The Bucket List [#Wattys2018]

Chapter Ten: Surf's up!

"There's no time to be bored in a world as beautiful as this."
                               •••••••
"Amy, how in the world are we going go go surfing in New York?" I ask, I'm clearly stressed out right now. Amy is pacing the room, tapping a pencil to her chin, her face slowly lights up. "Let's go to Hawaii."

I look up at her, shocked by what she suggested. "What!? You're a best selling author, your book is flying off the shelves like this." Amy snaps her fingers. "You have money to go to Hawaii." I try to look for an excuse. "I just can't leave." I mumble.

"Amanda, you've got to start living, come on, Just a few days or a week in Hawaii. You could also cross off swim with dolphins off your list, and then you can find a cute guy in Hawaii and go skinny-dipping."

I gawk at her words. "Okay..okay.. fine, we're going to Hawaii." Amy claps her hands and jumps up and down. "But I'm NOT going Skinny-dipping." I stated. Amy giggled. "Well it's on your bucket list." Right. It is. What was I thinking?
••••••
"I can't believe I'm doing this." I gulp nervously, and find my seat on the plane. Liam and Amy have seats in front of me. A man sits next to me. "Phillip!!??" I exclaim.

The man turns his head and his green eyes meet mine. "Amanda!" A smile fills his face. "You're going to Hawaii too!?" I'm just so surprised. "Yup", he smiles again. Amy turns around in her seat, winking at me, before going back to cuddling with Liam.

A few minutes later, Liam hands me a folded piece of paper. Phillip and skinny-dipping? Amy!!! My face turns crimson red. I ask Phillip to move his feet and I kick Amy's seat. All I hear from her is a giggle and a snort.

"What's that?" Phillip asks, eyeing the note. "Nothing." I rip it into tiny shreds and turn to look out the window. Then I realize that Phillip is watching me, with a smile on his face. Without thinking, I blurt out, "do you want to go surfing with us?" I didn't think that his smile could get any bigger, but it did. "Of course." Maybe I'm starting to like him.
                            •••••••
"Ugh, this flight is soooo long" Amy is complaining. Liam starts to calm her down. Phillip looks nervous, I wonder why he's nervous. Suddenly I felt his hand take mine. Crap! Do I pull my hand away!? What if he gets upset. I don't know what to do. I kinda like it.

I mean, What happened with Paul was twenty years ago. I shouldn't let one guy ruin my whole life. I hold Phillip's hand tighter and smile at him. His face is bright red, mine is probably too. I must have fallen asleep because I woke up with my head on Phillip's shoulder. And our hands were still clasped together. It just felt...right.
••••••
Our hotel was the luxurious Kahala Hotel & resort in Oahu, Hawaii. They associate with Dolphinquest which is the organization we are using to swim with the dolphins tomorrow.

Our hotel room was right across Phillip's, so I could pop in and see him anytime. We were now officially dating and I don't think I've ever seen Amy smile that much.

"Liam has a different room, don't worry." Amy said, "okay good." Liam's room was next to Phillips. Liam helped carry our bags over and then gave Amy a long passionate kiss, he held her tightly with one arm around her waist and with the other, he held his hand on her face. Her hands were in his hair. There was an urgency between them. Like they needed each other, more than oxygen.

Liam had red messy hair that fell right above his eyebrows. He wasn't pale but he wasn't tan. His eyes were a deep green, not too bright. He and Amy were the picture perfect couple. Amy had long blonde silky, wavy hair that cascaded down her shoulders, and she had the brightest blue eyes, her makeup was never smudged and was always perfect.

I smile at the adorable couple. They part ways and when they see me watching both their faces get red. Liam quickly hurries out the room. "You guys are so adorable together." I tell her. Amy gushes. "Yeah." Seeing Amy so happy with someone made me really happy.

"So you and Phillip?" She inquires. I nod happily. "I want to take it slow, I'm still a little unsure, But I really like him." I choose my words carefully. "Amanda I'm really proud of you, this is a huge step up. You're finally enjoying life, it's great to see this happening to you." Amy stands up. "I'm going to bed. Be ready to surf tomorrow morning." "Night!" I call to Amy who was slipping on her pajamas in the bathroom. Tomorrow was going to be radical dude!
••••••
"The string is pointed backwards." The teacher told us. She was really pretty, with long brown hair that was curly and wavy at the same time, she had a nice tan and her eyes were shockingly blue.

We had this strap on our ankle that was connected to the surfboard, we had practiced for hours now on how to surf. "Ready to go into the water guys?" She asked. I looked over at Amy then at Phillip and then Liam. We were all ready.

I get on the board, lining my body up with the stringer, which was the line going through the middle of the board. I lay down, not too far forward and not too far back. And I start paddling to the water. My hands are cupped and I start taking long strokes through the water.
I make sure my chest is raised, my feet are together, and that my core is tight.

I see a huge wave coming over, and Just like we practiced, I place my hands on the board, Raise up, spring up on my feet and crouching, bending my knees with my arms out to balance, and of course I fall, and the wave crashes over me.

I try the second time, and the third time, and so on. I finally get it on my sixteenth try. It feels amazing, the wave is pushing me and the board forward, I'm riding the wave. And eventually it crashes over my head, sending cool refreshing water over my entire body.

I head back to shore. Everyone else is smiling. Amy had got the first wave on her first try, Phillip got it on his third, and Liam got it on his eighth.

"Guys! That was amazing!" I exclaim. Everyone agrees with me. I look over at Phillip but find him talking to the surfing teacher. He's probably asking her a question about the waves or something. "And tomorrow we're swimming with Dolphins!" Amy squeals, we jump up and down together excitedly. Life is great.