"For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." – Romans 10:13
Blaine trudged downstairs in sweatpants and a loose T-shirt, stifling a massive yawn with the back of his hand. He turned into the kitchen and grabbed a glass from the cupboard. After filling it up in the sink, he took a long draught and settled back against the counter.
"Hey," Cole said wearily, rounding the corner.
Blaine raised an eyebrow. "Hey yourself." He eyed his twin and realized just how exhausted Cole looked. His droopy eyes and hunched shoulders gave off the appearance of a weary traveler. "You okay?"
"Just tired." Cole offered a small smile and grabbed his own glass from the cupboard. "You know, Dad hasn't lectured me yet."
Blaine shrugged. "I think he overlooked the fact that you ran away after you saved Tammy's life."
"Yeah. I'm still expecting a long talk, though."
Blaine moved aside to let Cole fill up his glass in the sink. "Hey, if you don't mind me asking, where did you go last night?"
"You aren't wondering why I ditched you?"
"I already know why you left us."
Cole stared at him. "Yeah, I guess the reason for my disappearance was pretty obvious." A flicker of emotions crossed his face, but Blaine sensed his brother was hiding something.
"Look, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but the gang has been wondering where you went," Blaine said. "There's no hard feelings, believe me—not after you rescued Tammy. But everyone is curious."
Cole twirled his glass around in his palm. He still hadn't taken a sip. "You can tell them I was driving," he said after a lengthy silence. "I was driving and didn't pay attention to where I was going. I ended up sleeping in my van and waking up the next morning in Ventura. Then I happened to be walking along the pier when I saw Tammy."
Blaine knew he was lying. He was as sure of it as he was of the fact that Cole had ditched them because of Alana. Though Blaine didn't know all of the details, he figured something had to have happened between Cole and Alana that made his brother run off. They had been distant ever since their visit to Salt Creek.
Cole obviously sensed his twin's hesitation. "Take it or leave it," he said curtly. "That's my explanation."
"You don't have to do this," Blaine said quietly. "You can tell me. I won't tell the others if you don't want me to."
Cole shook his head. "I can't. There are some things that I just can't tell anybody, okay?"
Blaine wondered if his brother had done something that he was too ashamed to talk about. The two had a staring match for a few seconds. Finally, Blaine sighed and drained the rest of his glass, realizing that this was one conversation where Cole wouldn't give in. Blaine placed his now-empty glass in the sink. "Alright," he said. "I'll take it. You should really get some sleep, though."
"Actually, I've hardly slept all night." Cole ran his finger around the rim of his glass. "I became a Christian today."
If Blaine still had any water in his mouth, he would have spit it out right then and there. "You what?"
Cole rolled his eyes. "Is that everyone's answer when I say that? Sheesh."
Blaine grabbed his shoulders. "Dude! That is awesome!"
Cole shoved his twin away, trying to hide back a smile. "Calm down, it's not like I'm getting married."
"No, this is even better! You just became a part of the family of Christ."
"Yeah, well..." He sighed. "I don't know why it took me so long, but tonight at church, it finally clicked. I realized what I had to do."
Blaine nodded.
"You know," Cole said, "I didn't understand what you were saying at first when you gave me advice about Alana. I thought you wanted me to change my attitude all by myself. But that was hard—way too hard."
Blaine smiled. "We can't rely on ourselves."
"I learned that the hard way. The only true, lasting change comes through Christ." Cole let out a deep breath. "You know, I'd never thought I'd say that."
"And I never thought I'd ever hear you say that," Blaine added.
They shared a laugh.
"So how are things with Alana?" Blaine asked in a quieter tone.
"I don't know. I guess I'll find out soon enough."
"Hey, look on the bright side. You saved her little sister's life. That's got to be some big brownie points," Blaine said with a smile. "Plus you just became a Christian. How awesome is that?"
Cole nodded and attempted to stifle a yawn. "Thanks, man. I think I'm gonna head upstairs and get some sleep before I collapse."
"Oh, you're not getting off the hook quite yet," Blaine chuckled. He swung an arm over Cole's shoulders and marched him up the stairs. "We have some big news to share with Dad. He's been praying for you for a long time."
