On the beach, the first thing Wendy wants to do is go surfing.
"Really- we just got here!" I protest. I was hoping to do a little relaxation by the sea before anything else. Sports is not as much my thing as it is Wendy's- she's tons better at sports than I could ever hope- though she tells me I underestimate myself.
"What, no energy for a little surfing?" She teases me. "Come on!"
"Alright." I huff. She then asks me what on earth took me so long earlier, to which I tell her I was just talking to someone.
"Who was it? Was it a guy?" She questions jokingly. I'm really not sure what's up with her- I just hope agreeing to surf with her settles her a bit.
"Well, sort of- I was talking to the engine that brought us here." I tell her, and she just shrugs.
...
We do manage to get our surfboards- I get a turquoise blue one, and Wendy gets her favourite colour- a purple one. Once we're ready, we jump in the waves with our boards and begin.
"Woo, this is fun!" My best friend calls out, brushing aside her already wet copper- blonde locks to the side of her heart shaped face.
"I agree, Wendy, even if I- LOOK OUT!"
We swerve to the side as a female surfer on a scarlet red surfboard zooms past us in a crazy zig-zag formation, before she falls off and disappears.
"Are you alright, Wendy?"
"Yes I am, Dana- but that other surfer isn't!" Wendy shouts, and without hesitation, she jumps into the ocean and disappears from view.
"WENDY!" I scream. I feel tears pricking at my eyes. Of course, my best friend just jumped in the ocean! Deciding to take action, I paddle back to shore, lying on my surfboard.
...
"Please, does anyone know where there's a lifeguard?" I call desperately, and I end up running into someone.
"I'm so sorry, sir," I say, "Do you know where I might"-
"DANA! OVER HERE! I GOT HER!" A familiar voice yells across the beach.
"Look, that girl's saved our Branwen!" The man says to his wife, in a thick Welsh accent- and sure enough, Wendy staggers up to me, helping a pale and stubby girl with squinty eyes over to her parents.
"Oh we can't thank you enough!" His wife gushes to my friend. "You saved our only daughter! How can we repay you?"
"Please- you don't have to repay me- I was just doing what I would want someone to do if it had been my friend or I." She says, blushing.
"Well, what's your name?" The girl's dad asks her.
"Wendy Jensen, sir."
"Pleased to meet you- I'm Norman Griffiths and this is my wife, Eilonwy, and Branwen, our daughter."
"And I'm pleased to meet too. This is my friend, Dana. She went to try and get help from the lifeguard."
"Much appreciated, ladies." Norman continues, observing Eilonwy squeezing the life (and water) out of her daughter. "To show you our gratitude for saving Branwen's life, I invite you both to join us on a trip to Ulfstead Castle." He finishes.
"We'd be honoured, but there's"- I am cut off before I can continue.
"Splendid! Here are the details." He scribbles them down on an old receipt, and hands it to Wendy. "Don't worry about paying – we'll cover the expenses."
"Oh sir, you mustn't"-
"But I insist!" He exclaims. "You saved the life of my daughter, and I only wish to share my gratitude!"
He did look sincere, although a little eager for us to accept this kind proposal. In the end, we both agree to join him, and allow him to cover our expenses.
"Now we'd better get Branwen checked over." Eilonwy says. "Thank you again, girls!"
Branwen says nothing to us throughout the whole exchange, but she manages to wave at us weakly as she leaves with her parents.
"Well, this trip is getting more and more memorable!" Wendy exclaims.