Through the Swell

Chapter 8 - Goodbye Luke?

*JESSE POV*

What the fuck was that, that was all I could say about this morning, it was 10am and the beach was filling up. And I was angry.

I was worried about Olivia, if she was okay, and that dead man, well he obviously wasn't okay but, that's not the point. I hadn't heard from Ricci, Olivia, or anyone, to tell me what had happened, if she was okay, where she was hurt and where she wasn't, it was killing me.

"You okay bud?" I heard as a hand slapped onto my shoulder and shook me out of my daydream, it was Deano.

"Yeah, yeah sorry, just thinking" I sighed picking up the binocs and looking over the beach, I was on tower duty today, and I was glad after this mornings fiasco.

"Got you real shook up huh?"

"No, actually, just angry" Deano looked at me confused, furrowing his eyebrows

"Angry? What for?"

"Luke" I growled and grimaced turning away from Deano

"He didn't help, I yelled at him to come down, help me out, when I yelled at him earlier he looked surprised! All I could think was how Liv nearly died and her own co worker didn't even have the audacity to help, regardless of whether they like each other or not! I just think it's disgusting and I'm SO angry at him" I huffed and slammed my fist onto the table.

"He should've been more professional, he acted like a girl in high school who watched someone she hated fall over and just, he just walked on by!" Then as if I'd talked him up, Luke walked through the door. He looked at me and then looked away, my eyes caught his and I wanted to explode.

"You fucker" I whispered.

"Excuse me?"

"You think this is some sort of fucking joke?" I hissed as I rose out of my chair slowly. Luke walked up the 3 steps and into the main area of the hut.

"I'm not laughing"

"Yes you fucking are" I spat.

"Joe, just calm down" I heard Deano say to my left.

"Calm down?? CALM DOWN? YOU didn't help me, you don't deserve to be a lifeguard, helping others? You just ran away and hid" I pointed my finger at Luke who looked mortified.

"LIV IS INJURED, AND YOU DIDN'T HELP" I finally yelled, snapping practically in 2 with my mood.

"YOU JUST STOOD THERE AND WATCHED LIKE IT WAS A DAMN MOVIE LUKE. FYI, IT WASN'T, IT WAS REAL, THAT MAN WAS REALLY DEAD AND LIV WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED, She, she could've DIED Luke AND YOU didn't help". Luke looked at me in shock, I could imagine the smoke coming out of my ears and how red my face was, he didn't speak.

"Nothing to say, huh? Just going to look at me and wonder what's going on like EARLIER? HUH?" I took a step towards Luke and he flinched as if I was going to hit him. Scrap that "as if", I was.

I lunged towards Luke as my anger got the better of me and swung my right fist, and with a mighty wallop it crashed into the side of his cheek. I suddenly felt two arms around mine pulling me backwards, I saw Haynes picking Luke up off the floor and removing him from the hut and then Re-appearing.

"That little rat" I huffed as I revelled in what I thought the boy deserved, but as the red cleared from my vision I realised I'd smacked one of my co workers. I looked at Deano who'd pulled me back from Luke, and then I looked at Haynes who stood with his arms crossed in front of his chest, looking angry and disapproving as ever.

"He fucking deserved it!" I whined as I sat down on a chair and leant on the table.

"I'll sort him out, but don't Ever Do that again Joe, do you hear me? What is with you boys at the moment? Get a girl on the team and you almost have as many hormones as she does. Jesus shit." I heard Haynes sternly tell me from behind.

"Yes boss" I muttered

"What was that?"

"I said YES boss" I replied louder so Haynes could hear me.

"That's what I thought".

I rubbed my eyes consistently until I saw stars, where I then folded my arms on the counter and fell face first into them. "For gods sake" I moaned as I thought of Liv and if she was okay, she'd call if it was serious, right?

********

*LUKES POV*

I sat down on the chair is Haynes office, I already knew what was coming. I rubbed my cheek that Joe had walloped with an ice pack and winced. I was pathetic, and Joe was right, I was a coward who didn't help at all, I was a failure and a let down.

I sighed as Haynes walked into the room and took a seat round the other side of the desk.

"Shall I just go pack my stuff?" I mumbled as I held the Icepack to my face.

"Don't be ridiculous Luke" he hushed, he didn't sound too angry anymore.

"What Joe did to you was bad, but what you did out there was worse, it was embarrassing, and not just for you but the whole team"

I sat in silence, I hated how right everyone was, I should've done something.

"I know, I'm sorry"

"Are you though?"

"Yes, I am" I hung my head in shame, only too look back up at Haynes.

"Liv is in hospital with a problem with her legs, Joe's going to talk to her tomorrow to talk about something and, maybe you should just steer clear"

"What?" I was almost in shock, steer clear as in, not come in?

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, take the rest of the week off, 4 days jut to cool you down, get your priorities straight, because at the moment whatever is going on between you and Liv needs to stop"

"It had stopped, she spoke to me before the incident and we were fine and laughing Haynes. I was just scared, I didn't do it on purpose I just couldn't bring myself to look at the girl I like like that on the rocks below!" I suddenly blurted out.

My eyes suddenly widened, as did Haynes, I then squeezed my eyes shut and put my hand on my face. "Fucksake" I whispered, why, why did I have to say that out loud, and especially to Haynes.

"I knew it" he chuckled lightly. "Yeah whatever" I sighed swatting the air.

"Take a few days to think about this okay, you need to sort it out Luke. Today was unprofessional, liking Liv or not, it's gotta stop"

"Yes Haynes, I know"

"Now get out of my sight" he laughed shooing to the door.

"Cheers Haynes for the chance, I thought I was a goner. See you later" I pulled myself out of the chair feeling sorry for myself and heading for the door. As I stood on the prom at the beach, I decided these days would be a good time to reflect and to just lay back and relax. Or so I thought.

I wasn't quite prepared for what Olivia had to tell us, and neither was Joe.