We just sat on the porch, hardly moving. The warmth from the sun beat down on us and the far off crash of the waves called to me, but I couldn't move. It took too much effort. Reef, Broseph and Fin had got there a few minutes after us, looking just as exhausted. We just sat there.
Finally, Reef spoke up. "That was seriously the hardest day of my life."
"None of you could have done as badly as me. I messed up so many times," Emma sighed. I felt so bad. Apart from the plates, I didn't even notice that she stuffed up. I made a vow to pay closer attention to her in the future. The next shift, I would watch over her like a hawk.
"Isn't this when we're supposed to go surfing?" Reef asked. I pictured myself on the waves, the cool, salty sea water refreshing me and wiping away the thoughts from the day. I felt a little energy enter my system, but not enough to move.
"Too tired," Broseph said.
"Way too tired," Fin complained.
"Come on, we made it all this way today, we have to get one quick session in," Reef said. How did he have the energy left to encourage us? I felt a little envious of that.
"Reef's right guys. Who knows when we'll get an hour off again?" Emma said. I looked at her and saw determination in her eyes. I was so proud of her. She had had such a tough day, yet she soldiered on. She gave me strength.
"Okay, okay, I'm in," I said, sitting up straight.
"Alright, let's go," Fin said.
"Cool," Broseph added.
"Meet you back in five," Reef said, before taking off.
I got up of the couch, body sore and walked up the stairs. The more I moved, the better I felt. Fin and I entered our room and I found my togs, pulling them on. Taking the time to unpack a little, I unzipped one of my bags and pulled out the books I had brought with me. I placed them on the thin bookcase near my bed, along with my sketch pad and pencils. That was all I could be bothered to unpack; there was no point in completely unpacking in case I was the one sent home.
When I turned around, Fin had her swimmers on as well. She had a short sleeved yellow swim shirt and purple bikini bottoms.
"Ready?" She said.
"You bet'cha. Last one there's a rotten toad."
She laughed as I ran past her, fighting to catch up. No one wants to be a toad. When we got down stairs, I touched my surfboard before her.
"Looks like you're the rotten toad."
"Ugh, I guess so, but you had an unfair advantage," She grinned.
"You're just trying to find excuses. I won, fair and square."
Reef was already down as well, grabbing his red surfboard. Emma appeared at the top of the stairs, gripping a bag to her chest.
"You coming Alberta?" I called up to her.
"Uh, maybe next time. There was a little skunk incident in my room."
"Bummer. 'kay, catch ya in a bit," Fin said, walking down the trail to the beach. Reef wasn't far behind her.
"You want some help Emma?" I asked. She looked so sad.
"No, no, I'll be right. You go ahead."
"If you're sure," I said hesitantly.
"I'm sure. Go." I frowned at her, reading her face. She smiled at me.
"Okay. Get me if you need anything, though."
"Okay."
I turned and walked down the trail. The closer I got, the stronger the saltiness on the air got, the louder the waves got, the stronger the wind got. I sighed in happiness. At the end of the trail, I reached the edge of the beach and the sand under my feet was a warm reminder of what the water held for me. The refreshing, invigorating, calming water. The weight of my board was familiar as I jogged to the water. It sprayed up and hit my legs as I splashed my way through it, a happy smile on my face. I looked around but I didn't see Fin or Reef. Shrugging, I paddled my board out, sitting there a moment as I watched the double overhead. A tingling sensation started in my stomach and spread to me arms and legs. I wanted to surf it. I started paddling for it.
Time passed so quickly. What felt like seconds was really minutes. I let the spontaneity of the waves take over my mind until I became the surfer. Not the waitress. Not a summer staff. A surfer. The water made me feel alive and the last of the days aches and pains were washed away from me.
I dragged my finger along a wave, letting the water trickle on my fingers. I felt giddy and happy. A lightness built in my chest, the way it always does when I surf, and I felt better. Complete.
Ripper passed me, pulling out some mean tricks. He smiled at me as he went by. "Sheila," he said. I grinned and waved at him.
I glanced at the beach and saw Broseph standing next to Emma who was lying on a surf board. She popped up and did rotated her wrists. I smiled as I realised he was teaching her to surf. I was glad she got the chance to start surfing. She looked so happy.
