AGE 14
Sarah had a deep love for surfing, which was more than just a hobby; it was a passion that made her feel weightless as she glided across the water with speed. Surfing had always been a significant part of her life ever since Conrad had taught her.
As she paddled out into the blue world, drifting farther away from the shore, she dipped under the white water to avoid the breaking waves. Once she passed a certain point, the breaking waves subsided, and there was a steady rhythm to the water that made her feel at home.
The gentle rise and fall of the waves lulled her into focus, shifting her mind from a whirlwind of uncertainty to the calming presence of the waves.
Taking a deep breath and filling her lungs with oxygen, she propelled herself into an aggressive paddle. The wave she had her eye on was rapidly approaching behind her, so she paddled with increased intensity. The more speed she gained, the greater her opportunity.
Feeling the water propelling her board from behind, she rose to her feet with more control than she had demonstrated all day. It was a graceful and smooth transition, and the powerful wave propelled her forcefully towards the shore.
Gliding across the watery expanse, the surge of adrenaline and confidence she needed today coursed through her.
Sarah kicked her surfboard into the waves, adding more difficulty and technique to her run. She played with the wave, engaging in a game of give-and-take before the water caught up.
The white water enclosed her board, creating a tunnel that threatened to pull her surfboard underwater with one small mistake. The tunnel narrowed, and the shore grew smaller in her vision.
She took a quick breath and crouched, trying to gain momentum.
Just as she thought it was too late, the surfboard picked up speed and darted out of the tunnel. The fresh air overwhelmed her as the wave subsided, and her surfboard gracefully rode towards the shore.
Applause erupted from the shoreline.
"You're getting better!" Conrad hollered.
Sarah blushed and shook her head, unable to hide the smile that lit up her face. She was secretly pleased that someone had seen her.
"Well, I did have a good teacher." Sarah teased, chuckling as she pulled her surfboard out of the water and walked over to him. "Why are you doing here?"
Conrad shrugged and sat down on the sand, minding the dirt on his shorts. Sarah joined him, both facing the setting sun, painting the horizon in a fiery blaze of color.
"I thought you might like some company." He said.
"Want to join me?" She asked.
Conrad smiled. "Sure."
It didn't take long for Conrad to go back to the Summer House to change into his bathing shorts and grab his surfboard before joining Sarah in the water.
The two surfed more waves, each making their own moves.
Sarah and Conrad both aimed for the same wave, but in the end, he graciously let her have it, as her victorious smile meant more to him than any wave could.
Conrad smirked and prepared for the next wave, while Sarah relaxed on her board, letting it pass by. As he stood up on his board and surfed, he soon tumbled into the water.
"Who's the one wiping out now?" Sarah playfully teased as Conrad surfaced from the water, clutching his board.
Sarah paddled towards the shore, spotting an approaching wave. She stood up, riding it for a few moments before being wiped out by the wind and water, letting out a small yelp as she plunged into the chilly water.
She held her breath for a moment before her surfboard flipped over her, hitting her headfirst into the water.
Literally.
Sarah began paddling towards the shore when she saw a wave approaching. She got up and prepared herself, riding the wave for a few seconds until the wind and water wiped her out. She let out a small yelp as she fell into the cold water.
Sarah had a moment to hold her breath before her surfboard flipped over the top of her, smacking her headfirst into the water.
Literally.
The waves crashed over her board, tossing her body into a disorienting whirl as she struggled to break through to the surface. Up felt like down, and down felt like up. She suppressed the rising panic, gritting her teeth and swimming forcefully in what she hoped was the right direction for air.
Her head burst through the surface of the water, and she gasped for relief before being hit by another wave. This time, she was more composed, more in control. With a quick glance underwater, she propelled herself back up to the surface.
Sarah couldn't help but smile when she saw Conrad ahead, pushing her surfboard towards her.
"Are you okay?" He inquired.
"Yeah, I'm fine." She replied, panting as she hoisted herself back onto her board.
Sarah realized that no matter what the future held with Conrad, she could always look back on this moment and cherish the joy they shared, surfing and living life to the fullest.
Just as it should be.