Cole blushed. He thought back to a few weeks ago, when he first left the house on the surfing safari. He had come a long way since then, and he was ashamed of some of the things he had said and done in the past.
But all that was over now. He was changed for the better—and it felt great.
"You know," Blaine added, "Dad decided he isn't going to charge you for that board you airbrushed a few weeks ago."
Cole paused, racking his brains for a memory. Then he realized what his brother was talking about. He glanced at Blaine, but he had already moved on to a different subject, ushering him up the stairs to their father's room.
The surfboard...
Did Cole really deserve this unexpected grace? His father had charged him quite a sum for his waste of a design. But maybe there was something he could still do with it. Maybe, instead of being worthless, the board was actually more precious than Cole had imagined.
Cole sucked in a deep breath and knocked twice on the Rosalind's huge wooden front door. The sound seemed to echo throughout the house. He swallowed nervously and shoved his hands into his pockets, anxiously fingering the small note he clutched between his fingers. When nobody answered the door right away, he rolled his lips into his mouth and rocked back and forth on his feet. I can do this. I can do this.
Suddenly, the sound of a lock being turned reached his ears. He snapped back to attention and watched as the door opened a crack. "What do you want?" a tired voice asked.
Cole could only assume the tall, potbellied man was Taylor's father. He had a day's growth of stubble on his chin, and his eyes held every sign of weariness. "Mr. Rosalind, sir," Cole said in a firm voice. "Is Taylor home?"
The man sighed. "Listen, kid, it's ten in the morning."
Cole frowned. He should have realized that ten was too early for the Rosalinds.
"But Taylor is grounded anyway," Mr. Rosalind added.
"Oh."
Mr. Rosalind cocked his head to one side, as if wondering why Cole didn't sound too disappointed. "Yeah, she threw a party while my wife and I were away. We got back early and couldn't believe what she had done." He spat the word "party" between his thin lips as if it were a dirty four-letter word.
"I'm sorry about that, sir."
"You weren't one of the kids at her party, were you?" he demanded.
"No, sir!" Cole said automatically. "I mean...yes. I was, but then I left. Parties aren't really my thing." Not anymore, they aren't. The memories of that night stung Cole's heart. He regretted it with his whole being.
"Well, come back another time," Mr. Rosalind said gruffly, about to shut the door. He obviously distrusted Cole.
"Wait!" Cole placed a hand on the door, preventing it from closing all the way. "Can I at least give her a message?"
The man narrowed his eyes. "Fine," he sighed after a few moments' deliberation. "But make it quick."
Cole glanced behind his large figure and saw a few plastic cups littered on the floor. The furniture had been rearranged haphazardly, and the white carpet was stained in multiple places, most likely from alcohol. He swallowed. "Just tell her I never want to see her again," he said, his voice coming out surprisingly confident.
Mr. Rosalind seemed amused. "Now that I can do."
"Oh, and give her this, too. Please," he added, handing Taylor's father the note.
Mr. Rosalind nodded. After glancing at the folded-up piece of paper between his fingertips, he gave Cole a weary look and closed the door. Cole let out a sigh of relief and turned away, his steps significantly lighter as he headed back towards his Volkswagen.
He was proud of himself for doing what he did. He had confronted the enemy and won—sort of. In a way, he was glad that he hadn't been able to speak to Taylor face-to-face. She was a thing of the past now. He was relieved that he never had to speak to her again.
Jerking open the door of his van, Cole slid into the driver's seat and started the engine. Now there was only one more thing he needed to do.
"Alana?" Dylan called. "Hey, there's someone here to see you."
"I'll be right down." Alana tossed her Surfing magazine aside and rolled off her bed. As she passed her bedroom window, she caught a glimpse of the choppy ocean and stormy skies. It had rained on and off all last night and that morning. After Dylan had a long talk with Tammy, both of them had gone to Sunday night church without her. She had been exhausted from the days' events and couldn't find the strength to join them. At the same time, she had been astonished when Dylan declared he was going to church. It was the first time he'd been in over five years.
