A/N: Thank you always for your support.
So in today's story, Brett is a snowboarding instructor!
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"Hi everyone, my name is Brett, how are we all doing today ?"
Eddy's small group stood in a semi-circle surrounding Brett .
"So, this is the snowboarding for beginners class, let's see how many we have today... five? Perfect! My name is Brett and I'm your instructor for today. So, hands up if you've snowboarded before ? No? None of you ? That's great! 'Cos if you do have any experience, Imma gonna have to send you off to another class. I only want absolute beginners here !"
Eddy was a bit anxious before the lesson started but his mind was quickly put at ease when he heard Brett's friendly and calming voice. He was kinda cute too. He looked like he was in his mid to late 20s so Eddy guessed they were around the same age. He was shorter than Eddy, but Eddy was pretty tall and thought Brett must be average height for an Asian guy. Brett was wearing an oversized Santa hat like all the other ski and snowboarding instructors did and this made him look like an elf.
"OK, so a quick round of introductions? Just your first name and where you're from ? I'll start, so I'm Brett, I'm a local boy, from Canberra. Yeah, I know it's a 2 hours drive away from here but that's still considered local in our Australian snow world, okay? So, how about you go next ?"
Brett points at Eddy.
"Huh? Oh, yeah sure. Hi, I'm Eddy, I'm from Brisbane."
"Hey nice to meet you Eddy, I suppose you don't get much snow up in Brissie, aye. Do you have any skiing experience?"
"Um... no, this is like the 2nd time I've ever seen snow and my first time on a ski slope."
"No worries Eddy. Okay, let's keep going clockwise."
After a quick round of introductions, Brett proceeded to teach the group how to clip their boots into and out of their snowboards, how to stand up and how to fall. Eddy and the rest of the students started practising falling forwards and backwards.
"Hey Eddy, how's it going ?"
Brett approached Eddy to check on his progress.
"I'm good Brett. It does hurt the wrists and knees after a while though."
"Yeah the snow's a bit compacted down here so you feel it more. If you are here for a few more days it may be worth investing in some wrist guards and kneepads."
Brett clapped his palms together and the protective plastic on his wrist guards made a clicking noise. The gesture made him look rather adorable.
"How's your backside Eddy?"
"Huh ? I think it's okay but why ?"
Brett grinned.
"Yeah it looks okay to me, too but.. Sorry, I was joking but that was probably inappropriate. Look, it's just that some students complain that falling backwards hurts their arse. You can actually get padded pants for that, too ya know."
Eddy felt a flutter in his stomach but quickly decides he should pretend he wasn't affected by what Brett just said.
"Nah mate, I suppose my fat arse can take a few falls."
They both laugh out loud.
"Okay, we're now going to take this T bar lift up this small hill..."
The 5 beginner students gasp in unison. One of the young girls shrieked.
"Oh no way Brett! How are we supposed to ride one of those things with a snowboard??"
"Just like you would with skis on, really. You'd be standing on your snowboard though, so with one foot in front of the other. Two people on one T bar and the bar will rest of your hip and will pull you up the hill. Just make sure you don't put the bar anywhere bendy on your body like the inside of your knees or especially at the waist for you girls or else you'll lose your balance and fall off."
Eddy flinched with the thought of falling off the T bar. Eddy asked Brett,
"Why can't we just take a chairlift?"
Brett smiles at Eddy.
"Well Eddy I love your challenging spirit but those are usually located at the intermediate to advanced courses. Baby steps first, okay?"
Oh, yeah, duh.
"And unlike skiing, we really need a bit of slope to get moving on snowboards, so we really can't get much practice on this flat surface. So, partner up, preferably someone your own size and let's go."
Out of the 5 students in Eddy's group, there was a boyfriend/girlfriend couple that wanted to stay together and a pair of girls that were friends. Eddy was the odd one out.
"Ok, is everyone paired up? Hey Eddy, you get to ride with me! Sorry I'm a shortie compared to you but hopefully, it won't affect your ride too much."
After Brett instructed and helped the first 2 pairs go up the slope, he turned to Eddy.
"Ready ?!"
Brett's voice was barely audible as the motor of the T bar lift was roaring in the background.
"Um, yeah, as ready as I could ever be I suppose."
Brett laughed.
"Yeah, that's the spirit !!"
Brett had an infectious smile and Eddy couldn't help smiling back at him despite being very nervous.
The liftie called out.
"Brett mate, you guys ready?"
"Thanks mate, let's go Eddy!"
Brett swiftly moved onto the platform, with so much ease and grace, as if there wasn't any of the snow around him. Eddy tried to quickly follow behind him with baby steps so that he wouldn't slip and fall. It was very tricky because while his left foot was not attached to his snowboard, his right foot was. The liftie hadn't bothered to grab a T bar for them yet and had let the approaching bars move on above Brett and Eddy's heads until they were still getting ready. Of course, Eddy was way too nervous to notice any of this happening around him.
