Ain't Shady Baby, I'm Hot

13

"You got to take this wave, Xena." Pope egged me on as a wave came towards us. The three boys high on adrenaline as they had already taken a wave each.

"Look, it's calmer than the others. You just got to trust yourself." Pope continued.

"Yeah, it's not like you are going to get it perfect the first time around. Hell, JJ didn't get it until his tenth time." John B added.

"Hey! It was like the eighth time." JJ pouted splashing John B. I couldn't help but laugh at how offended JJ was at that comment.

"What are you laughing about?" JJ asked as he turned his splash to me.

"Yeah, what are you laughing about." John B piped up, joining JJ. Pope soon catching on and did as his friends were doing.

"Okay! I'm going, I'm going." I shouted getting away from the onslaught of the splashes the boys were attacking me with.

My smile falling slightly as I turned to the wave with determination. It was much closer than before, therefore much larger as well.

"Remember, it's okay to fall! Just try to stand up!" John B shouted as I paddled towards the wall of water.

"Be smooth! Ride the wave!" JJ added.

"You got this!" I threw up a thumbs up behind me at Pope's encouragement.

"What the hell have you gotten yourself into, Xena." I murmured as I slowly guided myself around to face the three guys.

I turned my head and had to take a deep breath. The wave was almost here.

"PADDLE!" I didn't need to be told twice.

I dug my hands into the water and swam like my life depended on it. I had about four seconds of even water before the back of my board was beginning to get lifted up.

"Oh shit!" I yelled out, the wave catching me as I blanked on what to do.

"Now! Stand up!" I set my palms flat on the board and pulled with my core to bring my feet underneath me.

I was now crouched on the board my hands shaking as I attempted to rise from my four points of contact.

"Come on! You can do it! You're already there!" John B shouted out. I slowly rose, lifting my hands from the board as I wobbled into a standing position.

"LETS GO!" Pope roared as he clapped. The other boys hollering as I stood on the board. The wave pushing me towards them and the beach. My arms outstretched as I focused on my balance.

However, I spent too much focus on my balance and forgot about trying to move with the wave.

"Oh sh-" my cuss was stopped by the water as I slipped off my board. The water crashing in around me as it entered my mouth and the wave descended above me. The strap around my ankle pulling me back to the surfboard. I hung down below the rip current for a few seconds before fighting to get back up to the surface.

I popped out of the water, coughing  as I grabbed onto the board and pulled myself back up.

"That- honestly, was a graceful wipeout." John B voiced as the three paddled over to me. I lifted my head to face them a small smile creeping on my face. My heart racing gently with the spark of adrenaline.

"You did better than all of us the first wave we surfed." Pope commented, the other boys nodding in agreement.

"I had some good teachers." I breathed out. Taking a second to regain my breath. I turned my head gently as I sat up on my board, a new wave coming in.

"That's a nice wave coming in." JJ voiced, a smirk growing on my face as I realized we all wanted the wave. I was closer though.

"Dibs." I call out as I lay down and begin to turn around.

"Wait, what?" JJ shouted as I caught them all off guard.

"Should you rest for a second?" Pope was hesitant to let me go, but there was no stopping me.

I was already paddling and because this wave was further out, I had to paddle farther.

A smile grew on my face as I paddle head on towards the large wave. I turned around and started paddling back to gain momentum.

The wave came, lifting my board and me onto it. I was quicker on standing up. My feet balanced as I bent my knees and kept my hands out for counterweight.

"She's doing it!" JJ's voice carried as I got closer to them. I waved at them and grinned excited that I was doing it, only karma decided to hit me.

Just as I threw both hands up to the sky triumphantly, my balance was thrown off a tiny bit but enough that it sent me in the water.

This time I was faster in getting back out of the water and I remembered to keep my mouth shut.

"That was awesome." I breathed out as I pulled myself back on my board and paddled over to them.

"I think we just got a new surfing buddy." John B announced to the other two as I joined them in the circle.

"Woogity woogity woogity." JJ and Pope do their little handshake making me laugh.

"Now I get to take you guys boxing." I joked excitedly.

"Oh, well, now, hold on there." JJ started.

"We uh- we don't need to go there." John B continued.

"Yeah, why don't we just do basketball instead? We all can get behind that." Pope added.

I just laughed at the three of them.

"We can go play basketball. But the offer stands if you ever want to learn how to properly throw a punch." I turned to look towards the open ocean for another wave. "But, at the mean time, who wants this next one?"

"Dibs!" I watched John B and JJ race each other to the wave. Pope and I laughing as they playfully shoved one another.

"I think I'm gonna like it here." I voiced out loud to Pope.

"Well, we already like you here, X." He gently nudged my arm. "You can't forget us when you're taking over the island at the Kook Academy." He warned making me smile.

"I wouldn't dream of it." I spared a glance over my shoulder to look at the beach. The small bodies of the Kook group still there, and even though I couldn't see them very well- I felt the glare of one in particular.

Oh this was going to be fun.

And here I was worried about transferring schools going into junior year.