hook for this.

“It’s okay,” I say, trying to let it go. “I don’t want to cause any strife or stress for you this week. I’m fine being a bridesmaid. Really I am. I’m just happy to be up there when you get married.”

Megan bites her lip as she thinks. “That’s why it should be you.”

Silence hovers between us.

“Don’t you see, Maximus?” I say, quoting one of our favorite movies. “That is why it must be you!”

“Oh Russel Crow,” Megan says, clasping her hands together. “Who would have thought that an Austrian gladiator could be so dreamy?”

“Australian,” I correct.

“That’s what I said.”

“You said Austrian.”

Megan looks confused. “What’s the difference?”

“Does Lucas know how absolutely clueless you are when it comes to geography?” I ask.

She shakes her head. “I’m waiting to tell him after the wedding.”

“Smart move. Lock him down first.”

“That way he can’t go anywhere.”

“Or he can move to Austria and you’ll never be able to find him.”

Megan crushes her hand into a fist. “I’ll find him. Even if I have to cross the whole outback looking for him.”

I shake my head and laugh. “I’m returning the toaster I got you and getting you an atlas for your wedding gift.”

“A toaster?” Megan says, perking up. “How many toasting levels?”

“Forty-nine.”

Her smile drops into a frown. “I guess that will do.”

We both laugh and all seems to be forgiven. It feels good to be joking around with my best friend again. I’ve missed her. A lot.

“So Ethan?” she asks. “What is going on with that?” Are you two…”

I tell her everything that happened. Everything. It’s nice to finally tell her and the shocked look on her face is priceless.

“Wow!” she says, when I’m finished. “That’s crazy.”

“Here comes Ursula now,” I say, motioning behind her with my eyes.

“Hey, bestie!” Stephanie says, swimming over with her gigantic hat blowing in the wind.

Megan has a look in her eye straight out of the Terminator movies. I place my hand on her arm. “It’s okay,” I whisper. “Just let it go. I have.” Not really.

“Not right now, Stephanie,” Megan snaps. “I’m talking with my best friend. Tanya.”

Stephanie glares at me with an evil look. I just smirk at her. That’s right bitch. I’m the best friend.

“Whatever,” Stephanie says, rolling her eyes. “The dolphins over there are cooler anyway.”

“You pronounced hornier wrong,” I say.

“Ugh,” she snorts as she swims away to the sound of Megan and I laughing.

Megan hooks her arm around mine and we swim around the enclosure with the dolphins racing past us. “I’m sorry again, Tanya. I feel really shitty.”

“It’s okay,” I say, really meaning it this time. “Let’s just let it go because you’re getting married tomorrow!”

Lucas is in the water with thick, white suntan lotion all over his nose. He high fives a dolphin and then squeals in delight.

Megan is watching him with a big smile on her face. “He’s such a nerd.”

“That’s okay,” I say with a laugh. “So are you.”

She squeezes my hand under the water. “I know. We’re perfect for each other.”

They are and I can see why they gel so easily together. Ethan and I are anything but the same. I glance over to where he’s sitting in a chair, leaning back into the sun with his eyes closed. He’s looking as hot and buff as ever. Are we perfect for each other?

I take a deep, heavy breath as I contemplate the answer.

I really can’t tell.