Riding The Waves | A Bondi Rescue fanfiction

Chapter 8

A/N: I am sorry that this chapter is so short. I hope to have another up quickly but this felt like a good place to break up the chapters. In better news, Jasmine is finally starting work. There will be a few chapters that show her first day and then this book will start picking up pace as we know the characters now.

Monday morning rolled around quickly. Jasmine woke at 5:15 am and rolled out of bed. She was feeling incredibly nervous about beginning her new job. She dressed and ate quickly. She was yet to receive her uniform because Hoppo needed to order something in her size. All of their spare uniforms were far too big for Jasmine's tiny form.

Jasmine quickly finished getting ready and went to leave the house. She felt another wave of insecurity wash over her. Would they judge her for her lunch? Her clothes? She tried to push the thoughts out of her mind, taking a long moment to steady her breathing.

She crept quietly out the back door. She didn't want to wake her father. He would not stop her from leaving for her job, but she would have to endure a long lecture first. He would tell her over and over not to embarrass the family name. She didn't think that she could handle that pressure. She was stressing enough without his involvement.

She quickly made her way along the deserted streets, reflecting on the peacefulness of the scenery around her. Normally, Bondi was bustling with activity. It was very early still, so she was the only person outside. 'It was refreshing,' she thought, 'to not have to dodge around tourists and try to discreetly shield herself against the noise and energy that usually filled Bondi.'

It was only about 5 minutes to the beach from her house. She arrived and made her way to the Pavilion. No one was there. For a moment, Jasmine was convinced that she had done something wrong or they were playing a trick on her. But, glancing at her watch she discovered that it was only 5:30. Her shift did not start for another 30 minutes, so it was reasonable that no one had arrived yet.

She sat on the steps out the front and tried to slow her breathing. She gazed out over the soft sand and calm waters and tried to convince herself that everything would be OK. Hoppo arrived 10 minutes later. He struggled to conceal his surprise at her early arrival. He had been expecting her to show up a few minutes before 6 o'clock. He was not expecting to find her there 20 minutes before her shift was set to start. Nevertheless, he invited her into his office to begin discussions.

There were just a few more forms that Jasmine needed to sign, so they finished them up quickly. Hoppo sat back and watched Jasmine for a few moments as she signed the last form. He noted her tense posture and refusal to meet his eyes. The young girl was terrified of what he might think of her. She was desperate to make a good impression.

Hoppo was very impressed. She was so young, yet so capable and professional. He knew that starting at a new job was stressful. For a 12-year-old girl to begin working as a lifeguard, surrounded by middle-aged men was terrifying. The boys would all accept her instantly, he knew. But Jasmine did not seem so sure.

Hoppo was also worried about Jasmine's home situation. Her father hadn't seemed particularly caring or interested, and Jasmine had not listed any other family on any of her forms. If she lived alone with an uncaring father, it was no wonder that she wasn't very confident.

He knew it wasn't his place to pry. Her home situation shouldn't matter to him. But he felt a strong desire to protect the young girl, to shield her from anyone who might hurt her. As a father himself, Hoppo was determined to ensure that the young girl felt accepted. He did his best to reassure the young girl that her work situation would be better.

"You are by far the youngest lifeguard we have ever had. You are much smaller than all of the boys too. You don't have very much experience and so you will probably make lots of mistakes along the way. Don't worry about it. You'll be fine. The boys will support you through everything."

She didn't relax much. She still seemed worried about mistakes, worried that people would judge her for them. Hoppo was not worried about anything that happened at work, more concerned about how she would fare mentally. "We are all here if you need anything. If you ever need to talk to someone, about anything, you can always come to find me or one of the other boys."

After receiving her nod of understanding and thanks, Hoppo turned away to find her uniform. They had to order it in because none of their spare uniforms would fit the young girl. He handed the bag over to her. "One of the boys will show you the change rooms later. There are only 3 girls but the change rooms are separate so you don't have to worry about the older boys walking in on you." He figured that she wouldn't appreciate men 30 years older than her watching as she undressed.

Jasmine's anxiety did not abate. While they wouldn't see her getting changed, they would see her in just her bathers on the beach. She discreetly glanced in the bag, checking that it was a one-piece. It was, but that didn't guarantee it would cover all her scars.

Hoppo explained to her how the induction would work. He would take her over to the tower and introduce her to the rest of the lifeguards that were on shift that day. Then, one of the more senior lifeguards would take her on a tour, showing her the beach, tower and pavilion. They would teach her how to access the medical equipment and use the radios and Rhinos.

At this point, Hoppo paused. "Actually, you probably won't be able to drive the Rhinos much over the summer. Because you are too young to have a driver's license, we cannot let you drive the Rhinos while the beach is busy. Over the winter season, if there is no one on the beach then you will be able to learn."

Jasmine nodded. Hoppo then continued to explain the day. "Once you have finished the tour, you will head back to the tower and do a shift up there. You will learn how to watch the water and communicate with the boys on the beach. The other boys in the tower can answer any questions that you have. You may also need to provide first aid or call an ambulance while you are there. Hopefully, you should be able to do your first beach patrol this afternoon. Any questions?"

Jasmine shook her head. She was worried about how much she would have to learn today. It sounded like a lot of information to take in. What if she made a fool of herself? "OK, it is 5:55 so we will head over to the tower and meet some of the lifeguards," Hoppo said, getting to his feet.

Jasmine rose elegantly and cautiously followed him as they made their way across the road to the tower. Hoppo had seen that she was still nervous and jumpy. He quietly warned her that the boys could be very excitable around new people. Then, he opened the door and they stepped into the tower.