All In

16

Chapter 16

Alex and I spent all day surfing and most of the night talking before I told him goodnight, catching a ride back to the Sway house. I hopped out of the Uber that Alex had ordered for me, walking inside with a big smile on my face as I held the USB Alex gave me in my hand, walking into one of the living rooms, Jaden sitting on the couch. 

"Hey, sorry. I'll just go downstairs," I jumped as he shook his head, smiling up at me. 

"No, you're good. You can chill in here, I'm not doing anything," he smiled as I nodded, laughing softly before walking over to the TV, turning it on and plugging the USB in, getting it to play before walking over to the couch, sitting next Jaden. Jaden locked his phone, looking up at the TV. "What's this?" He mumbled, looking over at me. 

"These are some of my surfing highlights from the time I was 10 up to my very last competition. Apparently my dad and my, um, friend were working on it so they could give it to me if I made the Olympic team. Kind of as a celebratory little gift. Show me how far I've come," I smiled, looking over at Jaden who was nodding, looking at the TV. 

"So that's you?" He smirked, pointing at the screen. 

"Yeah," I laughed, sinking back into the couch as I watched 10-year-old me surf. 

Jaden and I watched the entire 30-minute compilation, Jaden and I laughing the whole time as he asked questions and even roasted the videos of little me. The video had highlights of me surfing, and even some clips from interviews I had done after winning titles and breaking records. Jaden had me laughing with the sly comments about my horrible bangs, which my 13-year-old self had cut after playing one little hairdresser video game. 

"No cap, you were pretty good," he smirked as I smiled softly, looking at the paused picture on the screen of my father, Alex, and I holding the trophy I had won at the last competition I ever surfed in. 

"I guess I was," I gulped, crossing my arms as an uneasy feeling flashed over me, suddenly making me anxious.

"Well, the only good news for you is that I guess being a cringey little kid runs in the Richard's family DNA," Jaden huffed, smirking at me as I laughed softly, looking at him with a confused look.  

 I watched him as he unlocked his phone, pulling up a video for me. He moved closer to me, smiling softly as he turned his phone on its side as we watched the video that had us both laughing the whole time. That uneasy feeling of anxiousness immediately vanished, leaving me with the biggest and brightest smile. The two of us laughed so loud that it caused Anthony to come in, sitting down next to me, laughing as he looked at the video. 

"Are these Josh's old Music.ly's?" Anthony smirked at Jaden as he nodded, never taking his eyes away from the screen and his laugh never pausing for a second. 

"He looks like such a baby," I wheezed in between laughs, holding my stomach as Anthony began laughing. He was laughing more at Jaden and me than the video itself. 

"You have no room to talk miss 'I think I'm a hairdresser'," Jaden laughed loudly, looking up at me as I laughed, shaking my head. 

"What?" Anthony laughed softly as I giggled, shaking my head. 

"Nothing," I smiled at him as Jaden sat up. 

"Ant, if she ever offers to cut your hair, don't let her do it! I saw a picture of her with self-cut bangs, it's a no for me, bro," Jaden smirked as Anthony just looked at us strangely. 

"It was a phase! I can 100 percent be trusted with scissors now," I smiled as Anthony just laughed, shaking his head as Jaden and I laughed like little kids. 

I hadn't felt this good in months. There was something about these guys and their carefree attitudes that made me forget. Forget that I had lost my world and that I buried every sense of normalcy I've had since I was 10 the day that I buried my loss.

I felt safe. I felt loved.