The sun was setting and I decided to call it quits. I didn't want to get out of the water, but I was used to that feeling by now. I always felt melancholy when I had to get out of the water. I walked over to Emma and Broseph.
"Looking good," I told her.
"Thanks," she said, a little breathless.
"You going out there now?"
"Yep," excitement was clear in her voice. "I'll see ya later." She ran out to the water.
"It's really nice of you to do this," I told Broseph.
"Nah, it's cool, Brah." He said, before walking after her.
I slowly made my way back to the dorm, letting the water droplets slide down my body. By the time I got there, the last bits of the sun's rays had dried my body, leaving only my hair wet. It swung in curls at my butt, light and wavy, and a slight breeze pushed it about. I felt completely rejuvenated.
I sat on the couch on the porch with Ripper and Lance and Martha. Ripper and Lance joked around and I joined in. they were nice to be around. Martha however, was, for lack of a better word, a cow. She just sat there and made sarcastic remarks, none of them nice. She seriously deflated my good mood.
"So, you liking the DR?" Ripper asked me.
"It's okay. A little different to what I was expecting."
"What were you expecting?"
"I don't know but it wasn't that." I grinned. His lips twisted up into a smile.
Martha, once again, sighed dramatically loud, letting us know that she wasn't interested in anything we were saying. I had had just about enough of her, but I ignored her. Again.
"How long have you been working here?" I asked Ripper. Lance was playing a game on the TV and was too fixated to make conversation at the moment.
"Oh, who cares?" Martha demanded. Right, that was it. I couldn't take it no more. I don't get upset or annoyed easily and I'm often the first person to use a sarcastic remark, but I can't stand mean people. People who say stuff just to be annoying. People like her.
"Will you shut up?" I demanded. "For christsakes, I wasn't even talking to you. Mind your own goddamn business. Or go somewhere else."
"I was here first. It isn't your personal couch, so don't tell me to shut up."
"Martha, ease up, will you," Ripper said, his voice heavily accented.
"Flirt with her somewhere else," She snapped at him.
"You have got to be kidding me! That's not flirting, you, you, you," I said. I don't like calling people names when it's not a part of a joke. When I'm seriously angry, I can't swear or call people names.
"You, you what? Huh? What am i?"
I pursed my lips and took a calming breath. "You're not a very nice person." I already felt a little ashamed of my outburst. I shouldn't let her get me so angry.
"I'm not a very nice person?" she asked incredulously. "Wow, I'm hurt," she said, placing a hand over her heart and wincing in mock pain. I rolled my eyes at her and remained silent. Johnny arrived then, followed soon after by Fin and Reef.
"Where were you?" I asked Fin. "I followed you out but you weren't on the beach."
"Yeah I know, we got roped into hall sitting."
"You were babysitting a hall?" I said slowly, making sure I'd heard right.
"Yeah," she sighed. I let it drop. What a waste of time, babysitting a hall.
Emma and Broseph arrived shortly after and I grinned at Emma.
"How'd it go?" I asked her.
She grinned happily, "It was amazing."
"She's a natural," Broseph added, glancing at her in pride.
"Heads up guys," Johnny said.
Bummer was walking towards us, a clipboard in hand. He walked in his silhouette, as the sun was touching the horizon, spilling the final rays of sunlight on us.
"Listen up people, as you may have guessed, I have the unfortunate duty of sending one of you home today," Bummer said.
"He's really going to fire someone?" I heard Fin ask.
"That is cold," broseph said.
My eyes stayed on Bummer as I waited for the verdict. Please don't let me go home.
"The employee with the lowest evaluation today was…" Talk about suspense. Emma was muttering 'pleasedon'tbeme' in quick succession and Reef was looking very pale. Next to me, Martha just sat there, reading a magazine, not even caring to listen to Bummer. "…Martha Mcartney."
"What?" she jumped up in shock, which quickly turned to anger. She stalked down the stairs, walking away, positively fuming. Emma did a little happy dance.
"Smell ya later," lance said.
