God, Love & All Things Surf

Chapter 16: When Push Comes to Shove

Thea flopped onto her bed and let out a long sigh. She was tormented by the voice in her mind that wouldn't stop taunting her. 'Another sleepless night, another wasted day. All because you're too afraid to fight.'

She was reconsidering what to do with her day—or afternoon rather. She couldn't shake the constant uneasiness that harassed her. It hadn't ever been this bad.

She absent-mindedly fingered the blue and green stitching on her hibiscus-patterned bedspread. She needed to do something. She needed to get out. But where, how—

Suddenly her brother's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"T! DOORS FOR YOU!" Jericho hollered from downstairs.

She moaned, annoyed that she had to be bothered from her sullen and depressed state, and rolled off her bed. She took her time coming down the stairs, thumping her feet loudly in protest at each step. Finally she reached the front door and swung it open.

"Max!?"

She hadn't expected to see him so soon. "What are you doing here? I thought you guys were going for a surf." She glanced behind him to see if Malea and Komachi had tagged along but found him alone.

Max's blue eyes twinkled mischievously and he smiled. "Well, as it turns out I was needed elsewhere." He winked at her good naturedly.

Thea blushed as she moved aside and opened the door wider to let him in. He must be messing with her. Why wouldn't he have stayed to surf on a day like today? Why would he choose to be with her when she was... well, so evidently unlike herself? She didn't really know what to say.

"Uh... can I get you anything to drink?" She asked awkwardly.

"Naw, I'm good thanks." He casually sat on the back of the black leather sofa in her living room and observed her.

Thea couldn't really call it anything else because he had that cute but annoying smirk on his face as he watched her. She'd pay anything to know what he was thinking.

"Issss there something you wanted to tell me?" Thea drawled out slowly.

"I dunno, was there anything you want to tell me?"

Really? Replying to a question with a question? She wasn't about to play his game... whatever it was. But after holding his silent stare for a moment Thea became a bit uncomfortable.

"Look Max, I don't know why you're here. If there is something important you wanted to say, say it, but I don't have time to just stand here and—"

"Really?" He challenged her indignantly. "What would you be doing right now if I hadn't come back?" He inquired, hiding a grin.

Thea bit the inside of her cheek and mulled over her possible excuses. She stared at the smug look on his face. He was trying to get to her and it was working. She let out an exasperated sigh. "I don't know, okay? But for the last time, Max Theissen, I am not going surfing." She crossed her arms in defiance.

In all truth, since the accident, the ocean terrified her. But he had surely guessed as much.

"Okay. Then here's an idea, Arimathea Tyler." He said with enough confidence and resolve to trump her defiant attitude. "How about you grab your long-board, I'll run over and get mine, and we'll go out for a spin." He stood up and moved to the front door, adding sarcastically, "Its close enough to surfing, but instead we're ripping on asphalt."

"I don't know, I don't really feel-"

Max cut her off before she could decline. "Admit it, you need - and want - to get out. I'll be back in 60 seconds, so you better be ready!" He flashed a grin at her and was out the front door before she could say another word.

"Ready?" Max jogged up the driveway to where Thea sat on the front steps of her porch.

"As ready as I'll ever be, I guess." She mumbled just loud enough for him to hear. She had changed into grey and green skate shoes and wore matching leather gloves. She stood up and awkwardly waited, likely expecting him to retort.

But he kept his cool and didn't. "So I was thinking we could ride the side roads to the beach hill and maybe stop at the Cafe at the bottom." Thea nodded and hopped on her board without further notice.

Max rolled his eyes and caught up to her. Why did women have to be so complicated?

"Thea, are you mad at me?"

She pushed off with her right foot, causing her to speed ahead. "No. I'm just... bummed... I guess."

"About..?" He caught up to her and grabbed her hand as they started down a small hill. He knew she wouldn't be able to pull away without losing her balance. Not that he was trying to make her react or anything. She stood normal on a board and his stance was goofy. So holding hands was one of the things they did that just seemed to fit when skateboarding.

She glanced at him and surprised him with a small smile, then shrugged and paused before answering. "I've felt like this for weeks and can't get rid of it. It just gets worse."

"Mhm, you're depressed. Everyone's noticed. But why?" He let go of her hand as the road leveled out and they had to propel themselves forward.

"Because I can't surf." She continued before he needed to encourage her. She slowed a bit. "Because... I'm scared of what could happen." They turned and glided down a side road. "And I feel like I can't even come and watch you, because I'm so scared you could go under and not come back up, or-"

Max dropped his left foot to the ground and skidded to a stop. "Thea why didn't you tell me this?" He asked disappointed.

A moment passed before Thea realized he had stopped. She dropped her right foot and stopped rather ungracefully. She looked him in the eyes and tried to say something but nothing came out.

Max picked up his board and made his way over to her. Without speaking he dropped it out of the way and wrapped his arms around her. After a moment of wondering if she was going to pull away from him she returned his embrace, burying her head in his chest.

His heart ached for her. "Why do you insist on keeping things like this to yourself? You can't allow things to bother you so much that they interfere with your entire life." He pulled his head away to look at her. "Not without telling someone." Dark circles had gathered under her eyes and creases he had never noticed before were showing up on her forehead. He gently ran his thumb over them, concern filling his voice. "It's eating you alive, Thea."

She made an effort to once again hide her face in his shirt but he held her back. "No, don't look at me. I'm a mess." She complained, trying to overpower him.

"I know." Max replied solemnly. "That's why we need to figure this out now."

Thea froze. "You're not going to force me into the water are you?"

A smile flickered across Max's face. "No, I wouldn't do that." He held her hands lightly in his own, as if showing her she had the freedom to choose. "I'm going to take you on a 'skateboarding date' to the Cafe down the hill, we're going to eat lunch by the water, and I'm going to continue loving on you all day until, even in this depressed state of yours, you feel like you are living again."

They stood there, un-moving, communicating with silent looks for the next couple minutes, until finally, a car came down the road and they moved aside.

"Max before we do this, um, can I ask you to do something for me?"

One side of his mouth lifted in a smirk and he replied presumptuously, "T, if it's a kiss you want just say the word and I can kiss you 'til the cows come home."

She paused for a moment, not sure whether he was joking or serious, but shook it off as jest and continued seriously, "Would you... would you pray with me?"

The look on his face told her immediately that she had surprised him. She hadn't asked him anything so serious or personal in weeks. He didn't even attempt to hide the smile on his face as he pulled her down with him to sit on the street curb.

She felt the familiar sense of calm as he gently caressed the back of her hands, as he absentmindedly did when they prayed together.

And she listened to his smooth, steady voice as he prayed peace, courage, and strength over her.