Skater Squad

Chapter 19

I am not freaking. I am not freaking out. I am NOT freaking out...

"Evan, you're up next, better get down there or you'll miss it," Brock nudges my side.

IM FREAKING OUT.

Brock seems to notice my mini-mental breakdown face and taps my shoulder saying "you'll be fine" and "you got this".

Unhelpful words of encouragement in my case but it was nice to know he cares.

I trot down a short flight of stairs, a buzzing light at the end of a doorless frame. I'm blinded once more by the bright light piercing down, glowing the steep ramp under my beaten sneakers.

I was at the starting ramp in the obstacle pit, the people on the stands, peering down at me. Some my age, some a few years younger and other adults.

The skating track appears far more dense and complicated when you aren't looking down on it from the stands.

I slink further back, knees on the brink of collapsing. My body wobbles and shudders as I perceive the announcer's voice calling for me to bring my skateboard to my feet and launch.

Though, I can't, at least not after a few moments. I inhale a large breath, praying I won't mess up or chicken out last second and place the board under my feet.

With a final gulp for last measure, I shift my weight forward, the wheels moving, faster and faster. I gather momentum like a magnet, already my feet fumble on the board.

I promise to steady myself before I try the long rail.

As my knees straightened, I kick off to head towards the wave bench, my plan: surf the ups and downs and leave grinding on the drop rail.

My toes curl and my teeth are chewing at my bottom lip as I lift my board and drop onto the wave bench. I remain steady as I'm shifted up and down repeatedly and kick up, grinding the middle of my board across the rail and drop.

I'm cringing, my legs still weren't keen on absorbing the fall and my calves and knees paid the price.

I wave my board left to right, shaking the pain from my legs before ushering the board to commit a manual before swinging the board to convert my feet.

With my feet switched, I flip the board and grind on the ledge, fall, kickflip once and turn my board over to a brick pyramid.

I'm mentally praising myself, ecstatic I haven't fallen off the board since I started.

The brick pyramid was a breeze and I do a small ollie as I land. I move up the small ramp and lift my board, performing a boardslide on the long rail before aiming for the stair rails.

My board screeches along with the metal, the stair rail much shorter than the others. Though, maybe I get a little too confident in my previous positive moves and regrettably think of a triple kickflip off as a good idea.

It was a hardcore move of course and I've only seen David do it, once. I can't stop the action, my feet are already in motion as I fly off the end of the rail.

The board flips once in the air, and halfway through the second, I'm already on the ground and my body is thrown off the board.

I fall on my rump, the concrete not much of a cushioned fall. Heat rises in my face, I'm flustered, why in the hell would I try and attempt a triple flip?

The crowd oh's and groans but I have to get back on my board. I'm trembling, my cheeks flushed and my heart squeezing itself. My legs can't stay on the board, I fumble off again trying to grind on the ledge.