Bondi Girl (Writing on Hold)

Chapter 10: Nightmares

Sorry about the long wait, I'll try to update as much as I can!

Ruby's P.O.V:

We arrive at the tower. Everybody looks at me as soon as we walk in. Inside was Deano, Hoppo, Kerrbox, Harrison, Jethro and H.

"Hey guys," I look at the ground. Everyone envelopes me in a huge group hug.Troy looks confused.

"Did I miss something?" he asks. I break into sobs. Deano strokes my head.

"Yesterday, whilst you were in the bar, Ruby went out on a walk. Alone. She got to an alleyway when," he sighs, "and almost got raped." I cry into his shoulder. Troy comes and hugs me.

"Why didn't you say something?" I look up to him.

"B-b-because I-I d-did-dn't w-w-w-want t-to ruin y-your n-n-night!" I cry. Troy hugs me tight.

"Knowing what happened would make my night better." I look at him questioningly. "Because then I could help you feel better sooner." he smiles. This is why I love him.

"Well Bondi doesn't wait for love," Hoppo smiles. "Ok, Troy and H, your in the North Tower, Jeff, Harrison, your at Backpacker on the Quad, Box, you and me are in the Tower and you two," he looks at me and Deano, "are at South End today. I force a smile.

"Now let's go set up the flags!" everyone laughs. I run out of the tower and into the buggy. Harrison follows behind me whilst the others set up the Tower. We drive off to the North end.

"I'm sorry about last night," he speaks up, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

"Please don't be, it's not your fault." I smile slightly. These guys are like my brothers, about 30 of of them, although I would love to have sister. It would be awesome. Someone to talk about girl stuff.

"You want put these flags up Ruby?" Harrison smiles. I nod and grab the shovel. "Now, there is a special technique to digging." he says. I scoff.

"No there's not!" I giggle.

"Well then try yourself!" He laughs at my abruptness. I dig out a hole really deep, put the flag in, then fill the hole in. Only for it to fall out. I pout. Harrison laughs.

"It's only because it's dark!" I whine. That makes him laugh even more. I can't help but laugh too. "Ok teach me." I say when the radio crackles.

Nice try Ruby! It's Jethro, I thought he would make fun of me. Weird.

"Thanks Jeff," I say.

Next time make sure it doesn't fall out! I pout.

"Go lock yourself in the North Tower again Jethro!" Troy told me all about it. I thought it was hilarious. Jethro didn't answer me. I knew I had won. Harrison was laughing head off. 

"Well, are you gonna teach me or what?"

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I'm sitting in the Rhino with Deano. We're taking turns to do rescues.

"So how was last night, like sleepwise?" he stays watching the water.

"Terrible. I probably had a about half an hour of sleep. I kept getting nightmares about it." He frowns. He was about to say something when I cut him off. "Someone going in there, I got him." I grab the board and run in. I paddle out the 100 meters to get to him. He didn't look happy to see me.

"Get on mate!" I say. If looks could kill, he would have buried me 20 meters underground and danced on my grave for hours.

"No! No! Real Lifeguard! Older! Older! Man!" He shouts in his Indonesian accent. He didn't even grab the board and was going under. Without thinking I grab his arm and pull him to the board.

"Mate! I am a real Lifeguard, now quit picking who you want to rescue you and get on!" He gives in and gets on the board, just after shoving me off the board. He paddles himself back to shore. I roll my eyes and swim after him. With my powers I get back to him before he gets there.

"What was that for!" I scream.

"Real Lifeguard!" He shout back. I roll my eyes and get on. We get back and I go through the usual 'did you swallow any water, swim between the flags' but he didn't listen or even look at me.

"Hello?" I ask. He looks up at me and throws a punch. He doesn't miss. "Sh*t!" I shout. I feel blood falling down my face. Deano runs up to me.

"Oh my god Ruby! Are you ok?" He grabs my shoulders and makes me face him.

"I-is it bad?" I ask. He just nods. 

"Nothing looks broken, but there's a lot of blood." he frowns and looks at the man, "Sir, why'd you do this?" He looks mad.

"Not Lifeguard! Lifeguard man! Not woman! Need to be older! Fake Lifeguard!" he kept going on until I started crying. He was abusing me. "See! Women soft! Can't be Lifeguard!" He starts shouting. Kerrbox  ran down and led me away from earshot and started cleaning my face.

"Don't listen to him Rubes. Hey that's, it!" I look at him. "Your nickname!"

"Oh no!" I say sarcastically, "What is it? I can decline it too." He chuckles.

"Rhubarb!" I laugh at the funny name.

"Ok, that's fine."

"Really?"

"Yeah," I giggle, slightly pleased with my new nickname. He grabs a radio.

"Box to all Beaches," oh no, not all of them!

I hear copies, and yo's come from the radio.

"Ruby has a new nickname!"

Give it to us! I hear Samuel at Bronte. Box looks at me.

"Rhubarb!" He smiles.

I hear shouting and yes's coming from everywhere. I look to see the man looking for me. We start walking to the tower and the man gets up and runs after me. I start running too.

Run to Troy, he'll protect you, my heart says to me. Where was he?

Troy and H, your in the North Tower, Jeff, Harrison, your at Backpacker on the Quad, Box, you and me are in the Tower and you two," he looks at me and Deano, "are at South End today. That's it! North Tower! I turn and run up North. I run out of breath and drop to the ground. The man grabs my shirt and starts punching me.

"Quit job! Stop being Lifeguard! No more! Woman not Lifeguard!" He screams between punches. I wasn't going to let him kill me. I lift my legs and kick him, he falls off and I grab him and sit on him.

"Sir! Why would you do that!" I yell. He lowers his voice.

"Your mother and father know where you are." My face feels pale. How do they know? They must have accessed my nightmares! This isn't good.