••••
The sky was overcast, and a chill hung in the air. Sarah, Jeremiah, Steven, Liam and Conrad were tasked with cleaning up the backyard.
Earlier when Susannah announced it was time for cake, Belly eagerly rushed outside. In her haste, she stumbled on the stairs, colliding with Susannah and causing them both to fall. The platter shattered, and the cake splattered everywhere. John helped his daughter up and escorted her to her bedroom.
"Think fast." Jeremiah quipped, tossing a cup into the garbage bag like a basketball.
"Jesus." Liam muttered under his breath, shaking his head.
"Ready?" Jeremiah asked before hurling another cup, missing the garbage bag entirely.
"Why is your aim so bad?" Steven questioned.
"Hey, listen, it's not my fault Liam can't hold a garbage bag." Jeremiah retorted
Sarah scoffed as she picked up cups from the ground. "Or maybe a garbage bag and garbage are nothing like a basketball and net."
"Hey, Huey, Dewey and Louie, can you guys go set up the fireworks? I'll clean up." Conrad suggested, taking the garbage bag from Liam.
Steven, Jeremiah and Liam nodded in agreement before heading down to the beach, leaving Sarah and Conrad alone.
Sarah knew she needed to address what she had heard from Belly earlier that day.
Was it true? Did Conrad still have feeling for her?
"Conrad, can we talk?" Sarah wondered, nervously fidgeting with her hands.
"What'd you have in mind?" Conrad inquired.
Before Sarah could say anything, the back door slid open, and Mr Fisher emerged. He stood at a distance from the teenagers, smoking a cigarette.
"I... I should let you two talk." Sarah said to Conrad, nodding towards his father. "I need to check on Belly anyway."
Conrad nodded slowly. "Okay."
••••
Sarah walked into the kitchen, opened the fridge, grabbed a slice of pizza from a box, placed it on a plate, and headed up the stairs to Belly's room.
Upon reaching the second floor, she lightly knocked on Belly's bedroom door before entering.
Belly sat up in bed, her head throbbing as if her heart was pounding inside it. This was her first time experiencing a hangover. She had even left her contacts in and her eyes were burning.
"How are you feeling?" Sarah asked.
"Broken. Ow. My head hurts." Belly grimaced, placing a hand on her forehead. Sarah sat at the foot of the bed. "Is Susannah really upset with me?"
Sarah chuckled. "She could never be mad at you, or any of us for that matter. You know her."
Belly sighed. "Well, Mum probably is."
"Here, this will help." Sarah insisted, handing the plate of pizza to Belly. "Trust me, the carbs and grease are your friends."
Belly took a bite of the pizza, closing her eyes in relief. Sarah couldn't help but laugh at her friend's reaction. Having had her fair share of hangovers, she knew exactly how to ease the discomfort.
"So... does everyone hate me now?" Belly wondered.
Sarah furrowed her eyebrows. "Why would you think that?"
"Well, it all started when I walked in on Conrad in the shower." Belly confessed. Sarah raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Don't worry, he had on swim trunks. But I did tell him that you said he looks very romantic with wet hair."
"Belly." Sarah groaned, throwing her head back in exasperation.
"I'm sorry!"
"Why? Just... Why?"
"I was drunk, okay. I wasn't thinking." Belly replied, feeling remorseful. "I swear, I'm never drinking again."
Sarah smirked. "Famous last words everyone has said during a hangover."
Belly rested her head back on the pillow. "I hate you."
"Get some rest, you'll need it." Sarah advised her friend, patting her leg with a chuckle.
••••
That night, Sarah was in her room getting ready for bed when she heard firework in the distance.
She walked over to her window, her eyes initially fixed on the billions and billions of stars above. It was a sight unlike anything she had ever seen before, completely beautiful and breath taking.
Her gaze then shifted down to the pier where Conrad stood leaning against the railing, watching the fireworks go off in front of him.
Sarah quickly slipped her feet into her sneakers and descended the stairs. This might be her only chance to talk to him without any interruptions.
She made her way outside through the back door and down the old wooden walkway that led to the pier.
