Stuck On You

chapter 31: weisz can't help pushing himself

chapter 31: weisz can't help pushing himself

~weisz~

       Today is the annual surfing competition's qualifier to see which teams will actually be competing. I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous. I'm extremely nervous. It's my first competition since I took a break from surfing and I'm not even sure if I'm ready to do as well as I did in the past.

       "Would you feel more at ease if I was wearing a leather jacket?" Reno asks.

       I glare at him. "I don't have a leather jacket fantasy."

       "I didn't say you have one," Reno asks. "I just asked if me wearing one would calm you down."

       "I don't think it would be a good idea for you to wear one in this weather," I say. "I'll calm down eventually. Probably. Hopefully." If anything, I'm hoping I'll at least be the most calm when it's my turn to surf. I can handle being a bit freaked out beforehand. That's normal. But if I'm not calm when I'm surfing, I won't do as well.

       And if I don't do well, I can drag my team down and we might not qualify for the actual competition. I already get enough flak from taking a year off of surfing. If we don't qualify, no doubt some people on the team, namely Kyle, will blame me for it.

       Reno gently rubs my arm. "I think you'll do great. You've been doing amazing at practice."

       I furrow my eyebrows. "How do you know that? Have you been spying on me during practice?"

       "No," Reno says. "But when you practice by yourself, I'm at the beach with you, so I see how you do then. I don't know much about surfing, but you always looked proud of yourself after riding a wave."

       "Right," I say. "Sorry, my brain is a bit fried right now."

       "So I guess it's not a good idea for me to wear a leather jacket because your brain will probably get even more fried."

       I sigh. No matter what I say, Reno isn't going to let go of this idea that I have a leather jacket fantasy. Okay, I will admit that Reno does look extremely hot in a leather jacket, but that doesn't mean anything.

       You know, as long as he doesn't bring up the time he wore a leather jacket for me in Paris. I won't really be able to deny it then.

       I ask Reno what time it is and he shows me his phone. "I have to go meet up with the rest of my team now."

       "Okay," Reno says. "I'll be cheering you on." He kisses my cheek. "Good luck."

       I smile at Reno before walking to the tent set up for my team. Everyone one else is there, prepping themselves in whatever method they use; meditating, stretching, talking to each other, listening to music.

       I set my surfboard down and sit on one of the seats. My calming down method is usually just staring out at the waves, trying to get myself excited, imagining all the waves I can ride. I can do this. I can do well despite not surfing for a year. I wouldn't have made this team if I wasn't good enough.

       "Well, would you look who showed up last?" Kyle says once he sees me. 

       I ignore him. I don't want to spend my time arguing with him when we're on the same team. We don't have to become the best of friends, but we also shouldn't be at each other's throats.

       "You know, some of us are actually taking the qualifiers seriously," Kyle says. I don't know why he assumed that I'm not taking it seriously just because I was the last one to show up. I'm not even late. I got here at the time Freida wants us to be here.