The weather had turned. This day was a far cry from the blue skies and even tide I had ripped previously.
Today, the sky was a dark, angry grey, and the peaks were cold and sharp. Within the first hour, I’d seen two massive double-up waves crash onto the beach, which seemed to alarm Jet and Kai.
Don’t even get me started on Jake.
His entire body was tense. He’d been stiff as a surfboard next to me when I woke up, and the muscle in his jaw kept pulsing.
I could tell he was holding back a slew of warnings and protests about me surfing on a day that wasn’t perfect conditions, but he kept them to himself, and I was thankful.
“If it wasn’t safe, they would postpone the competition,” I assured him over breakfast, and he’d just given me a dark look and nodded.
His silence spoke volumes.
It would have been easier to brush off his grumpiness as him just being his usual paranoid self if I hadn’t been getting the same tense vibes from Kai and Jet.
Even Turtle was on edge.
“Finn Man, some of these waves are looking rough, bro,” he said, eyeing the third sixty-foot double-up that was currently demolishing the death zone. The majesty and power of it sent thrills of excitement through my entire body.
I shrugged. “It’ll be fine. I’ll be careful. No one else looks like they’re planning on pulling out,” I said, trying to stay positive.
The other surfers were all doing their pre-surf rituals. I’d seen several surfers who were personal idols of mine, and I was having a hard time not acting like a star-struck uber-fan.
Even Mike Gurallo had come to watch, and he shook my hand!
I, of course, forgot how to speak again, and I’m pretty sure he thought I had brain damage or something, but I was too busy eyeing up the swells to worry about that right now.
“Yeah, well. Most people are fucking morons,” Kai grumbled. He, unlike Jake, hadn’t kept his thoughts to himself.
He’d told me straight up and in no uncertain terms that I was an idiot for riding today.
When I’d looked to Jet to call off his dog, he’d just pursed his lips and admitted that he agreed.
Thanks for the support, assholes.
Sylvia walked up to us, her shiny clipboard in her hand and her expensive running shoes crunching in the black rocks that made up the beach.
“You ready, Summers?” she asked, giving me a smile.
Finally,someone who was just as amped as I was.
“I wasbornready,” I grinned at her, and she beamed at me.
“Hell yeah. That’s what I want to hear. Follow me; the lineup is being announced.”
I nodded, saying goodbye to my unofficial team. They all watched me go with worry painted on their faces.
“Good luck, Finn Man,” Turtle said, his voice softer than normal and his brown eyes full of concern. I frowned at him.
“Hey man, I’m gonna do great. No stress.” I winked at him. “Let’s have a bonfire with Shelly tonight to celebrate.”
He gave me a tentative smile and fist-bumped me.
“Hell yeah, man. Let’s do it.”
I nodded and saluted the guys before following Sylvia to where the other athletes were gathered around an official-looking dude with a headset.
She wrapped her hand around my shoulders and gave me a squeeze.
