More Than Jaws

Chapter Eleven

I waited for his reaction and what he said hurt far more then what I expected.

"Being with Dustin won't make you happy Gabby, I hate to tell you..you seriously changed what happened?" I sighed looking at Dustin for support.

"Do you want me to go somewhere else so you guys can have some privacy?" Dustin asked being as sweet and mature as ever about this. As much as I didn't want him to go I looked at him and nodded trying to get myself to talk to Chang about this whole situation and getting it over with. But as soon as Dustin left and as I was just starting to explain I heard my mom come running down the hallways screaming, "Baby Nurse sharks, Baby Nurse sharks!!!! Gabby we need you to take some photos our photographer is out sick today! We need you right now go, go, go! Get to our boat!". I sighed and tried to give Chang a apologetic look and I went into my room to get changed into my bikini and to get my scuba diving equipment. I just realized that my mom is going to let me dive to take pictures of sharks..not just sharks but BABY sharks. God I'll be lucky if I survive today, I'm really getting nervous.

When I was finally done getting ready I got all my stuff together and I went outside to our dock where our boat was. I saw that Dustin was already there checking to make sure if her engine was working good, how the oil was being and getting ready to get going. Soon after I arrived on to the boat, my dad showed up, along with my mom, Chang, his parents and the rest of our crew.

"Mom if I take pictures you do realize that I have to do diving right?". My mom gave me a proud smile that made my heart swell and she nodded.

"Yes I do know that. But I know how hard you have worked these past couple of years and even though the first cage diving you did didn't work out we're going to do something a little different and let you dive. I think you'll do better by doing it that way and well have and I trust that you won't panic. Do you have your camera ready?" I nodded excitement tingling all throughout my body.

"I won't be going down there by myself though will I?" I know that was a stupid question but I had to ask just to be sure.

"Of course not. Well have your dad go down with you." This got me even more nervous because if something happened to me AND to him I don't know what I would do.

"Mom are you sure?"

"Honey, your dad is an expert he's been down there with baby sharks and he came back alive." The way how she said it so casually made me feel even more nervous. "The trick that you have to do is just stay calm and don't panic whatever happens. Also never show the sharks that your scared and look them in the eye but don't get in there face. So when you take pictures right before your about to take the shot let the shark come close to you. NEVER go up to the shark because then it'll feel threatened an especially if her babies are near her which they will be always be even extra cautious.". I don't think my mom has ever given this much long of a speech about sharks. At least not to me she hasn't. I pushed Dustin and Chang and everything else that didn't have to do with sharks out of my head and tried to make enough mental notes to remember what my mom was saying.

"Okay, I think that's all you need to know. Do you need help to put on your diving suit? It's okay if you do it took me about three months to get it on right without anyone's help." I giggled and nodded. My mom helped me slip the diving suit over my head and she helped made sure I wax feeling comfortable and I said yes. Then she put the tank on and I almost felt like I was going to fall over but she assured me that I'll get used to the weight. Then she helped me with the head part of the suit and she helped me with my goggles making sure they were tight but not tight enough to where my circulation gets cut off. Then I had to place the mouth piece in my mouth so i could breath and talk to my dad while we were under water without getting any water in my mouth. By the time I was ready my dad was also pretty much ready just getting his flippers on. When he was done he came to me and handed me this big then that was supposedly my camera. It's long and wide and it has a huge wide lens that looks really expensive. I held it just to see how heavy it is and I almost fall over. But I remember that everything is always lighter underwater. I put on my flippers and look at my dad to see if he's ready. He gives me a nod and he's heading over to the edge of the boat. I steal a glance At Dustin and he gives me a smile and nods his head. I feel relived that he thinks I'm going to be okay. I know that ill be okay and my mom said the most important thing you'll have to remember about this field is to always believe in yourself no matter what happens. my camera is a lot bigger then I thought it would be. it's long and wide and it has two handles on the end to help me hold it far away from me so I can get the perfect angle and shot of a photo. I finally realize that it's time I better get down there and I take a deep breath and my dad squeezes a hand.

"Hey just remember if I can do this, you can. On the count of three ready?"

"Ready." I said it before I could stop myself. We turned around so we were facing away from the water and towards our boat and I saw Chang. I looked at him once and he nodded and then I saw Dustin. He mouthed the words "I love you" and I mouthed the words back but I realized he probably couldn't see me so I just though them and gave myself a mental note to tell him later. WHEN I got back. My dad and I jumped backs first in the water and once we were in there we started swimming until we saw them.

There was probably about ten maybe fifteen sharks. I asked my dad if he had the tagger satellite on him and he said yes. I willed myself to stay calm and to my surprise I was. The Nurse sharks came pretty close to us and one swam right in front of me. I looked at it right in the eye and it paused and stopped right in front of my face. I felt that my breath was caught as I was mesmerized by this creature who was just as curious of me as I was with it. I cautiously moved my camera up and once the shark didn't move at my sudden movement I clicked it. Thankfully my camera doesn't have a flash because if it did I'm pretty sure I would've been a goner just now. I noticed that the shark had a long scar on its fin and scars by its gales and I felt my heart drop hoping those scars wasn't from humans. The shark swam away and then I saw the babies. They were with another shark that must've been the mom. They were swimming right beside it and the mother looked me in the eye and I looked away wanting to give it respect. The family came closer to me and I lifted my camera again I take pictures of the family and still nothing happened. It was then I heard my fathers voice.

"Unbelievable, Gabby look up." I wasn't sure if I wanted to but I did anyway and sure enough about a fifteen foot long shark was above us swimming right beneath the surface the sun glimmering right above it. The rays shimmering through the water and around the shark. I took a picture of that and smiled to myself thinking this is the best experience of my life. I decided to swim a little bit further and then before I knew it I was in the middle of those fifteen sharks.

"Right behind you kiddo okay?" I heard my dad say.

"Yeah dad that's fine. I'm glad your down here with me.". I heard him laugh and say, "Me too, I think your doing a fantasist job and in the sharks way of liking someone I think they like you." I felt that my heart was about to burst about how happy and proud he sounded of me.

"Can I try to swim with them? Can you hold my camera?"

"Sure. I trust you, as long as you feel comfortable enough to swim with them and as long as you don't show them any dead you should be fine." Just to make sure I was feeling okay I paused and took a deep breath and assured myself I was. I swam to a male nurse shark because females are more aggressive then the males. I also decided that the smart thing was to stay away from the mom and her babies. I gently put my hand on the sharks dorsal fin and praying he didn't notice me which I don't think he did and I let him take me away.