Seasick

Another early start. Even though it was only eight in the morning, it felt as though it was noon. Already the sun was high in the sky and the temperature was unbearably hot. It felt like deja vu as we drove along the monotonous road to the dive center on the other side of the island. It was a tiny island really, like, very wild and isolated. Of course they had everything Jersey had... in smaller quantities and not as good. Also, I just realized the boat I was on was called Jersey Shore, I thought that was pretty cool.
Fiona pulled into the parking lot and parked right in front of the door. We got out and I sighed to myself as I looked towards the three boats bobbing in the water. Jersey Shore. Were the others named after my home state too?

As always, the dive center was blasting the AC which of course was a relief. I watched as one of the guys from yesterday, the scrawny one with the stupid hair was getting a briefing on a camera he was borrowing. Bob was helping him with that. I looked over to my left and nearly jumped out of my skin when I noticed a big dog staring at me. It was huge and black and staring me down. I stared back and it got up and went behind the counter. What was that?

"Hey Dixie." Bob pet the big black dogs head and came over to the main counter where Fiona and I stood. Dixie the big black dog? "Okay, hey guys." Bob smiled. I nodded and Fiona greeted him back. "So Fiona, everything from yesterday is still on the boat. It's all been rinsed and put together so all you have to do is grab your wetsuit from outside, where you left it. As for you Gerard, you're going to meet Frank, you know him right?" I nodded. "Here. He'll come here and you can get started.

"Wait, get started on what?"

"Your dive license." he smiled amused.

"Wait, what?" Fiona giggled to herself and I turned to her. She just shrugged innocently at me but clearly she planned this. She was getting me certified even though I told her I didn't want to. I don't want to be her dive buddy and I don't want to even be here!
I grunted a response to Bob, trying not to make a scene, as Fiona waved me goodbye and left the shop to grab her wet suit and hop on the boat. This wasn't cool at all.
The bell on the shop door chimed and I turned to see Frank enter. He smiled sheepishly at me.

"Hey." Bob nodded to him.

"Hey." he sighed. He sounded as though he ran a mile. "Ray's waiting for Trey to head over to the boat to help him. Where is he?"

"In the back filling tanks, was he supposed to replace you today?"

"All week." Frank nodded. "It's what you told him."

"Oh yeah... I've been so busy... I'll go get him, you're student is here." Bob went through a door to what I guessed was the 'back' with Dixie the big black dog following him.

"Hey." Frank chirped. I looked up at him and nodded. "So it seems I'll be your dive instructor." he mused.

"Apparently." I grumbled. He laughed.

"Well, follow me and we'll start with all the basics." I followed him out of the shop and hung a right towards the resorts bar. The dive operation worked out of the resort and offered a package to its guests. At least, that's what I read on the sign inside the shop. "Okay, so we can grab a drink, sit in the shade, and I'll brief you on the basics. This course is actually supposed to be three weeks-"

"Three weeks?" I interrupted horrified. I would have to be trapped here for three weeks?

"-but were cramming it all into one week 'cause your girlfriend is paying for that. Which of course makes my job a little harder." Frank smiled a little. We walked into the shade of the bar and Frank ordered a Coke, which didn't taste like Jerseys, and i ordered the same. We got them and sat down. It was the first time I noticed he had books and paper in hand. "So, were not going in the pool today though it would be nice 'cause its really hot, but then again it's always hot here." he rambled. "Kay so, being serious now, can you swim?" he had pen poised on paper waiting for my answer.

"I'm scared of the water." i replied honestly. "Like, not pools just oceans." he scribbled that down.

"'Cause you can see your feet right?"

"Umm yeah...?"

"You know Ray right, the other dive master yesterday with the insane hair?" I nodded. "He's the same way. Even now, and honestly he can't swim for his life but that's between the two of us." he giggled.

"So then, how is he a dive master?" I sipped my drink.

"Well, diving isn't really about the swimming, once you get in there you pretty much just float because of your BC, I'll explain what that is, and you have weights to sink. You also never really use your arms. Oddly enough, you have to swim in the test but honestly, its not a big part. Can you swim?"

"Sort of." he nodded to himself as he wrote.

"So, let's just start with getting to know each other. I'm Frank, I'm twenty four and I've been diving since I was twelve. I was born in New Jersey and moved here last year. I've been a dive master since last year and you are my third student." he smiled. "You?" so he was from Jersey? I liked him already.

"I umm... my name's Gerard, I'm twenty six... I have not been diving and don't want to. I was born and live in New Jersey and I'm here for a week and a half of fun and frolic." the last part I added sarcasm.

"Man, I never find anyone from Jersey here! Where are you from?"

"Summit, you?"

"Born in Bellville but moved to Newark." he grinned.

"Oh cool." I tried to sound as interested as he was.

"Okay, back to the diving." he laughed. "You gotta know about equipment." my mind instantly jumped to dirty things. Wait, why was I thinking about men's dicks? What the hell? I'm straight!
"That right there's a regulator but also just called a reg. You have two hoses, one of you and one for if your dive buddy runs out of air." Two hoses? Stop Gerard!
"In the pool I'll show you how to take it out." wait did I just miss something? Take what out?

"Uh okay..." I replied stupidly.

"Following me so far, there will be a quiz on this 'cause you need to know it." I nodded. Focus Gerard! "So, you attach your reg to this part on the tank and you screw it in." Screw it in? God, that sounds nice right about now... what the hell? Am I implying that I want to screw a dude? God no! Fiona! Think of Fiona! Why can't I picture her and only... Oh God. No, no, no, no, NO! I am not picturing my dive instructor naked! Stop it! Stop it!
"You okay?"

"What?" I gasped.

"You're mumbling to yourself to stop it... you okay? You want a water of something? Maybe the heats getting to you, we could go to the back of the dive shop, its private enough to work there and its cooler-" I jumped up so that my chair fell back.

"Uh it's okay. I backed up and nearly tripped over myself. "I uh, I'm not feeling that good, I'm uh... going to the bathroom." I spun and sprinted back to the dive shop. Was he implying that he wanted to take me to the back of the dive shop, to do what? Rape me? Oh my God! I'm a taken man!
Breathe Gerard, breathe! You are not attracted to men and Frank is not going to rape you... or will he? He keeps looking at me! He wants me! Oh my God!

"Gerard?" I jumped in shock and spun around. It was only Fiona. What was she still doing here. "What are you doing, are you okay? It looks like you just saw a ghost." she asked.

"Uh... the heats just getting to me. I had to go to the bathroom." I lied.

"Oh, okay. I just wanted to say bye, apparently the other guy isn't here yet... you sure you're okay?" I nodded.

"Fine." I smiled weakly.

"Sure?"

"Yes, now go have fun." I smiled and turned her around and lightly pushed her towards the boat. She kept walking and didn't look back. I sighed to myself. What is wrong with me?