Chapter Six
Mercedes headed straight home as soon as school let out at 2:15 pm. Once inside the house, she had 30 minutes to get ready. She had to pick Brady up at 2:45 pm to head to the beach. This was their normal weekday routine. After school, one person would pick the other up at 2:45 pm and they would head to the beach together to surf until dinnertime.
Mercedes dropped her book bag off in her room and got changed. She put on her black boy cut bikini bottoms and white sports cut bikini top. Grabbing all her gear, putting on some sunscreen, and then grabbing a quick snack, Mercedes headed out the door.
As the two entered the parking lot in Mercedes' Jeep, they saw that the beach was packed. "Shit," Brady cursed in frustration. "Why the hell is it so packed today?" he asked aloud.
Shaking her head and pulling into the first available spot, Mercedes answered with a shoulder shrug, "I don't know. But don't worry about it. Let's just get out boards and surf."
The two unloaded their gear and headed towards the beach. After taking a minute to wax up their boards, they headed out into the water with smiles on their faces and laughter in the air. The crowded beach and surf was no longer a concern. Only having fun and ripping it up.
About 2 ½ half hours later, Brady rode a wave all the way in and got out of the ocean. He headed over to the showers to rinse himself and board off. Walking back to their stuff, Mercedes was just walking up the beach from the ocean. "What took ya so long, dude?" Brady asked with a joking smile.
"You hogged that wave and it was the last one of the set! I had to wait to catch another one. That's what freakin took me so long!" Mercedes joked back, giving him a slight push. Brady laughed and reached to push her back, but she had anticipated it and started to jog towards the shower narrowly escaping his vengeful wrath!
As Brady dried off and started to pack up their few belongings a black hair, darkly tanned boy approached him. "Hey bro," he greeted casually.
"Hey," Brady said stopping what he was doing to watch him walk closer. He was very well built, muscles very toned in all the right places.
"I'm Landon," he introduced himself, offering his hand.
Brady returned the hand slap and introduced himself. "Brady."
"My crew and I were watching you surf today. You can really rip!" Landon exclaimed enthusiastically.
"Thanks," Brady answered uneasily, skeptical of why this kid had approached him.
"No really. We were impressed. Your girlfriend was pretty good too. for a girl," Landon said as he made a gesture with his head in Mercedes' direction.
"She's pretty good for any surfer," Brady quickly corrected the guy, getting defensive for his best friend. Mercedes was never given the respect she deserved in the surfing world. Women surfers were still seen as inferior to the men. Sure, they were told they could surf well and rip it up, but always "for a girl."
Laughing to lighten up a bit, he corrected him again, "No, no, no. She's not my girlfriend. That's just my best friend, Mercedes."
"Oh ok," Landon said shaking his head and letting out a big smile. "Well, my crew and I," he paused to turn and point to a group of four other guys standing a distance away starring at the them with huge smiles and bits of laughter, "just wanted to know if you would like to surf and hang out with us tomorrow afternoon?" He paused and looked towards Brady for an answer.
Thinking for a second, glancing back to see where Mercedes was, who was STILL rinsing off, then turning back towards Landon, he shook his head. "Yeah. That sounds cool. But only if she can come along too," Brady negotiated.
Landon looked over towards the girl. 'Well, even if she can't surf as well as us, at least she'll provide some eye candy,' he thought to himself as he checked her out.
"Yeah, sure. Whatever," Landon complied. He'd do whatever it took to have Brady come and surf with his crew. They were always looking for talented surfers to join. It was good practice to surf against those with the same or even superior skill. "We'll see ya on the beach at 3 tomorrow then. Lata bro," Landon smiled as he high-fived Brady. Turning, he jogged off towards his friends.
A few minutes later, Mercedes made her way over to Brady. "Who was that?" she asked as she eyed the boy up and down with a smile.
"Landon. he asked us to surf with his crew tomorrow," he commented dryly. He didn't plan on telling Mercedes that she was only invited after he had asked for her. She would never agree to surf with the new crew if she knew they probably had only allowed her to come in order to get Brady to say yes.
