Once Upon A Surf

Chapter One

I blinked my eyes open, the faint morning sun glowing through the shades on my window. Otherwise, the room was dark, and I could barely make out the clock glinting on the wall. 4:45. I should probably get up if I wanted to practice before school.

Quickly, I stumbled out of bed and grabbed my swimsuit, slipping it on. I pulled on a t-shirt over the top and slid out of the room. I tiptoed down the hall, past my stepsisters' bedrooms. Though they were both my age, they acted like three-year-olds in the morning, and would be thrilled to find any opportunity to get me in trouble.  Now I just had to make it past my stepmother Donna.

I caught my breath and slowly crawled by her room. I smiled, thinking I was home free, when she croaked, "Lindsey?"

I winced, staying silent, until I heard her mutter, "Must be hearing things," before she promptly fell back asleep. Letting out a nervous sigh, I grinned and padded out the door. I started up my beat up blue minivan and backed out of the driveway, planning on heading towards Kuwaii beach. Since I checked the surf stats last night, that was supposed to be the best spot this morning. It was bound to be packed with early-bird surfers like me.

I flipped my shades down over my eyes and sighed, running my free hand through my hair. It was ridiculous, really, that I needed to sneak out of the house in order to surf. Dad wouldn't have made me, I silently thought to myself. In fact, he probably would have been in my room at 4:30, trying to wake me up.  I shook my head, a smile coming to my face as I thought back to the days when he was around to push me to my very best.  In my daze, I barely noticed as my car crept over the yellow line, though the silver Jeep caught my eye just in time.

"Oh, jeez," I muttered, yanking the wheel so it swerved out of the way of the car I had almost just collided with in the parking lot of the beach. The driver honked and cursed loudly enough for me to hear. I slammed my foot on the brake, letting out a heavy sigh as the happy memories of my father dissipated and reality set in. I glanced into the rearview mirror and immediately closed my eyes in annoyance, leaning my forehead on the wheel of my car.

The driver of the Jeep was Courtney Jenkins, my rival on the waves. I opened my eyes and straightened just as she strode up to my car, smirking.

"Hey there, Fisher," she said smarmily.  Lindsey Fisher.  Perfect name for a kid who was always in the water, my dad used to say. I frowned at her. Courtney had dirty blonde hair and a deep tan, a tall and lanky build. "Running a little late, are we?"

I met her eyes evenly.  "Yeah. Would you mind? I should probably get going." Courtney was still wet from her surf, and probably hoped to intimidate me by this confrontation. Which wasn't working, even if she was prime competition out on the waves.

"Oh, sure," Courtney laughed. "You need all the practice you can get, Lindsey."

"I wouldn't talk," I said as I started the ignition. "I didn't wipe out at the last competition." Great. I had dropped to her level. Way to go, Lindsey.

Courtney's eyes flamed, but she stepped away from the car. "Good luck. You're gonna need it."

I ignored her and sped forward towards the end of the lot, glad to be free of the annoyance. Now I could fully focus on the surfing, the real thing that mattered. I parked my van and hopped out, a smile already spreading on my face, the rough morning forgotten. The sun was pink in the sky, having barely risen, and I could make out quite a few surfers at the beach. The air was thick with the smell of salt water, and I eagerly grabbed my board and jogged down to the beach.