SKYE
Pride. That is exactly what I feel right now. Dylan has caught three waves and can stand on the board. He is a natural at this, and has the patience to wait for a good wave and a strong paddle skill which is important. He only needs practice and confidence to stand longer on the board before wiping.
If only all my students were like him. He listens, assumes nothing and asks questions to make sure he understood the instructions correctly. He also seems to enjoy it, which is vital when doing any hobby or sport. I catch a small wave from the line-up and end up at the whitewater on the shore. Dylan sits on the sand panting but has a big smile.
"This is better than going to the gym. This has been the workout of my life. I'm sore all over," he chuckles while rubbing his arms.
"You think you hurt now? Wait until tomorrow," I laugh while sitting next to him.
We sit on the sand in comfortable silence, just watching the waves break.
"I thought I would find it scary," Dylan breaks the silence. "You always see those photos of surfers with a giant wall of water behind them."
"It can be like that, just not here in this section of the beach. See, if you walk past the radio station at the start of the Boulevard, you will find the quiet beach. The sea in that section is flat, and the sand area is broad. It's ideal for families with small kids who want to have fun in the water in a relatively safe area. You can walk far into the water, and it reaches your knees at the most.
This area in front of the Boulevard has a good beach break. The waves are high enough to teach basics, practice maneuvers or just ride for pleasure. You see there to our left behind the dunes? That is The Reef. The area has an underwater rocky point which makes heavies off the hook."
"Heavies off the hook?" Dylan looks confused.
I laugh and realize how comfortable I feel around Dylan. I even talk to him in surfing slang just like I do with Kay and Dax.
"It means the waves are large, excellent in size and shape. We are lucky enough to get gas chambers in that area from time to time. Those are the air tunnels you can ride inside," I move my hands to show him how the wave rolls over. "Some people also call them tubes or barrels."
"I have seen pictures of those. Must be quite an experience," Dylan looks at the reef in the distance.
"It is," I nod.
I feel nostalgic and sad at the memories. I loved going to The Reef. After what happened to Natalie, Dax's wife and my friend, I don't dare to go there by myself or bring anybody with me.
"Thanks, Skye. This was an amazing experience. I never thought I could do this. You are an excellent instructor," Dylan says while standing up.
"Hey, I'm having my lunch break now. Would you like to grab a bite here upstairs at Hibiscus?"
"Sure," he smiles.
We head to the store after bringing the boards back to the shed. I grab my bag from my car and hit the showers. Normally, I grab something along the Boulevard, but I'm in the mood for a proper meal. Luna stares at me as I come back inside the store after getting clean.
"You showered!" her face shows surprise.
"Yeah, so?" I shrug.
"You never do. Where is the girl?" my sister looks around.
"What do you mean by 'where is the girl'?" I snap.
"Skye, I'm ready," Dylan says as he comes into the store. The rash guard and baggies in his hand are neatly folded.
"A guy?" my sister lifts an eyebrow.
"Fuck you, Luna!" I bark at her while Dylan leaves the clothes on the counter. "Come on Dylan."
He looks at me and then at Luna with wide eyes. I love my sister. I really do, more than I let it show. People even think we are twins as we look so much alike. We are born in the same year, just ten months apart. The problem is we irritate the hell out of each other often. I know I'm the laughingstock at the Boulevard as some guys have hit on me. It's flattering both guys and girls find me attractive, but I like girls.
"I'm sorry if I caused you any trouble. I can leave," Dylan matches my quick walking pace.
"Don't mind my sister. Luna enjoys making fun of me," I realize I'm almost at a jog, so I slow down my pace.
"I didn't understand what just happened. Why did she find it odd?" he looks back at the store and then back at me.
"I have got hit on by several dudes here at the beach. My sister finds it hysterical as I'm not gay."
"Oh..." he looks uncomfortable.
"Oh, what?"
"I- I'm sorry, Skye. I misunderstood your kindness for interest," he murmurs.
"You into dudes?" I lower my voice, and he nods. He looks embarrassed. "Dude, it doesn't matter. We can still be friends. I can even hook you up with some of my admirers," I comfort him by putting a hand on his shoulder.
He looks at the hand and then at me. His ice blue eyes still show the suffering that comes with being treated for cancer. This guy is much more than his sexual preferences, and I see myself becoming good friends with him.
"You don't mind I'm gay, and you want to be my friend?"
"Why should I mind? You like dudes, and that leaves more girls for me. It's no big deal."
We walk up the stairs, and as we arrive at Hibiscus, Jaxon Hale comes to greet us. Jax is just the 50-year-old version of Kay. His short black hair shows a hint of gray on the sides. My father says he is an excellent surfer, but I have never seen him in the water. If you ask him, he says he had his moment of glory, and it's time for the new kids to take his place.
"Jax, this is Dylan. He is new to Sea Glass and has a great future as a surfer. Rode three waves on his first lesson."
"Impressive! All I hear are protests about people wiping out and kooks. It's nice to listen to a good story for a change," he shakes Dylan's hand with his big one.
"Jax is Kay's father. He has been my best friend since we were babies. He is also a surfing instructor."
"And don't forget librarian. My Kay loves his books," Jax says, showing pride for his son.
"He does. You can't see his bedroom walls anymore from how many books he owns. Jax, can you hit us with a sampler? I want to show Dylan here how awesome is your food. Unless you are not adventurous," I look at Dylan.
"I eat everything."
We sit at the terrace overlooking the beach and sip on the cold sodas Jax brings us. Dylan still has an embarrassed look on his face.
"What is bothering you?" I recline on my chair.
"I still find it difficult to tell people I'm gay. My father disowned me when he found out. My parents came into a restaurant one night and saw me kissing with my boyfriend back then. Most people treat me differently after they learn about it."
"Bogus. What happened to your boyfriend?"
"He left me soon after I got diagnosed. Proved to be a shitty boyfriend. Seems only my money was important to him."
"That guy is a douche bag, and you deserve better. So how come you have money?"
"I've been trading stocks since I was in college. I sold them for a huge sum when I got ill. Now I live from the return on my investments. I'm trying to enjoy life to the fullest since I got a second chance at it. You also got cancer when you were younger. How was it for you?"
"The worse time of my life. I had just graduated from high school and was training hard to compete in some surfing festivals during the summer. People from the association would attend to score for new talent and I was a pro-junior. I had big hopes of becoming part of the tour and travel the world. You know, to be one of the dudes in the magazines photographed in front of a bomb wave, and to get a fantastic sponsorship deal. That was until my brother found me on the floor of my bedroom after fainting. I had symptoms for a while, but I thought they were due to the heavy training. My world fell into pieces when the doctor told me I had leukemia. I was under treatment for over a year. Luckily, I've been in remission ever since."
"What about your surfing career?"
"Well, I'm a surfing instructor at the beach. It says enough. What about you? How did you find out you were ill?"
"I was feeling exhausted, and people kept telling me I was working too much. My insurance sent me to the doctor for a routine check-up, and he found out there was something wrong with my blood. The breakup and the negotiation of my stocks affected me as much as the treatment, but I think the most traumatic event was losing my hair."
"I can relate to that. My hair was long and seeing the clumps in the drain freaked me out. Kay and Dax shaved their heads to support me."
He smiles at me in understanding as our foodarrives. Jax outdid himself. He made potato cakes, fish tacos, mini hamburgersand my favorite, corn dogs with spicy sweet curry sauce. We eat happily, andfor once I'm glad Luna booked a lesson for my new friend.