The fireworks illuminated the sky like the neon glow of the Northern Lights. The sounds and colors exploding from them were phenomenal. A massive rocket shot up into the night sky, crackling and popping as it soared towards its fiery end.
Sarah finally reached the pier and leaned against the railing next to Conrad. The two teenagers stood in silence, watching the firework display in front of them.
"Belly told me about the necklace." Sarah said, breaking the silence as she turned to him.
Conrad sighed, feeling defeated. "Sar..."
Sarah shook her head. "I'm sorry for bringing it up."
"No, no. It's okay. I... I did get it for you." He confessed, looking into her eyes.
No matter how many times Conrad imagined confessing his feelings for the girl he liked, he couldn't predict her response.
To complicate matters, he was unsure of her feelings towards him.
Sarah's innate kindness was something he truly admired. Her presence in the room always seemed to brighten it up with her radiant smile. It may sound cheesy , but it was undeniably true.
However, her natural kindness also posed a challenge for him. He found it difficult to discern whether her kindness towards him was genuine or if she had feelings for him. The mixed signals she sent confused him, leading to self-doubt and overthinking.
Whenever she walked into the room, he often found himself at a loss for words. His gaze would inevitably gravitate towards her whenever he entered the room, unable to resist her charm.
"How long ago did you get it?" Sarah wondered.
She felt the heat rise to her cheeks as Conrad's gaze met hers, a slight grin on his face. She quickly looked away, afraid of getting lost in his deep brown eyes if she kept staring.
She could sense his eyes lingering on her and took a deep breath, silently hoping that his thoughts of her were positive.
Conrad lowered his head. "Um... After last summer."
"Then why didn't you give it to me?"
"I don't know. I got embarrassed and nervous, I guess."
Seeing her made his heart race. Hearing her voice made his stomach flutter.
Conrad couldn't help but feel this way about Sarah. Her eyes, those deep brown eyes that could tell a whole story with just a glance. The way she moved, effortlessly exuding beauty as she walked. He would pause to admire he, knowing that was as close as he could ever get.
Conrad gazed back at Sarah, appreciating every detail from the way her hair cascaded past her shoulders to the melodic sound of her voice.
To him, she was the most beautiful girl in the room.. But what really made him fall head over heels for her was the way she doesn't care what people think about her.
"Why?" She questioned.
"Sar, you don't know the effect you have on people." He whispered. Turning to face her, they were now just a foot apart. No words were spoken as he gently took her hands in his, using his other hand to lift her chin until their eyes met. "Especially to me."
Sarah furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "Effect on people? I don't... I don't know what you're talking about."
"Yeah. You do." He replied softly.
The two teens locked eyes for a long moment.
Conrad felt a strong urge to retreat to the Summer House, yet he found himself stuck in place. Sarah's heart pounded so loudly she was sure he could hear it as they gazed at each other.
A small smile crept across Conrad's face, causing Sarah's leg to go weak.
He then began to move closer.
Sarah's mind felt stunned as she nervously glanced down at his, realizing he was now even closer to her. She couldn't think straight as a tingling sensation spread through her body, paralyzing her arms, legs and mind.
Her heart raced a million times per second.
Suddenly, a firework burst in the sky, causing them to separate.
Sarah let out a heavy exhale and nervously fumbled with her fingers as she returned to watching the colorful display, leaning against the railing. The fireworks created unexpected shapes and colors that mesmerized everyone.
Conrad slowly moved his hand closer to where she was resting on the railing. She caught a glimpse of his small smile from the corner of her eyes and couldn't resist smiling back as she reached out and intertwined their fingers together.
From a distance, Liam stood next to Jeremiah on the back porch of the Summer House, gazing at the two figure son the pier.
Taking it upon himself to fulfill his brotherly duty, Liam instructed Jeremiah to aim the firework in his hand at his sister and best friend.
Jeremiah promptly launched the firework as soon as the command was given, causing Sarah and Conrad to startle and move away from each other.
"Thanks, man." Liam expressed gratefully, giving Jeremiah a pat on the back before heading back into the house.
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PUBLISHED: 22.07.23
A/N: So that happened...
I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
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