Can't Get Enough [Wattpad Featured Story]

Chapter Twenty-Nine

"The waves of death swirled about me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me. The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called to the Lord; I called out to my God...He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters." – 2 Samuel 22:5-7, 17

Maya's shrill voice jolted Alana awake. She nearly fell off the couch as she sat up and yanked her headphones out of her ears. "What?" she yawned. "What's going on?"

"We're here," Maya repeated.

"Did I seriously fall asleep?" Alana muttered. She glanced anxiously out the window. Sure enough, they were cruising down Harbor Boulevard, with the stormy ocean visible to their left.

"It seems like ages since we were last here," Koa said.

Alana squinted up at the dark clouds overhead. The ground was wet, indicating a recent rain spell, but now only an occasional raindrop fell here and there.

"So what's our plan?" Maya asked the group. "The Anderson house or...?"

"Cole's not at home," Blaine said automatically. "I already checked with Dad. And Cole isn't answering his cell phone. The next best place would be to check the beach."

"Yeah, like he would go surfing in this mess," Jake scoffed.

"I didn't say he was surfing," Blaine corrected. "I said he's probably at the beach. It's his therapy."

Maya flipped on her blinker and pulled into the parking lot. Ventura Pier rose out of the stormy ocean like a sleeping giant. The beach they had grown up surfing their entire lives was devoid of all life except for a few sweatshirt-clad joggers.

"Well?" Koa asked when they stepped out, shivering, to scan the beach for any sign of Cole. "What should we do next? He's not here."

"I guess we could drive by Surfer's Point; that's the next spot he might—" Maya started, but she was interrupted when Alana gave a sharp cry.

"Oh no—Tammy!" Alana darted across the sand, not caring that the cold pierced her bare feet. "Tammy!" she cried again. The wind carried her voice away, so she pushed herself to run faster. She pumped her arms and legs until she nearly collapsed with exhaustion upon reaching the pier.

Two figures were stumbling out of the water. One was clearly Cole, his jeans soaking wet and his bare chest shivering. The other was Tammy, coughing up water as she collapsed on the sand.

"Tammy!" Alana cried, rushing over and wrapping her sister in a large hug. She brushed Tammy's wet bangs out of her eyes and cradled her against her chest. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Tammy said hoarsely, her small, pale hands returning the embrace. "C-Cole saved me."

Alana hugged her sister's tiny body against her own and glanced over at Cole. He plopped down in the sand, his chest rising and falling rapidly with each breath. "Thank you," Alana said, the words barely forcing their way out of her mouth.

Cole nodded but said nothing. His wheezing breath sounded harsh to Alana's ears, so she turned back to her sister. "Thank God you're all right! What's going on? What were you doing out there?"

"I wanted to surf the big waves," Tammy said quietly, her coughing fit finally over.

"So you paddled out in a storm? Tammy, that's insane. If Cole hadn't been here..." Alana let her sentence trail off as they continued to embrace. "I just don't want to lose you."