Riding The Waves | A Bondi Rescue fanfiction

Chapter 1

A/N:

This is very long and slow-paced. This story will become more fast-paced later. I need a few chapters to warm up and introduce Jasmine. 

She hadn't meant to come. When she noted the date of the lifeguard trials, she was just fantasising. Actually trying out sounded like an absurd idea, so why was she standing outside the pool where the tryouts were?

Her father had been mad, very mad. Jasmine didn't know why he was mad, but she couldn't stay at home. She had to leave, but her father wasn't going to let her wander around aimlessly. "Where are you going?" he demanded as she tried to sneak out the front door. She only had seconds to come up with an excuse he would like. "I am going to the Waverley Council lifeguard tryouts." It was a poor decision, but her father didn't care. He had been pressuring her for years to get a job, even though she was only 12. Being a lifeguard on Bondi Beach was a highly respected job, he would accept that for her. Now, she could leave for the afternoon. The only problem was, he would expect her to actually be trying out. She would have to do it.

Now, less than an hour later, she stood outside the pool, cursing her idiocy. All her life she had looked up to the Bondi lifeguards, now she was going to make a fool of herself in front of them. Here she was, a 12-year-old girl, wanting to be a lifeguard. She had the necessary qualifications, but who was she kidding. There was no way she would be able to do as well as these boys did.

As she stood out the front of the pool, she could feel a panic attack approaching. She was shaking, her body was burning and her breathing was becoming harsher by the second. All she could think about was the upcoming swim and what a fool she would make of herself. Why did I come here? Why didn't I just stay home and deal with my father? Idiot, idiot, idiot. Now everyone will hate you. They all think you are stupid. You can't swim like they can. The thoughts rushed around her head, overwhelming her. She couldn't think about anything else. Just as she was about to dissolve into a panic attack, she was broken out of her thoughts by footsteps and laughter.

She turned around to see 3 men approaching the pool, laughing at something one of them had said. She had seen them on the beach before, rescuing people throughout the year. They were clearly here to try out again. Jasmine felt another shiver of self-doubt run through her. She was a small 12-year-old girl. And she thought that she had a chance to work with these men, who were all so strong, tall and confident. Her father would be mad at her if she didn't try out, but was facing his wrath better than trying out? Before she could make a decision, one of the boys caught sight of her and made the decision for her.

***

Matt Dee saw the young girl standing outside the pool, clearly nervous. The pool was closed to the public, but she had swimming gear and was arriving, not leaving the pool. He concluded that she must be there for trials. She looked very young, but Maxi had only been 16 when he started. Perhaps she was a similar age. Skill and personality mattered more than age or size. She was clearly hesitant about going in though. He decided to try and put her at ease.

Jasmine's nerves only grew as one of the men came to speak with her. He seemed nice enough, but Jasmine had trouble trusting anyone she didn't know. She didn't trust many people she did know either. She tried to mask her nerves as she smiled at the man.

"Hey, my name's Matt," the man said softly. "Are you OK?"

"I'm fine. My name is Jasmine," she replied as calmly as she could.

"Are you here for the lifeguarding trials?" he inquired, straining to hear her quiet responses.

Jasmine felt her heart begin to speed up again. Now, she had to make a decision on whether she would do this test. Her brain was telling her it was a bad idea, trying desperately to come up with an excuse to give to Matt. But her heart reacted before her mind could.