"C'mon Eddy, look up ! You gotta look where you're goin'!"
It was only then when Eddy realised he was looking down at his feet. Eddy looked up and saw Brett smiling and reaching his hand out to him. Eddy tried to grab Brett's hand but his ski gloves were slippery and it was difficult to get a proper grip. Brett clenched his hand into a fist.
"Grab my wrist instead Eddy, c'mon"
Eddy tried to grab Brett's wrist. What looked like a log, too wide to grab hold of, was merely air from Brett's puffy ski jacket and it rapidly collapsed under Eddy's nervous grip into an unexpectedly slender wrist.
With surprising strength not expected from someone smaller than him, Brett pulled Eddy up so that he wasn't hunched over anymore so the two boys were now standing tall on the platform.
"Here ya go boys, have fun !"
The liftie grabbed the next oncoming T bar, stretched out its cable and placed the bar onto the boys, right onto Eddy's hip but the other side was purposely placed much higher on Brett, about where his lower back was. It had to be that way so that the bar was kept horizontal so it was easier for Eddy.
Eddy felt the forceful pull of the T bar as he slid up the hill. His eyes opened wide in terror.
"Oh, sh*t.."
Brett let go of the cable between them and firmly placed his hand onto Eddy's shoulder.
"It's okay Eddy, we're good, you're doing great. Just stay nice n' still and relaxed."
The roaring motor noise quickly vanished and all they could hear was a soothing hum with the occasional clanking noise as they went past the cable towers of the T bar lift.
"Wow. It's suddenly so much quieter"
"Yeah, it's nice, hey."
In the corner of his eye, Eddy noticed that the T bar on Brett's side was digging into his lower back.
"Hey Brett, isn't the bar meant to be pulled down lower for you?"
"Yeah, maybe a bit. You've got long legs. That's okay, I'm used to it, don't worry."
They rode up the rest of the short hill in silence.
"Hey, there's our stop and I can see the rest of the guys. Sh*t, Eddy do you think Kate and James are arguing?"
Eddy was way too preoccupied to pay any attention as he was guided by the liftie and Brett to dismount the T bar. Once he managed to collect himself, Eddy realised that Brett was right, the couple were arguing.
Brett quickly approached Kate and James.
"What's wrong guys?"
Kate turned to Brett, exasperated.
"It's impossible to ride that thing with him, he's too tall!!"
James snapped back.
"No kidding. She kept pushing the friggin' bar downwards, it was practically behind my knees and it almost took me out under my legs!!"
"Look, if you guys managed to still get up here without falling off halfway up, you've done great, really. But we can swap lift buddies next time we're on the T bars okay ?"
Luckily Brett's soothing voice seemed to have had an effect on the fighting couple and much to Eddy's relief, both of them calmed down so that the group were able to proceed with the lesson – going down their first slope on a snowboard!
Eddy was looking down from the top of the small beginner's slope on his snowboard. In his mind, he felt like he was staring down the chasm of death.
Once Eddy overcame the initial fear of getting started, the adrenalin rush kicked in as he started going down the hill. Eddy imagined he was gliding down the hill in perfect form, carving a smooth and continuous wavy line, just like the way Brett had demonstrated for them, even though in reality it was more like he was slowly shredding off a thin layer of snow in a jagged line as he eased his way down the hill.
He attempted to change direction and ended up pointing his snowboard directly down the hill, which made him pick up some speed.
"Wahhhhh...!!"
Eddy heard the wind gush past his ears and felt the adrenalin overdrive before he lost his balance and fell forwards into the snow. It was much softer on his hands and knees than it was at the bottom of the hill where they started their lesson and he pushed himself up and out of the snow, with a child-like grin from ear to ear. He noticed Brett looking at him from a distance.
"Eddy ! Nice stack! You okay ?"
"Yeah, this is so much fun !!"
"That's the way it should be !! You're ready for the next slope?"
"Yessss!!"
Eddy got up and scooted along the flat surface towards Brett. He had both feet on his board and had built a bit too much momentum.
"Whoaah, Brett, sorry, I dunno how to stop, I'm gonna.. watch out..!!"
Brett opens out his arms to catch Eddy.
"Hey easy Eddy, I know I'm irresistible but I'm not all yours yet."
Oh geez he's such a flirt.
"Oh geez how do you pull off saying stuff like that?"
"Ha, it's called snow charm. They say I am terribly charismatic and attractive when I'm instructing. I turn back into a geeky little Asian guy once I'm off the snow."
Eddy burst out laughing, while he was still cuddled up in Brett's arms.
Perhaps true, but I have a feeling he'd still be pretty cute off the snow.
To be continued....(OMG not again!? Sorry guys, I promise this will be a duology and will conclude in the next chapter...!)