paradise | jack gilinsky

two

lily

for once in my life i was waking up excited. competitions start today and they're my favorite things about surfing. we have smaller competitions throughout the summer but we end with nationals. i placed 2nd in nationals last year but i was determined to improve my surfing and hopefully take home the first place prize. the competition starts at 11:30 but i've been at the beach since 9 this morning. before competing i like taking walks on the beach it helps me clear my mind. 

by now it's 11:15, the beach was getting more and more packed. everyone in my town and the surrounding towns always come to watch the competition, i'm not gonna lie it's really intimidating. i met up with my dad and hayden. we had to sign in and get rash guards before the competition actually began. after signing in my dad gave us a pep talk, like always. hayden and i walked closer to the water getting ready for the competition to start. 

i was getting more nervous as the time passed. i was snapped out of my thoughts when i heard that laugh i've been dreading, kylie. kylie and i have gone to school with each other for years but we never got along. she beat me last year in nationals and i refuse to let that happen this year. she always gets everything she wants but i want to be the one to stop that. she walked passed hayden and i giving us both fake smiles. 

"don't let her get to you lil" hayden said

"i won't but i can't stand her"

"i know"

-

the competition finished. hayden and i rode the last wave in and ran to the scoreboard. i came in 2nd following kylie of course and hayden was 3rd. matt came up to us and hugged us both.

"you guys did great today" he smiled

"not good enough, she still beat us" i replied

"chill with the attitude"

"i'm sorry. you just know how much i can't stand her. it pisses me off when she beats us."

"i know"

"i'll see you guys later. i'm just gonna go for a walk, i need to clear my mind"

"alright i'll bring your board back to your house" matt replied

"thank you, you're the best"

i started making my way down the beach away from the big crowds. there were smaller groups of people down on the beach. as i was walking a soccer ball rolled towards me. i picked it up and went to hand it at the boy walking towards me. he pulled his sunglasses off and i realized it was the same guy from the other night.

"hey, you're the guy from the other night" i laughed "i never got your name"

"i'm jack"  

"lily"

"i know" he replied "not trying to be weird, i watched you surfing out there before"

"oh"

i could feel the blood rushing to my cheeks.

"you're really good" 

"thanks" i smiled

"do you want to come play soccer with me and my friends?"

"uh" i was about to turn down his offer but i looked up at him and he smiled so i said "sure"

he walked me over to his friends. it was him and two other guys.

"guys this is lily, she's gonna play soccer with us"

"aye you're the girl we watched surf before" one of the boys said

"yeah, that was me" i giggled

"that's sammy and that's jack but you can call him johnson" jack introduced the other boys

i played soccer with the boys for over an hour. they were actually really fun to be around. there wasn't a minute that we weren't laughing.

"okay guys i should probably be getting home. my parents are probably looking for me."

"where do you live?" sammy asked

"i just walk down the beach a little and then go up one of the ramps and cross the street. my house is right there"

"i can walk you home" jack offered

"you really don't have too"

"i want too" he smiled

"okay"

i said goodbye to johnson and sammy, then headed home with jack.

"so when is your next competition?" jack asked

"next saturday but i'm out here practicing almost every day"

"maybe i can come watch one day"

"yeah, i'd like that" i smiled

we finally got back to my house and jack walked me up to the door.

"i know we don't really know each other but i'd like too, do you think i could get your number?" jack asked

"of course"

jack handed me his phone and i put my number in and sent myself a text.

"i had a really good time today" 

"me too" i smiled

"well i should get back to the boys but have a good night gorgeous. i'll text you later."

"bye jack"

i walked inside immediately being asked a hundred questions by matt and hayden.

"what are you guys even doing here?" i asked

"we're supposed to have a movie night" hayden said

"oh god, i totally forgot, i'm so sorry"

"it's okay but who was that guy?"

"his name is jack. i met him on the beach last week after surfing. i ran into him today and he asked me if i wanted to play soccer with him and his friends, so i did. i didn't plan on being out the whole day."

"do you like him?" matt asked

"i don't like like him. i barely know him, but he was sweet to me which not many guys are now a days. now lets go watch movies, alright?"

-

sorry i took a while to get this chapter up. please let your friends know about this story :)