Love's In The Water ~Jake Nolan~

Chapter Twenty

*Two weeks later*

After agreeing to participate in the Lifeguard Challenge, it's the talk of the tower. And today's the today, Lifeguard Challenge is in thirty minutes. "Eve. Jake. I've got a proposal for you's" Maxi says, placing a hand on the back of our necks "If you both place in the top five, you get back together" He says and I look at Jake who mirrors my expression "And what if we don't place in the top five?" I ask "Nothing happens," Maxi says "Deal," I say and shake hands with Maxi "Deal," Jake says and does the same and we get ready for the race.

Me and Dad are in the last handicap at ten minutes "Good luck Evie" Dad says "You too Dad" I say and he gives me a low high five "And...go!" Deano says and Dad and I jog off from the starting line, down the promenade and down the streets and taking them down to Tama and I'm having trouble breathing but dismiss it from the running. "You good Eve?" Dad asks as he slips his shoes off at Tama "Yeah. I'm fine" I say and race down the stairs before Dad and start making up for the ten-minute handicap that we started with.

Running into the surf, was cold and icy and I just wanted to turn around but started swimming and caught up to the lifeguards who were coming last in the surf and passed them and a few more on the way to Bronte. "How you going, E?" Hoppo asked as I come out of the water "Yeah, good" I say grabbing a board "Use this" He says and hands me my inhaler "Box has got one with him on the jet ski, just in case" Hoppo says and chuck him the inhaler back and run into the seven-foot surf. If we were surfing, this would have been a piece of cake but since it's a board paddle, it's bloody hard and I'm just getting smashed by each set that comes through. I move to the end of the board, holding on to the ropes on the side so the board with will go over the wave "F*ck!" I scream as there's bigger set coming "You good Eve?" Box asks from the jet ski "Yeah, just going no way" I say "Good luck" He says and leaves me to battle the waves.

"Come on!" I complain as more big waves come. I look over my shoulder and see Jesse, Maxi, Glick and Jethro behind me also battling the gigantic waves. After being washed back a few metres with each wave there's a break and I use that to my advantage and start paddling and make it past the breakers and it was smooth sailing after that - Tama to Bondi was so smooth and so easy, it almost didn't feel real. "I've got an update for you Deano. Kiddo's coming in first with Chappo in second, and Jake behind him" Box says from the side "Kiddo" Box says and chucks me my inhaler, I take a puff and chuck it back "There's about three board lengths between Kiddo and Chappo" Box says and I like the lead I have on Chappo and I continue paddling until I saw a wave looming in the back and I decided to have a bit of fun coming into Bondi.

"Who's this? Is this Kiddo? Is it Eve?" Deano asks as he sees a lifeguard riding a wave in "There's the top. That's Kiddo!" Deano announces spotting Eve's bikini top as she's the lifeguard that wears a bikini top for being the only girl in the service "Everyone bring it in for Eve. Only seventeen years of age and she has completed the annual Lifeguard challenge, first time" Deano says congratulating Eve as she runs up the beach.

"Nice work Kiddo. How was that?" Deano asks as I place my hands on head getting more air into my lungs "Far out! It was impossible to get out at Bronnie" I say puffed "There's water and food in the tower. Well done" Deano says and I head up to the tower and take a cookie and a bottle of water and watch the guys come out of the water. Chappo came in second, followed by Jethro, Jake in fourth and Jesse in fifth, and they came into the tower for water and something to eat.

Maxi came in sixth and sprinted up to the tower to see if Jake and I were in there. "Did you purposely come sixth to see we came in top five?" I say sitting on Jake's knee, giving Maxi an idea of what happened "Yes!" He said and Jake and I burst out laughing "What happened?" Chappo asked "Eve and Jake made a deal that they both came in the top five, they'd get back together," Maxi said and the other clapped and I didn't realise how much everyone liked me and Jake together "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" They guys chanted "Nah!" I say and walk to the other side of the desk "Come on Eve!" They guys say and I walk back over to Jake, lean down and kiss him and roars from the tower and we pull away and I sit on his lap blushing like crazy.

"It is my pleasure to announce the winner of the 2018 Bondi Lifeguard Challenge" Hoppo said holding the crest "First time winner and the youngest member on the service, Miss Everlynn Carroll" Hoppo said and I walked up while the public and the guys cheer "Congratulation Eve" Hoppo said handing my the crest.

Jake drives me home, as the guys were going out for dinner and a beer but I've got school in the morning so I gotta go home and Jake offers to drive me. "Did you really want me back? Like if Maxi hadn't said anything, would you go out with me?" Jake asks as he parks the car "...Yeah. I would, maybe not now but yeah. You're a good guy Jake" I say and for a few moments, he just stares into my eyes, as cheesy as it sounds. I've fallen for Jake so hard. "I want you to have this" Jake says taking off his ring and handing me it "Jake..." He never takes his ring off, ever and he placed it in my hand "Take it. So those d*ckheads at school know you're mine" He says "I don't know what to say" I say, I physically can't wear his ring since it's too big but I'll find a way to show it off "Just promise me that you won't lose it and if you ever feel lonely, know you're not" Jake says "Thank you Jake" I say and kiss him. Not like how I did in the tower, this is was one was slower and had a lot more meaning then we're back together. It meant that I trust you, you're mine and I'm yours. "Wanna come in and stay the night?" I ask "Harries would kill me if he found out," He says "Forget dad. Do you want to stay the night with me?" I rephrase "I'd love to spend the night with you," He says and we head to the door and up to my bedroom.

"No funny business, Eve. I'm serious" Emily says as we walk up the stairs "Night Em," I say and we tiptoe pass Billy and Leo's rooms. I grab one of Jake's t-shirts, one that I never gave back and a pair of trackies and get changed into them for pj's. "So that's where that went?" He says as I step out of my bathroom "Yeah. I was meant to give it back but never did" I say walking over to my jewellery box, finding a spare chain, sliding the ring onto and doing the clasp up behind my neck, letting it hang low on my chest and walk over to Jake whose on my bed. After watching a bit of Netflix, I start to fiddle a bit trying to find a comfortable position that I can fall asleep in. "Okay, that's enough Netflix for one night," Jake says and closes my laptop and puts it on the floor beside my bed. While he does that I go under all my covers and blankets, cuddle up to Jake and place one hand on his toned chest while he places one arm around me and the other on top of the one on his chest and I fell asleep in his embrace.

*Ummm, can I just say that this has 1 thousand reads! Like holy crap! Thank you. Didn't know it was possible to get 1k reads with a story that was only partly done and has currently nineteen, now twenty chapters. Like, wow! Thank you ~ Byeeeee Charlie*