A killer smile - Alex Hayes

Chapter 9

It's 3:00. I had chemistry last, it was a smooth lesson. Im making my way towards alex's car as i took his offer to drop me home everyday. When i get there, alex is in the car waiting. I didn't realise this morning, but there were two surfboards in the back.
"What are those for?" He smiles at the question.
"Got any togs?" Uh oh. I get the impression alex wants to teach me to surf. I shake my head.
"We can swing by your place, its only an extra 20 minutes with me, It wo t hurt." Yeah, it will. If my dad finds out I — I shake the thought off and just smile. I hop in the car and alex drives to my place.
I run inside and get changed into some plain black bikinis and my ripcurl rashie, also black. I chuck on some thongs and some sun screen. I try to make it out of the house without mum noticing i was here in the first place. Mission incomplete.
"Honey, where are you going?"
"Uhh, swimming at Manly beach. The tide is too low to swim out back?" I said as if it was a question. Good on you april, so confident with whatever you say.
"Um okay, just make sure you're back before dinner, around 7." I smile and exit the house. Mums not really that protective over me. She just doesn't like all the relocating and change of identity. I do feel sorry for her, but sometimes she needs to put herself in my shoes. I head to alex's car. He's texting someone, Im pretty sure its either nick or his dad.
"Nick is gonna join us. Same with Bayely." I'm basically psychic.
"The more the merrier." I smile. I wish I've met these boys before all this happened. I would of had the perfect life and the best of friends.
We pull up at manly beach. The waves are about two foot, they seem an alright size.
"The waves are a perfect size for learning on." See, basically psychic. We hop out the car and get the surf boards. One of the surf boards are way taller than me, and the other is about alex's height, maybe a bit taller. He gives me the smaller board.
"Usually people learn on foamies, but you skate so you might get the hang of it easier." Im a bit nervous to admit. I love the ocean but i've never really thought of me surfing. Alex is a good surfer so I think i'll be alright. Nick and Bayley pull up shortly after alex and I get the boards out. Nick takes my board off me, so i don't have to carry it. The boards are that heavy but nick could see i was struggling with holding it – due to how short my arms are. We make our way down to the beach. There is this massive brick wall. Alex drops his board and starts running towards it, what's he doing? He jumps off it, doing a barani. It looks really cool, he made it seem so easy. Bayley picks up alex's board as if he's use to this happening. Us three make our way down the steps, not planning on jumping off the wall onto the sand. I watch alex put his leg rope on, i follow his exact steps.
"Okay so, lie down on your board." I follow alex's steps. He tells me where i need to keep my body and i make sure to keep it there. He's also lying on his board.
"So, you're paddling, you see a wave, you paddle quicker and once you feel the wave take you, you stand up like..... this." He pushes himself up into a push-up posistion, brings his feet under him he's standing up, right foot infront. I skate with my left foot forward, so i guess i surf with my left foot too. I follow his steps. My feet end up not in the centre of the board, so i try again.
After several times of trying, I sort of get the hang of it. My feet are positioned in the middle of the board most of the time and the boys seem impressed. He picks up his board and I watch and try to learn. My arms are still short but i manage to get a good enough grip on the board. We make our way to the water. When my toes hit the wave coming into the shore, it sends chills up my spine. I've missed the ocean. At brisbane there was no beaches there, well not any like this. I wasn't allowed to go out much there, as we weren't as comfortable as we are here. As we get deeper into the water, i struggle to touch. I hop into my board, almost falling off causing nick and bayley to laugh. I paddle out to where alex is, paddling is quite straight forward.
"When you paddle, reach out to the top of your board and dig your arms in the water. It will hurt your first time but you need to get paddle fitness." You need to be fit to paddle? This is going to be harder than I thought.
"So bayls and i will push you onto your first few waves, and alex will be on the wave with you, just so your safe." Nick says. these boys really like to make sure I'm safe. Only if my mum knew how lovely they were she would probably let me be close with them, not that i'm not already. Alex points out a wave and nick turns me so i'm facing the shore. I begin paddling and the boys start to push me.
"Stand!" Alex yells. I push myself up and i'm–face planting in the water. as i get up from the water, the boys are laughing at me. Alex is only about 5 meters behind me. He gets up on his board and begins paddling towards nick and Bayley. i do the same.
Once we reach the boys, the process repeats again.
After about my 10th time failing, I start to get tired.  "I'm tired alex." I say, out of breath.
"One more, i have a good feeling about this one." After about 15 seconds of waiting for a wave, alex picks one. this one seems a bit bigger than the others, but not threatening. I start to paddle, the boys aren't pushing me anymore as i've been getting on the wave myself. As the wave gets closer i paddle harder and harder. I feel the wave take me so i push myself up into a standing position. Im- i'm standing! Alex is next to me cheering and i can hear nick and Bayley cheering too. The wave takes me in and i jump off the board onto the sand.
"You did it!" Alex says bringing me into a hug. Yes a hug. It took me a moment to realise the current situation, but i hugged him back. Alex's hugs were amazing. not too tight but not too lose. tight enough for me to feel safe in his arms, i could get use to this. The boys are in shore now. they're cheering and bro slapping alex. they give me a fist pump, and we head towards the car, packing the boards away.
"So, back again tomorrow?" Alex asks as we get into the car. "And the next day and the next day and the next day and the next day and the day after that, then the next day." I really like surfing. it's hard but a skill i'm willing to put effort into. Alex drives me home and the car ride was quiet, but alex was playing some music. I'm too tired to speak, so is alex.
"Thank you for today, it was honestly amazing."
"Text me when you wake up tomorrow, my family could get use to you coming over every morning. " And with that, i was walking home from alex's place. Today was a success. I walked in the house and..
"April, where have you been?!" Uh oh. I check my phones and it's 6:45. I have some explaining to do.
"i've called you six times, and texted you god knows how many!" She seems angry, i better tell her the truth.
"I have work to do. I know i said i was leaving this weekend but my shift has changed to thursday - monday morning. You'll be fine staying home. plus, you need to think what you're doing to these innocent people. you're going to get them killed, kennedy. " She's right. I'm going to get them hurt, even killed. She was out the door before i knew it. The hospital she works at is in melbourne, so she has to fly there  all the time. I need to think about what i'm doing here. i went upstairs for a shower. I don't need another meltdown today, not again. I take a long needed shower, the hot water calming me. When i get out, i leave my hair as it is and put on some relaxing music. I get ready for bed as it is now 7:30. but, my stomach is growling. I walk downstairs and grab some leftovers from last nights dinner. i guess i'll be living off leftovers for the next week or so.
Once i finished my meal, i head upstairs and open my window. i remember to close my curtains but not all the way so i do wake up a little earlier than needed, so i can see alex's family. I really want to see their family but it might get them hurt. Maybe it will be different this time. Maybe dad won't find me. i need to try and live a normal life, so it doesn't look sus.
As i'm drifting to sleep, my phone goes off, a text.
alex: "goodnight, thanks for an amazing day"
me: "goodnight. many more to come."
I shut my phone off and i'm drifting to sleep to the thought of how good my life could have been if my dad wasn't a domestic shit.