"You better have said yes!" Mercedes exclaimed quickly looking towards Brady. "Brady? Please tell me you said yes? Brady!! Come on! Answer me!" she cried enthusiastically, hoping up and down as she waited for his answer.
Laughing, Brady rolled his eyes and nodded 'yes.'
"Woo hoo!" Mercedes shouted as she wrapped an arm around Brady's neck and gave him a huge hug. "I can't wait for tomorrow!" she added as the two grabbed their stuff and headed for the car.
Chapter Seven
The next afternoon Mercedes dressed in her light purple with small white flowers bikini bottoms and matching tankini top for the beach. Her hair was french braided with a purple ponytail holder at the bottom. She looked hot and she knew it!
Once at the beach, Brady spotted and pointed out the group and the two made their way over.
Landon noticed them coming first and smiled. "What's up bro?" he greeted them as he slapped hands with Brady. Brady smiled and returned the slap. Putting down their boards, Mercedes felt a bit out of place. She moved closer to Brady and slightly behind him.
Landon moved to the other side of Brady and began introductions.
"Guys, this is Brady. We watched him yesterday. He's gonna surf with us from now on. That's Pete, Chase, Shane, and Jacob," Landon pointed each guy out. Brady shook hands with each of them as they were introduced. Mercedes took careful note on each one's name. Clearing her throat, she looked over at Landon as she squinted in the sun.
"Oh right. And this is Mercedes," Landon added quickly.
Mercedes smiled nervously at the guys who gave her quick, uninterested smiles back. The smile disappeared from her face, as she felt a bit unwelcome.
"Alright, we're wasting time. Let's surf!" Jacob smiled as he picked up his board and headed towards the water. Everyone followed him into the ocean.
After a great session of surfing, the group dispersed from the beach, shouting congratulations and praises to Brady as they left. Brady was stoked and smiled from ear to ear. All Mercedes got was a few small smiles and "see ya" when she tried to say goodbye to everyone. She had surfed well that day and was sure the guys would be impressed. even if just slightly. She was very disappointed when they hadn't even really noticed. On the ride home, Mercedes just listened to Brady as he talked about his surfing and what he noticed about the other guys' technique. She wasn't up for much talking.
Mercedes headed straight home as soon as school let out at 2:15 pm. Once inside the house, she had 30 minutes to get ready. She had to pick Brady up at 2:45 pm to head to the beach. This was their normal weekday routine. After school, one person would pick the other up at 2:45 pm and they would head to the beach together to surf until dinnertime.
Mercedes dropped her book bag off in her room and got changed. She put on her black boy cut bikini bottoms and white sports cut bikini top. Grabbing all her gear, putting on some sunscreen, and then grabbing a quick snack, Mercedes headed out the door.
As the two entered the parking lot in Mercedes' Jeep, they saw that the beach was packed. "Shit," Brady cursed in frustration. "Why the hell is it so packed today?" he asked aloud.
Shaking her head and pulling into the first available spot, Mercedes answered with a shoulder shrug, "I don't know. But don't worry about it. Let's just get out boards and surf."
The two unloaded their gear and headed towards the beach. After taking a minute to wax up their boards, they headed out into the water with smiles on their faces and laughter in the air. The crowded beach and surf was no longer a concern. Only having fun and ripping it up.
About 2 ½ half hours later, Brady rode a wave all the way in and got out of the ocean. He headed over to the showers to rinse himself and board off. Walking back to their stuff, Mercedes was just walking up the beach from the ocean. "What took ya so long, dude?" Brady asked with a joking smile.
"You hogged that wave and it was the last one of the set! I had to wait to catch another one. That's what freakin took me so long!" Mercedes joked back, giving him a slight push. Brady laughed and reached to push her back, but she had anticipated it and started to jog towards the shower narrowly escaping his vengeful wrath!
As Brady dried off and started to pack up their few belongings a black hair, darkly tanned boy approached him. "Hey bro," he greeted casually.
"Hey," Brady said stopping what he was doing to watch him walk closer. He was very well built, muscles very toned in all the right places.
"I'm Landon," he introduced himself, offering his hand.
Brady returned the hand slap and introduced himself. "Brady."
"My crew and I were watching you surf today. You can really rip!" Landon exclaimed enthusiastically.
