Tape felt no fear as the wave almost engulfed him totally. The board and balance was all that mattered. With a small misbalance that lasted no more than a seconds, his course switched and he exited the cave of water and was in the bright sunlight again. With another misbalance, he turned a full one-eighty and faced the west. The wave brought him to the top of the wave and then he was riding it. Grinning, Tape, put his right foot foreword farther (they were all Goofy-footed) and the tip of the board disappeared. Then, the rest of Tape and the board went down, back into the cave of water. He hit hard, but stayed on well by flailing his arms in circles to discover the new balance. The roar of the water began to change as it went further and further towards shore. Tape entered the sunlit world again and chased after a small wave, catching it and flying off. He twisted nine-hundred degree's and landed on the sand, the silicone cord attached to his ankle torn away and exposing a circle of blood. He had broken it and was on an upside-down board now because he kick-flipped it at the second turn and the fin was up in the air, safe from the sand.
Zack looked at Tape approvingly and Ty just whooped and hollered his amazement. Maddie clapped like her old self again and Cody smiled grandly. Mr. Moseby looked horrified and Carrie had a half-shocked, half-Moseby look on her face.
Tape shook his hair, sending a few drops of water everywhere. Max, dressed in a pair of guy swimming trunks and a black sleeveless shirt, stood next to Zack, with his hand around her waist. They had been dating now for about three weeks, mostly over the Internet. But when they were actually together…it was passionate. London had gotten Zack, Ty, Tape, and Max a large suite with several bedrooms, and it seemed that she purposely had them get only a three room instead of a four. But Max and Zack didn't mind. In fact, they slept in the same bed-but didn't do anything that involved the birds and the bees.
Ty went up next, an amateur but a determined one. He got to the wave and mounted it fine. But when he pulled several three sixty and a back flip, it was decided that he was now a pro; Tony Hawk of the Surf Board.
They stayed a bit longer, though the adults went back to the hotel for some reason or another. Max pushed Zack into a stall and closed the door behind them. He was about to protest, but she locked her lips on his kissing fully and with out regret. Zack slid his arms around her waist, then began to let them go up into her shirt. She smiled and continued, Zack keeping up. They didn't go far, though. After five minutes of making out, they exited, not missed by the others. Zack slipped a white T-shirt on and made a fire quick.
They all stared into the flame, watching it lick the sky fruitlessly. After an hour, Tape pulled out several glass bottles. They were hard to register in the moon light, though Zack looked at them and made a guess.
"You son of a bitch."
"What! It's Root Beer and Pepsi…in a bottle!"
"Oh…so you're lying to me now."
"Stop trying to cover it up."
"Cover what up?"
"You're huge camel-toe."
"Ass hole."
"Kak."
"Damn, nothing to top that."
They stared at the moon while drinking the beverages for the next half hour. Tape was sitting next to Ty, who was reclining on his back, hands behind the head. Tape was pointing at different things at explaining them to him. Zack watched this and pondered on the kids feelings. After all, he had no family:
Zack asked Ty what he meant by thanks at the party. He told him, and Zack immediately regretted asking: Ty's parents had been killed by a local gang, but they were never caught. Ty went onto a kind of orphan train, and he fought with the foster homes that were so religious they asked him uncomfortable questions like 'Are you a virgin still?' and 'Are you circumcised?' He fought them too much, making his case worker just give up and handing him over to the rehab, where he was put up for adoption. No one wanted him though.
Zack looked at Max, who was on his chest and began to think about how raising a child would feel. After all, he would be eighteen in less than a week. With that, he began to put two and two together until the adults came to pick them up at eleven.
2
At the hotel, in a huge party area, were drinks and snacks and a large dance floor. Behind the counter was a bar tender, but he served no booze. Instead, he made 'kazokamies', a mix of several things or just two drinks.
Zack looked around and saw that there were several kids from schools here. He looked at London who began to break out the confessions.
"We knew you were coming and set this entire thing up!" she blurted.
Zack chuckled and danced with Max for a while, switching with Tape and sitting down after seven songs.
London came up, excitement spilling from every pore.
"And now, give a big round of applause for Zack, Tape, and Ty!"
Zack was shocked to the point where he was forced on stage. Once there, he noticed that everyone else was ready, so he hurriedly strapped on his electric guitar and looked at the crowd. Someone yelled 'sing.'
"I am the lord and master, you all are bastards. Worship me…or I'll stab you're eyes till you bleed. I am the lord and master." he sang, strumming a made up tune to go along with it.
Everyone stared in shock.
Zack put a hand behind his back and put up the middle finger, American Idiot it was.
"Don't wanna be an American Idiot. Do wanna nation that does the news media! Can you hear the sound of hysteria? Subliminal mind…FUCK AMERICA!"
3
After several songs, Zack un-strapped his guitar and grabbed his drink, walking up to the mic.
"Hey, guys," he said. "Just wanna make a few announcements." The crowed looked at him. "As you know, I'm turning eighteen in a week and I uh…" he looked at Max and smiled. "I want to get married. Max, will you marry me?"
From his pocket he took a small velvet box and opened it. It was a twenty carat gold ring with forty two embodied diamonds and a single large emerald on top. She gasped an answer.
"Yes."
The crowd cheered and Zack hoped down from the stage and hugged her, thanking her in her ear.
"Next, folks…I want to adopt Ty over there. Literally."
The crowd became frenzied again and Ty ran of the stage and jumped. Zack caught him and he was forced back a few steps. He was pumping his fists fast.
"That's all…except that I'm moving to New York to college."
Carrie fainted on the spot. Zack looked at her worriedly.