Normal is boring

3

Alex' POV

After waking up early, being in the water and learning to surf was nice. Ashlyn doesn't really care that she didn't know my name, she just wants to comfort me. 

We talk a bit about the World Cup in France that is coming in about a few months and cracking bad jokes about Coach Ellis. They are playing the final on my birthday, it would be nice to have a gold medal as birthday present. Ashlyn laughs. 

"You think I'm funny?" Ashlyn begins to laugh even harder. I don't know why. When I look away, I feel to arm getting to my legs. I scream, after that I'm upside down on Ashlyn's back. "Don't you dare, kid. I don't even know your name so I'm gonna call you Baby Kriegs." 

"Ashlyn, let me go",  I scream, laughing at the same time.

 "Only if you say that I'm the best goalkeeper and the kindest person you ever  met." 

"Ashlyn Michelle Harris, let me go." 

"Nope", she says and I sigh. 

"You are the worst goalkeeper the world has ever known," and after saying it,s he begins tickling me. 

I'm laughing and screaming at the same time. "Okay, Mrs. Harris, you are the kindest person I did ever meet and you are the best goalkeeper the world has." 

"Thank you, Baby Kriegs, what a kind person you are." 

"Now let me go, goalkeeper", I say laughing. 

With that she lets me go, thankfully. We walk out of the water en look at the sunrise. "You can call me Baby Kriegs, but my name is Alex. Why the nickname Baby Kriegs?", I ask with a serious look on my face.  

"You look like Ali. You have the same dark hair and that killer smile you have.'"

"You are smitten, can I call you Ash by the way?" She blushes. 

"I fell pretty fast for Ali, and yeah you can call me Ash. No problem." She looks uncomfortable and she changes the way of the conversation. 

"How are you?",  she asks and I don't know how to answer. When I think about today there are so many kinds of emotions today. "When I forget about the rest of the day, just all the things here, on the beach, I had the most wonderful day", my eyes begin watering and Ash puts an arm around me. 

"Take your time." 

"Since my mother died I have never had such a nice day, if you forget about the begin. It's only around 9.30 AM." 

"Do you want to talk about it?" I see in Ash's eyes that she wants to help me.

 "Yeah, I think that's an idea." 

"Do you want to sit here or at your house, at my house, I don't care." 

"This place is good, I love the water. I like the sound, it's a calm place, a place to think about everything."

"I love this place too when I have offseason I can surf and relax here. It's a calm place." Ash answers.

"Is it creepy that I feel like you're one of my best friends? I feel like I know you for ages."

"I think I'm open-minded and I like to help people. I saw you here when I came out of the water after surfing. I just knew you could use some help. It's a plus that you loved me before you even met me." She chuckles. 

"Yeah, you are one of my biggest inspirations. When I'm sad or just feel like I need some positive spirit, I watch your games or interviews on Youtube." I see her deciding in her head if she could ask me something. "Can I ask you some questions? So you don't have to tell your whole story. You can say when you feel safe or something. You can answer what you want, that's okay." 

"Yeah, sounds good." 

"Should I go to the deep stuff or just the simple things?" 

"I don't care, when I'm with you I feel like I can do everything." I look up at her, she has a smile and begins blushing. 

"That's positive. Thanks. Uhm... Why were you here at the ocean, just looking at the sea?"