"Ah, that's such a shame, I hate to see that happen to such a nice girl," Johnny added. I snorted. Yeah, right.
"Whatever," She called back to us. "Enjoy the bugs and lack of hot water." We all laughed a little. A dark, mean side of me was happy to see her go.
"As of right now, you are all on six weeks probation. If you're late by one minute, that's a strike. If you get anything less than a seven out of ten on your guest evaluation, that's a strike. If you steal a half-eaten brownie, that's a strike. Three strikes and you're out. Do I make myself clear?" He asked in a deadly tone. "Summer season starts tomorrow people, punch in is at seven am. Don't be late, and don't test me." He walked away. I let out the breath I didn't realise I was holding.
After he left, Fin stood up, stretching, "Well, I've had enough of being bossed around for one day. I'm going to bed."
"That is one of the best ideas I've heard all day," I sighed, following her up. I yawned and couldn't believe how tired I was.
We walked in the room to find extra suitcases on the floor and a girl sitting on the bed next to Fins'. She had brown hair and a yellow dress.
"Who're you?" Fin asked.
"I'm you're new roommate, Lo, the other room smelt like skunk." she said.
I shrugged and pulled out the bed sheets from a bag, tossing it under my bed and got to work making it.
"that's a lot of stuff, did you lug it all the way here with you?" Fin asked.
"I only had to come from the penthouse," Lo replied. I stopped in the middle of tucking the sheet under the mattress, and straightened my back. Hold up. She was the Lo we had to clean up after?
"Oh, wait," Fin said, sitting on my partially made bed. "You're the Lo whose huge party we spent the whole day cleaning up after. We didn't get to surf all day, because of you."
"Well, I got to surf, but that's not the point."
"Well, that's kind of your job, isn't it?" Lo said. Sigh, she had a point.
"Yeah," Fin said dejectedly. "How long did you say you were staying here?"
"Not very long. My dad totally went outer limits about my party and is trying to teach me a lesson or something. I'm totally cut off, he's actually making me work in the dining room."
I pushed Fin off my bed and continued making it. When I'd finished, I threw myself down and relaxed, letting the muscles in my body unwind.
"Wow, he's hard core," I said, looking at her from my bed.
"I know, right? So, it's cool if I crash here?"
"Doesn't bother me," I said, looking at Fin.
"Yeah, sure, knowing you're being tortured for trashing the place makes me feel better about cleaning up after it."
We heard crying coming from outside my door, and I recognised it as Emma. I got up, and we walked over to her, to see what the matter was.
There were hazard signs outside her door and it was barricaded off. Ooohhh, doesn't look good.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Fin asked.
"My room has been declared an environmental hazard." She cried.
"Come on," I said, placing my arm around her shoulders and steering her to our room. "You're officially staying with us."
"Really?" She asked hopefully.
"Yep."
We walked back in the door, and Emma spotted Lo. "Who are you?" she asked curiously.
"It's a long story." Lo said.
Reefs excited voice called up to us, "Hey guys, Bon fire on the beach for new staff, come on."
"I can do that," Fin said, her excitement growing too.
"Oh, I can order room service," Lo said. We just looked at her pityingly. "I can't order room service, can i?"
"No, but I have marshmallows. And we have a beach and we have a bon fire." Emma said.
"Come on, this will be fun. I can't wait to see the stars." I said, making my way down stairs.
The beach was nice at night. It was completely deserted and the only noise was the soothing sound of the ocean. The night air wasn't hot or cold, but just right, and the crackling fire wood added the perfect touch. With the marshmallows roasting on the fire, Life was good.
"Okay, I have a toast," Fin said. "Okay, so maybe our jobs kind of suck."
"And our boss is a total dork," Reef added.
"Yeah," Fin continued. "But the waves are awesome and the beach is beautiful."
"And the stars are luminous," I added.
"And this summer is seriously going to be fun. To Surfer's Paradise," She yelled.
"To Surfer's Paradise," we yelled back in unison. This summer is going to be the best of my life.
I could just feel it.
Thanks so much for reading!
And thank you to my reviewers, again.
AnaleighJames, Check your inbox, i've messaged you. (Just letting you know :))