Out of the Blue

5

It was finally closing time and before anyone could see her leave, Stephanie took her surfboard and bolted for the beach. With lights illuminating the beach there was just enough light to see the water. Running full on into the ocean she started to paddle hard. A swell started to form and before she new it she was riding the almost perfect wave. The water was cool against her skin. Carving in and out, skimming the wave was the most releasing sensation she could imagine. After taking on a few more waves she paddles herself into the shallows, just laying on her board staring at the myriad of stars.

"You surf?" She could hear Andrew yell from the shore. Stephanie twisted her body and board around and yelled back to him.

"Yeah."

"Can I join you?" He yelled back.

"Sure, why not?" She said slightly excited. And a minute or two later he met her in the shallows. They took about five waves but after a long day at work they just waded in the shallows.

" You're good at surfing. Why don't you tryout for our school league?" Andrew asked curiously.

Stephanie twiddled her fingers back and forth in the water, staring at her board and said " I don't want to be told on a scale from one to ten on how good I am based on other people's opinion. I also don't like to be compared to others strictly based on what some judge thinks. All that matters is how hard I try and see if I can continually beat my best, I guess."

She looked up at Andrew and he started at her in amazement. Stephanie slowly was growing uncomfortable from the staring and looked back down at her board.

"You want to know something Steph?" he said. She's never had anyone call her Steph except her parents. It was strange but she really liked it in an odd way.

"Sure" she said looking back up at him.

" I have met and talked to so many different kinds of people and each person usually has one unique trait about them but I have never met anyone with your perspective on..." He trailed off.

" On what?" Stephanie wondered.

" I don't know. Just everything I guess. I mean you're so down to earth and not like anyone I've met yet."

" Is that a bad thing?" she said as she started paddling to shore.

"No no, not at all. It's different. A really good different, I like it." He started to catch up with Stephanie and she tried to hide her smile by paddling to the shore. As they reached the beach he followed her to her bike. "Hey I can drive you to your house if you would like. It's kinda hard to ride a bike and hold a surfboard." He offered.

"Sure. Thanks Andrew." Stephanie said shyly.

"My pleasure" he smiled. They walked to Stephanie's bike and Andrew put her board and bike in the bed of his truck.

On the ride home Andrew said "You know, the waves are actually better to surf in the early morning out there."

"Really?" Stephanie replied.

"Yeah. Here, I have an idea. How about I pick you up tomorrow morning at five-thirty and we can go morning surfing together before work?"

Stephanie looked down and smiled, hiding her blushing face in the darkness. " Sounds fun." she said.

"Fantastic. Sounds like a plan." He said with clear excitement. A couple songs later they reached Stephanie's home. They got out and as Stephanie grabbed her board he grabbed her bike and they put them in the shed. Andrew walked her to the front door, close beside her.

"So I'll see you early tomorrow morning?" He said.

"Yep. At five- thirty."

"Alright. Goodnight then" he said almost in an awkward tone, putting his hands in his pockets.

"Goodnight Andrew" Stephanie said as she turned to open the door. Andrew's muscular, tan arm then went across her closing the door.

"Wait." He breathed.

"What." Stephanie said, a little confused.They turned to face each other. He just stared at her. Faces about six inches apart, saying nothing. Eyes locked, her heart started to race. His blue eyes illuminating in the dark, he then broke eye contact and looked to the side.

"Um, Never mind. I'll pick you up tomorrow though." He forced a smile and turned to go to his truck, leaving Stephanie in the dark for a couple seconds until she snapped out of her phase, opened the door, and slowly closed it behind her.