Riptide

Prologue

I was scared, not that I would ever admit it to anyone but myself; and only in the privacy of my own mind. The building looming in front of me seemed bigger than it had when I walked by it this morning, probably because my life's dream depended on the people gathering inside. I clenched my hands inside my coat pockets, tensing up against the cool wind, and looked down at my frozen toes, wiggling them to get some warmth going.

It was the tail end of winter and barely the beginning of spring, so Bondi was sitting at a cool 7C, and it had been a 35 minute walk from the library. I was shivering as I debated whether this was a good idea or not. On the one hand, since the day I turned seven and went to the beach for the first time I knew I would stop at nothing to become a lifeguard and make said beach my office. On the other hand, I was currently homeless, not even old enough to apply for a traineeship, and I was a girl. But no one needed to know any of those things, except for the girl part - that was kind of obvious. All they did need to know was that I could handle myself in the water, both with and without a board, and that I was dedicated to saving lives and making the beach a safer place.

I knew I would have to prove that I was mature enough throughout my first year as a trainee if I made it, but I also knew that wouldn't be a problem. I'd turned 15 three weeks before, and I was already supporting myself. Well, kind of. I may not have a place to live, but I was good at finding warm places to sleep for the night, and I worked at a small petrol station in Bondi at night which earned me enough money for food. I'd spent the last three years of my life bouncing from beach to beach during the day, catching waves and soaking up the sun, and working at night before hunkering down for some shuteye and doing it all again.

When I walked past the advert about tryouts on the board at the library a week ago, I wondered if maybe it was time to finally chase my dream. Which leads to me standing on the curb across the street from the community pool, freezing my ass off. I knew the stares and whispers I would get if I walked in there, a young girl among grown men, but I knew if I didn't walk in there that day, then I never would. So I took a deep breath, and stepped off the curb.

A/N

Hey everyone! This is the first story I've ever written so I'm really nervous and would welcome any suggestions or constructive criticism. I have recently become obsessed with Bondi Rescue and hope this story does the show and the lifeguards justice. I am not from Australia, so please excuse any inconsistencies' or mistakes.