"Alana!" Dylan called again.
"Who is it?" she asked as she jogged downstairs. She froze when she saw Cole standing in the living room, wringing his hands nervously. "Oh...Cole!" Alana glanced at her brother questioningly, but he glided out of the room without another word. She turned her attention back to Cole. "Well...hey."
"Hey." He shuffled his feet nervously. "Um, I have some important news that I wanted to tell you."
"Yeah?"
He took a deep breath. "I had a long talk with my Dad last night—and Blaine, too—after going to church with them."
Alana waited patiently.
"While I was there, I realized just how much of a jerk I had been in the past—and not just to you and the gang. I was a horrible brother, and a horrible son. I tried to change over the course of the trip, I felt like something was still missing. When I realized I was never going to get what I wanted, I gave up."
"What are you talking about?"
For the first time since he had arrived, Cole glanced up and held Alana's gaze. "I think you know."
Alana felt her breath catch.
"I talked with your brother last night after the church service—after I became a Christian."
"Wait, what?" Alana stepped closer to him, scanning his face. "You're a believer?"
He nodded, smiling.
"Cole, that's amazing! Thank God. We've been praying for you."
He was at a loss for words. It seemed like everyone had been praying for him. In the past, he would have laughed it off. But now, after finally coming to grips with what it really meant to be a Christian, he was touched.
"Thanks, Alana. But...that's not all I wanted to tell you."
She cocked her head to one side. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong."
"Don't be embarrassed. You just gave your heart to God—that's the best thing you could ever do."
"It's not that." He took another deep breath. "I...uh...I guess I should just come out and say it." He gulped. "I've had this major crush on you."
She blushed.
"It started out as something small," Cole rambled, "but then, as the surfari went on, it just kept getting bigger and bigger. I realized it wasn't some high school crush that would go away in a few months. I love how you act with other people. I love how fun you are and how talented you are at surfing. And, honestly, I love how much you love God." He paused to gauge her reaction. "I know you don't feel the same way about me, but I needed to tell you. I couldn't keep it to myself any longer." He reluctantly took a step back. "I just hope I haven't made a mistake."
"No," Alana reassured him. "You're fine."
When she didn't say anything else, Cole sighed. "Well...I guess that's everything." He laughed awkwardly. "I hope things with you and Koa work out."
She frowned. "With me and Koa? What are you talking about?"
Both wore mirrored looks of confusion. "I thought you and Koa were—you know—together," Cole said slowly.
"Well, we're good friends, if that's what you mean."
"So you aren't in a relationship? As a couple?" It was hard to miss the excitement in Cole's tone.
Alana laughed. "No, we're not."
"Oh. Wait—so you didn't kiss him when we were at Trestles?"
"I what?" Alana laughed at the absurdity of his question. She knew it would be wrong to tell Cole about Koa's crush on her, but was it possible he had suspected Koa's true feelings anyway? "No," she said, "there's nothing going on between Koa and I."
Cole sighed with relief. "I saw you two at Trestles," he admitted, "and I thought...well...you know."
Alana suddenly realized what he was saying. She covered her face in her hands, laughing. "Oh, Cole! Koa and I were just talking. There wasn't anything else going on."
He blushed slightly.
"But I need to know something," Alana said, turning the tide of the conversation. "And please tell me the truth—are you and Taylor done?"
"I've been done with her ever since this surf trip started," Cole said. "And that's the truth. Taylor and I never had anything, and we never will."
Alana nodded. "I'm glad. She was never a good influence on you."
"Well, you won't have to worry about that. I'm over her." Cole quickly reached out and grasped Alana's hand. "Hey, do you remember our conversation from Ruby's?"
"The night you were starving and ate two cheeseburgers?" She laughed. "Of course."
"Thank you for giving me a second chance that night. I know I didn't deserve it, but you came through for me."
"Cole, I would do anything to patch up a relationship."
"Yeah, well, do you think you could give me another second chance—this time as a Christian?"
She smiled and squeezed his hand. "That's not a job for me to do. Christ already gave you a second chance when you became a believer. And he'll keep on giving you second chances for the rest of your life."
