Jim and I toss a baseball around as Ben and Carl avidly discuss Star Wars.
“Hey, guys!” Kim and Lisa are walking across the street. They sit in just under the shade of the elm. Ben’s eyes nearly pop out of his glasses when Lisa tells him she likes Star Wars; and then they’re lost to us. Melinda is walking her dog around the block again. I groan.
“Nah, she’s cool,” Kim says. “Mel, come and hang with us!”
Melinda fakes being surprised, like Kim’s talking to someone else.
“No, that’s okay,” she says.
Kim laughs. “Don’t be stupid, Mel.”
“Well, okay…” She walks over and sits by Kim.

It’s the beginning. We don’t know it, but summers afterwards we’ll be in the same place. It’s all we know- our suburban paradise, which we frequently talk about leaving but love anyway. We’ll listen to Nirvana and The Cure, Mel painting her toenails and avoiding my eyes, Ben and Lisa flirting, Kim playing guitar. And me and Jim, throwing a baseball back and forth.

This summer is all we know, and it’s incredible.