Wakes

Chapter 1

"Hey how's the wake looking out there today Sam?" I pulled my slack and board out of the truck as Brandon passed by me. I throw my slack over my shoulder grabbing my board and my life jacket.
"As far as I know the currents not too bad and the wake looks pretty good. But also the water looks pretty calm. Hoping to rack in some scores today." Brandon fell in to step beside me. He nudged me in my arm.
"You want to rack up some scores buddy? You better pull your 1080 spin when you hit that wake." I chuckled.
"I just might. Then again I've never pulled my 1080 outside of practice."
Brandon slapped my back and went into the dock to his wake boat. Before I looked up and started towards the dock, and big black pick-up screeched in front of me and stopped. The passenger window rolled down and I saw my biggest competition staring me in the face: Kyle Masterson. He jumped out of the passenger door and walked towards me.
"Harley!" He would always address me by my last name. I nodded as a greeting.
"Kyle." He came beside me and slapped my on my shoulder grabbing it tightly. "How you feeling today pal?" I gripped on to the rope of my slack.
"Feeling like I always do. Confident and ready to board." He chuckled.
"Well you get be ready to board but I'd be a little worried about the confidence buddy," he slapped my chest, "considering I'm gonna kick your ass in today's competition" he smiled with confidence and ruffled my hair. "See ya out there champ!" He mocked me as he went to his pick-up grabbing his gear. I walked to the dock and started loading up the boat. I felt the boat rock as Brandon jumped on to the astro-turf.
"What was that all about?" He asked.
I shrugged.
"You know Kyle. Trying to really boost my self esteem before the competition like always." I said with sarcasm. Brandon chuckled.
"I'll see you out there bud. Good luck."
"Yeah you too." I felt the boat rock again as he jumped off the boat into the dock. I sat my board down and started undoing my slack.
"Need some help?" I turned around to see a blonde girl with a messy bun in board shorts and tank top. I squinted my eyes as the sun started to hurt my eyes.
"Uh...no. I got it but thanks anyways." Ignoring my comment she stepped on to the boat.
"You're Sam right? Sam Harley?" I looked back at her.
"And you are?"
"Emily. Emily Harrison. We go to school together?" I shook my head a little in confusion. She rolled her eyes and leaned against the rails.
"We have Physics together." She said.
I nodded my head.
"Yeah, physics is the least of my worries when this season comes around." She shrugged.
"So what? Wake boarding is more important to you?"
"Always has been." She nodded her head.
"Can I ask what all this wake boarding stuff is about? Almost everyone in this town is a wake boarder and they treat it like the Olympics. All it is is a board and big body of water." I turned my head to face her as she just insulted the sport that's my life.
"A board and some water? Wake boarding is a lot more actually."
"And so is your education. You ever thought about college?"
"I plan on getting a scholarship to join the wake boarding team." She rolled her eyes once more.
"And by the way since when are you working at the marina? Ya know, most employees take the sport seriously."
"Just asking a question." She said glowing with self confidence. "Good luck." She said getting off the boat walking back into the store. I felt the boat rock again.
"Ready to get out there?" It was my mom. She drives the boat while I board. Most drivers are people's dads but I lost mine about 2 years ago.
"Yeah I'm ready." I took a deep breath as I looked out at the water. Parts were glassy while others were forming some wake. She backed out of the dock and started to work on my boots, fitting them to my comfort zone. I tightened them a little bit and pulled around on the strings.
"The wake looks calm today. You sure you can pull some tricks?" mom asked. I nodded.
"I'm pretty sure if I hit the wake just right I'll be fine." I said.

I pulled my life jacket on and jumped in to the water after I threw my board out before me. I came up and shook my hair and grabbed my board, butting my feet in the boots and clipped them on. Mom drove the boat out a little to where I could reach my slack. Today was the day I had to score to go to district. A voice came through the big speakers that were nailed to every dock and every tree.
"Boarders and drivers, are u ready?" At the sound of the announcers voice I gripped my slack handle. I looked at my mom and gave her a thumbs up. She gunned the wake boat and I pulled myself up. After I came up, Kyle and Brandon did too. The rest of the boarders came afterward and mom started pulling me out in to open water, the same spot Kyle was headed for. She looked back at me and I have her thumbs up telling her to go faster. She raised the speed and my board started to break the water making me jump a few times off the surface. I pulled out, rushed into the wake behind the boat and pulled a stalefish.
"The boarder in red, Sam Harley, makes a great air trick stalefish catching a medium wake." I shook my fist in the air in victory at my awesome composure and Brandon looked at me giving me a thumbs up and he pulled a Tai Pan.
"Boarder in black, Brandon Riley, showing the judges a great Tai Pan which will put him in second place behind Sam Harley." We both looked back at Kyle, who unexpectedly caught big wake and pulled a KGB 540. The crowd and families jumped and cheered as loud as possible and the announcers spoke with excitement. As I was in the water, I slapped my hands on the surface infuriated as he took my first place spot with and handle-pass invert trick. No one pulls tricks like those when you have this type of wake! I swam to the boat lifting myself on to it and sat at the edge uniting my boots and undoing the clips. Mom came to the back and took the slack off the hook.
"You did good Sam. You'll get him next time bub." I scoffed in disappointment.
"Yeah. But that's what we said last time Mom."
"Just keep practicing Sam. You'll get better and better."
"But mom he full on stole my position! I was set to one this!" She patted my shoulder.
"Just calm down sweetie. You're still going to district." She walked back to the wheel and I let my feet hang off the back, still in my boots. I looked out at the water, why betrayed me today. I've never felt more humiliated in my life.