"I can't believe I've been missing out on this for seventeen years." Cole shook his head. "Why did it take me so long to realize everything I needed was right in front of me?"
"God got ahold of you," Alana said simply. "Just like he got ahold of me..." She swallowed. "All the times I encouraged you to open up to our friends, I was being a hypocrite. I was holding myself back. I was—"
Cole grabbed her other hand. "It's okay. You did a brave thing by telling us what had happened with your parents. I can't imagine what that must have been like."
She nodded. "It was one of the hardest things I've ever done. But I just had to do it, you know?"
"Oh, I know." Cole shifted from one foot to the other. "Look, Alana, I know you don't necessarily feel the same way about me, so..."
Alana glanced down at their intertwined hands. "What if," she said softly, "what if I told you that I might feel the same way?"
His eyes widened. "What—"
She felt a rush of adrenaline. It was the only way to explain what she felt every time they touched, every time they talked. She had grown to care about him in a way that was undeniably deeper than friendship.
"What are you saying?" he asked quietly.
"I'm saying that I think I like you too."
Cole smiled. Alana smiled. They squeezed hands before pulling apart.
"Oh, wait," he said suddenly. "I almost forgot."
Alana watched, a little surprised and a little curious, as Cole jogged over to the front door and disappeared outside. He reappeared with a pristine white shortboard in hand, its bright blue fins gleaming.
Alana's jaw dropped open. "Did you shape this?"
"My dad did. But I airbrushed it."
She gasped when he turned the shortboard around so she could see the front. In bold, striking colors, he had designed a surfer girl watching breaking waves. The lines and colors were obviously inspired by an artist's hand.
"It's beautiful," Alana breathed, reaching out to trail her hand down its smooth rail.
"It's yours," Cole said.
"What?" She nearly dropped the surfboard when he passed it to her. "Are you serious?"
"No, I'm joking." Cole rolled his eyes, though he was still smiling. "Of course I'm serious! That's why you're the surfer girl airbrushed on the front."
Alana turned the board over in her hands, taking in the amazing artwork for a good minute. "I can't wait to try it out," she gushed.
"Want to go for a surf tomorrow morning?"
"What about the storm?"
"It's supposed to die down this afternoon. Tomorrow should be fun."
"Then I'd love to." She grinned and carefully set down her shortboard. "Thanks so much, Cole—for saving Tammy yesterday and now for this awesome surfboard."
"Aw, it was nothing."
Alana gave him a brief hug. "Thanks," she whispered. "You gave Tammy a second chance."
He rested his hands on her shoulders. "Only because you gave me one."
"Only because God gave both of us one."
Cole pulled away from her and headed to the door. "I'll see you tomorrow morning for our surf session."
"Bright and early!" Alana moved to the doorway and watched as Cole headed back to his Volkswagen. He flashed her another smile and waved before pulling away from the curb. She waited until his surf van disappeared completely from view before closing the door.
"Thank you, Lord," she breathed, grinning from ear to ear. Her new shortboard was lying only a few feet away, its bright surface shining. She couldn't wait to take it out for a test ride tomorrow. She pictured herself bobbing up and down in the lineup at C Street, duck diving under the waves, and sharing rides with her best friends.
That was the life. For Alana and the gang, surfing was more than just a sport. To them, it was a way of life. It was the sand behind their ears and the saltwater on their skin. It was the feeling of trailing their hands across the surface of the water, feeling the cool sea spray and the powerful surge of the ocean.
To them, being able to stand up on a piece of fiberglass and glide across the water wasn't just surfing. It was riding a wave. It was to enjoy that beautiful, inexpressible feeling and rush of adrenaline that accompanied every ride and every drop.
In a way, Alana thought, life was a lot like surfing. There were good waves and bad; there were amazing moments and wipeouts. But life wasn't as unpredictable as the ocean. Alana knew God was in control, and there was a bright future ahead of her.
Thank you for taking the time to read, vote, and comment. I hope you enjoyed the gang's adventures down the coast of California, and I hope you got a taste of what surfing is really like. If you're interested in a sequel, please check out Caught Inside on my profile!