Shivley: A Now United Story

Ch 35: Surfboard

It was extremely hot outside and Shivani was regretting her choice of outfit right now. She was wearing black jeans and a black and white striped shirt with her black vans. Basically her clothing was absorbing all the heat and it was about a hundred degrees outside. Plus right now she was sitting on the hot sand far away from the ocean breeze listening to some guy name Zach explain why "surfing was totally like the best way to embrace LA culture, like totally!" 

Everyone they invited had said yes and Noah had suggested going to Venice Beach. So here they were an hour later listening to blonde haired, blue eyed Zach demonstrate how to probably stand on a surf board. 

"He's kind of hot though." AC whispered in Shivani's ear. 

Shivani laughed and tried to see what AC was seeing. He had extremely sculpted abs, the kind that seemed so unreal they were probably contoured on, and was about six feet tall. His teeth were so white they could probably blind someone if they got too close and he had the quintessential surfer talk. But Shivani really didn't get the appeal.

"...so then you like bend your knees and hop right on and it's like super easy my dudes!" He jumped off the board and clapped his hands together. "Alright now all of you grabs some boards and spread out on the sand!"

Shivani was happy to get up off the sand and she grabbed a board and placed it in front of her. Noah dropped his next to her and smiled. 

"I bet you a million dollars and some ice cream that I wipe out in the first five seconds that we go into the water!" He laughed.

"You live in Los Angeles! How have you never been surfing before?"

He shrugged. "Well technically Orange County. Plus I was more of an artsy theater boy and less..." he glanced at Zach, "less like that."

Shivani laughed. "He definitely fits the whole Southern California surfer boy stereotype that you failed to conform to!" She winked.

His eyes widened. "Oh is that something you'd prefer?"

She shook her head too quickly. "No! I mean... I think you're pretty cool--"

"Hey guys!" Maya walked over and put her surfboard between them. 

Shivani smiled. "So Maya you still feeling scared about getting attacked by sharks?"

She nodded. "Absolutely! But Noah will protect me, right Noah?"

He laughed. "Yes of course! I can't let anything happen to Bailey's little sister." He glanced over at Bailey who was still waiting to get a surfboard and shuddered, "That man could knock me out with one high five."

Maya laughed. "True. But trust me I'm not that little."

Shivani really wasn't jealous, but she was amused by Maya. And then Maya yelled at Bailey to come over and then Shivani was annoyed.

"Maya why are you doing this?" She whispered. But Maya pretended to not the hear her and when Bailey came over Maya told him to put his surfboard next to Shivani.

"Actually wait!" Shivani heard herself say. Where was she going with this she wondered to herself. "I actually promised AC she could be next to me so...why don't you move one over?" She knew she sounded really rude, but she really wasn't interested in playing Maya's game.

"You mean the AC that's over there next to Kenneth already?" Maya asked.

Shivani wanted to slap herself. "Yup. I guess she forgot."

"Great! Bailey stand next to Shivani and that way if she falls you can catch her with those big strong muscles Noah's scared of."

"Way to expose me Maya!" He gave a half-hearted laugh.