"Thanks," Brady answered uneasily, skeptical of why this kid had approached him.
"No really. We were impressed. Your girlfriend was pretty good too. for a girl," Landon said as he made a gesture with his head in Mercedes' direction.
"She's pretty good for any surfer," Brady quickly corrected the guy, getting defensive for his best friend. Mercedes was never given the respect she deserved in the surfing world. Women surfers were still seen as inferior to the men. Sure, they were told they could surf well and rip it up, but always "for a girl."
Laughing to lighten up a bit, he corrected him again, "No, no, no. She's not my girlfriend. That's just my best friend, Mercedes."
"Oh ok," Landon said shaking his head and letting out a big smile. "Well, my crew and I," he paused to turn and point to a group of four other guys standing a distance away starring at the them with huge smiles and bits of laughter, "just wanted to know if you would like to surf and hang out with us tomorrow afternoon?" He paused and looked towards Brady for an answer.
Thinking for a second, glancing back to see where Mercedes was, who was STILL rinsing off, then turning back towards Landon, he shook his head. "Yeah. That sounds cool. But only if she can come along too," Brady negotiated.
Landon looked over towards the girl. 'Well, even if she can't surf as well as us, at least she'll provide some eye candy,' he thought to himself as he checked her out.
"Yeah, sure. Whatever," Landon complied. He'd do whatever it took to have Brady come and surf with his crew. They were always looking for talented surfers to join. It was good practice to surf against those with the same or even superior skill. "We'll see ya on the beach at 3 tomorrow then. Lata bro," Landon smiled as he high-fived Brady. Turning, he jogged off towards his friends.
A few minutes later, Mercedes made her way over to Brady. "Who was that?" she asked as she eyed the boy up and down with a smile.
"Landon. he asked us to surf with his crew tomorrow," he commented dryly. He didn't plan on telling Mercedes that she was only invited after he had asked for her. She would never agree to surf with the new crew if she knew they probably had only allowed her to come in order to get Brady to say yes.
"You better have said yes!" Mercedes exclaimed quickly looking towards Brady. "Brady? Please tell me you said yes? Brady!! Come on! Answer me!" she cried enthusiastically, hoping up and down as she waited for his answer.
Laughing, Brady rolled his eyes and nodded 'yes.'
"Woo hoo!" Mercedes shouted as she wrapped an arm around Brady's neck and gave him a huge hug. "I can't wait for tomorrow!" she added as the two grabbed their stuff and headed for the car.
Chapter Seven
The next afternoon Mercedes dressed in her light purple with small white flowers bikini bottoms and matching tankini top for the beach. Her hair was french braided with a purple ponytail holder at the bottom. She looked hot and she knew it!
Once at the beach, Brady spotted and pointed out the group and the two made their way over.
Landon noticed them coming first and smiled. "What's up bro?" he greeted them as he slapped hands with Brady. Brady smiled and returned the slap. Putting down their boards, Mercedes felt a bit out of place. She moved closer to Brady and slightly behind him.
Landon moved to the other side of Brady and began introductions.
"Guys, this is Brady. We watched him yesterday. He's gonna surf with us from now on. That's Pete, Chase, Shane, and Jacob," Landon pointed each guy out. Brady shook hands with each of them as they were introduced. Mercedes took careful note on each one's name. Clearing her throat, she looked over at Landon as she squinted in the sun.
"Oh right. And this is Mercedes," Landon added quickly.
Mercedes smiled nervously at the guys who gave her quick, uninterested smiles back. The smile disappeared from her face, as she felt a bit unwelcome.
"Alright, we're wasting time. Let's surf!" Jacob smiled as he picked up his board and headed towards the water. Everyone followed him into the ocean.
After a great session of surfing, the group dispersed from the beach, shouting congratulations and praises to Brady as they left. Brady was stoked and smiled from ear to ear. All Mercedes got was a few small smiles and "see ya" when she tried to say goodbye to everyone. She had surfed well that day and was sure the guys would be impressed. even if just slightly. She was very disappointed when they hadn't even really noticed. On the ride home, Mercedes just listened to Brady as he talked about his surfing and what he noticed about the other guys' technique. She wasn't up for much talking.
