Love's In The Water ~Jake Nolan~

Chapter Twelve

Sixth period ended, and I met Jack at the front of the school and since he drove to school, he drove to the beach. "I've just got to get some food for the guys. I'll be five minutes" I say stepping out of his car and we walk across the road and grab some large chips for the boys and walk to the tower "Ready?" I say as he stood in front of the promenade door "Yeah" He says and I knock on the door and Max Ayshford answered "Eve!" He says and hugs me "Jack," he says and gives him a handshake "Looks like you guys came through with the food," He says looking at the boxes of hot chips and we step into the tower. As the three of us ate the chips at the windows as Max was still on his shift "Oh no. Here's trouble" Kerrbox said walking in "Chips?" I offer and he takes them "How you been mate?" Kerrbox asks Jack "I've been better. Home isn't that great at the moment" Jack answers honestly "Well, you've always got us and I'm sure anyone one of us will be able to help in any way we can" Kerrbox says not pushing it and I could see that Jack appreciates that.

I should probably explain Jack more. We did nippers together at Bondi and primary school together but stopped talking when he moved up to the central coast before the beginning of year seven and we lost contact.

"Double trouble's here. That can only mean one thing" Mouse said as he finished his shift "Hey Mouse" Jack said and the chips were long gone "Jacky boy!" Singlets said as he walked in behind Mouse "Hey" Jack said "See they remember you" I say hitting him on the arm lightly "What's the time?" He asks and I look at my phone "Ten to five" I say "Do you remember the thing you two used to do in the surf, where you'd switched boards on the waves?" Mouse said and it brought back so many memories "Yes! That was much fun!" I say as it was. We got smashed by so many waves trying to switch boards mid-wave but we got eventually "There's two boards in the tunnel" Kerrbox says and Jack and I get changed into swimmers and raced down to the tunnel and grab a board each.

We head down to the south corner where the waves are bigger. Bisho was on duty in the south corner and questioned who I was with and what we were doing "Bisho, you remember Jack? We were friends when we were younger and Mouse reminded us of something that we used to when we younger" I say to remind Bisho of Jack and they shake hands "What are you going to do?" He asks "Switch boards, while riding a wave," Jack says "Good luck. It's pretty heavy today" Bisho says and we run into the water and paddle to the back. "This one!" Jack shouted as a decent sized wave formed and I agreed, we paddled onto it and caught it side by side. When the time was right, Jack placed a foot on my board and I placed a foot on his and since he was in front, I used him to stabilise myself from getting from my board to his, with two feet on his board, he held onto my shoulder and used that to stabilise himself from going between the two boards and we surfed in different directions to shore.

"Yes! That was amazing!" I said walking over to him "Man, I miss surfing" Jack said holding the board by his side "You should come down more, I sure the boys will let you use a board until you have your own again" I say "Thanks E, but I told you, all the money I make goes towards the bills and keeping mum stable" He says "But thanks for reminding me what its like to surf to again. But I gotta go pick Mitch up from footy training" He says and leaves the water and I don't what to do. He's only eighteen and has look after his mum which I don't know what's wrong with her and look after Mitch his brother who's twelve. I wonder what happened to Jaylen? I wonder how he's going? And I get out of the water, Jack dumps is board on the sand as I said I'll take it back.

"Where's he going?" Bisho asked as I walked over to him "To pick his brother from footy" I say slightly disappointed that Jack had to leave but understood "I'll see him at school tomorrow though" I said "How was that by the way. Going back to school" He asks "Terrible, its school. I don't know why I wanted to go back to school" I say "What classes did you pick?" He asked "Extended maths, standard English, PDH PE, timber, CAFS and business studies" I say "So I walked into timber right, and my teacher says 'textiles is the first on the left' I was there for timber not for bloody textiles" I say "Sexist piece of sh*t" I add and Bisho looks at me "You'll get through it. Show him that you're as good as the boys in the class. Make him regret saying that and I know you are more than capable of doing that" He says and it gives me some hope that I can do school. "I should be getting back," I say and walk back up to the tunnel and put the two boards back.