Take Me To The Ocean (Editing)

Chapter 1 (Part 2)

Before I slept, I got a text from Colin.

Beach at 3?

I replied a second after.

See you then

~

I woke up the following morning at around nine. I followed the scent of dad's delightful pancakes to the kitchen. I was still in my brother, Dylan's big grey shirt, and my boxers. My wavy brown hair was all tangled up, but still fell over my shoulders.

Dad's pancakes were the best. He put blueberries in the batter, and served them to us with strawberries on the side. I don't know why, but I could never resist them.

Dylan was there too. He was playing video games, sitting awfully close to the TV. I ran a hand through my hair, and rolled my eyes. Dylan was a college student, and just the thought of him in his dorm, doing homework, so focused, I couldn't even picture it. He looked like a fully grown man, playing video games. When he saw me, he paused the game and asked me, "Hey, you surfing later?"

"Yup," I sounded assured, since I was going with Colin. "Are you?" I asked him.

"Most likely." He then went back to his game, as I went over to eat my pancakes.

~

Kianna woke up the same day, while we were preparing for lunch. She never woke up early when there was no school. I remember, last summer she came over for a sleepover at my place. We stayed up until maybe two, watching A Walk To Remember. She woke up the next day at one.

As she scratched her eyes walking down the stairs, I said, "Well, hello, sleeping ugly." She grabbed a throw pillow and threw it at me. I guess that's why they called them throw pillows. I laughed hysterically, almost bumping into Dylan.

I sat next to Kianna, with a plate of pizza for lunch. It was breakfast for her, though. I understood then why Kianna was so skinny; she never had breakfast. It must help.

After lunch, Kianna had to leave. They were visiting her grandmother in the hospital, so I wouldn't argue the way I did normally. I ended up in my room, burying my face into a book I had to read over the summer for English III. It was Gatsby. It had a good plot, so I got into to it really quick.

By the time it was close to three, I hadn't even noticed it was. Dylan had to come in my room, asking me what time I'd get out. I told him I'd be out at three, and he just nodded and probably went off to change. I decided I'd do the same.

That day, I wore my yellow bikini. It was good with the tan I had, and I decided to use it before I got any darker, which I would over the summer. It was hot out, so I rubbed some sunblock on as well. After, I walked to the shack we had on the left of our house. I kept all my three boards there, including Dylan's one, and Dad's kayak. I pulled out my green Ripcurl board, which was my smallest, speediest one, and a bar of wax. Dylan followed, doing basically the same.

The beach was full that afternoon with surfers, body boarders and girls who just wanted a better tan. I tried scanning for Colin, but I couldn't find him. The thing I worried about was the fact that I'd only seen him once in my life, so I maybe did see him, just didn't recognize him.

I decided to sit on the sand, and wax my board a bit while waiting. Dylan already did his while I was looking for Colin, so by the time I sat, he was already in the water, paddling out. I sat out there, under the sun, that my skin almost felt burnt. It was different in the water, because at least out there, the water keeps you cool. Out here, the sand was hot too so even your ass would melt. Although, some people like that.

I waited a couple minutes, wondering if he was sitting waiting as well, and we'd both end up thinking we were stood up. I mean, not like this was a date. But after a while, when I was sitting on my waxed board instead of the sand, watching surfer after surfer riding the waves, Colin approached me. He and I both smiled at each other.

"Sorry, my dad made me clean up the garage," he said, taking my hands and pulling me up.

"Oh, it's no problem," I said. I grabbed my board as he leaded us out into the sea.

The waves were pretty strong that day, so it made it harder to get out. When we finally got out, Colin gestured for me to get out first. I let out a laugh, and paddled farther. I felt the sun breathing down my back, only darkening it even more. The thing is, my tan was awfully uneven, which means, my back was darker than my front because of paddling too much. It was an awful nightmare.

I caught a small wave. It wasn't exciting at all. It was a little bit rushed too, because the end came quick. I barely did any tricks, which sucked, so I just jumped off to the back, and got back on my board. Once I paddled to Colin, he started clapping in approval. I rolled my eyes at him, and as I paddled past him, said, "tip of the iceberg, man."

The second wave I caught was much better. It was bigger and just felt better. I did two snaps off the top, before trying for an aerial. I had just learned how recently, so I wasn't very good. The moment I pushed up from the bottom, passing through the white water, I was in the air. I made sure I kept it together. I dropped a good landing. It was a happy moment, because it felt like the first I had done perfect. Well, at least it felt perfect. The wave fell silent after that, so I paddled back to where Colin was waiting, bobbing up and down as the waves passed him.

"That was amazing, how'd you pull that off?" he asked me. I laughed and shrugged.

"Practice?" I honestly didn't know how I could surf at all. New York has nearly zero surf spots. Only water parks with lame wave pools. My dad always told me that it was my natural instinct, but it was hard to believe him.

He laughed, and I gestured for him to take a turn. And boy, I wish I didn't. His snaps were insanely sharp and precise, his aerial was presented on such a way that he looked like he belonged in the air. I had to bite my lip to keep me from dropping my jaw in shock. I supposed it was because he was born and raised here. I wish I was.

When he dropped back into the water, and paddled over, I raised both my hands up like surrender. "What the hell was that? Were you really asking me for lessons, because I think it should be the other way around, sir," I said.

He laughed and looked down at the water like he was shy.

"I only asked because I wanted to hang out with you."