Perfect Surf

Aerrow

It's funny how things can change for the worse in only a moment's time. I don't understand it… Rage came over me so quickly and all because she was upset. I shot at the first person that could possibly be responsible… I've never been such an angry person, I've never wanted to react so violently… What's happening to me?

Finn is my friend. I shouldn't want to hurt him over something so trivial. Who knows? Kai may not even be interested in me. But the question still looms—how could she have such a strong grip over my emotions? Especially ones I would never willingly use against my own friends…

I closed my eyes and I could see everything I wanted to do to Finn for ever putting Kai in danger at the Academy. Sure, her scars are healing nicely, but the emotional ones never will be the same. I can't sleep with her every night, sexual connotation aside… I can't protect her from the nightmares, no matter how much I'd love to.

"Aerrow… You worry about me too much."

"Hm?" I looked up from my board. "Oh…"

"You snapped at Finn… Is everything okay?"

I laughed. "Yeah, maybe I have more than my fair share of demons… You haven't known me long enough."

She scoffed. "Aerrow, I've known you long enough. You have had your moment with rage, but it's not like you."

Good judge of character, I laughed silently. "Kai… the reason we're on this vacation is because we're all on edge. I'm…just a little disappointed that we're being forced to leave early."

"Hm." She kicked her feet through the water.

"Well what about you? You're a bit off yourself."

She smiled. "This argument is repeating itself."

"But it seems like something's wrong…"

She looked toward the shoreline, examining the families swimming on the other side of the drop off. "… Finn… had mentioned something about you and Piper."

My heart rate skyrocketed. "S-said what?"

She laid back on the board, facing the sky. One leg hung off the board, another was propped up, her foot lying flat against the waxy surface. "Finn suggested we join in the tide pool search to keep you from tripping over Piper."

I laughed. "Seriously? Finn needs to get his facts straight…"

She pulled her braid out of the water, letting it rest on the board beside her. "What do you mean?"

I cleared my throat. "Well… That… Finn…"

"What about Finn?!" the blond shouted, paddling out to join us. "Hey, guys. Getting tired, Kai?"

She let her head roll to the side, watching the blond. "A little."

"Aerrow's boring you, then, eh? Let's go do something fun."

I huffed, "Why you little…" I reached over a smacked the back of Finn's head the second Kai looked away. It seemed to go downhill from there.

Finn, though angry, shot me a glare and a smug smile before speaking up again. "Hey, Kai… Let's go back to the tide pools. I found this perfect cave we can hide in."

"Among other things?" she laughed. "Really, Finn…"

I watched Kai carefully, making sure she wouldn't turn her head back toward us. I positioned myself just right and kicked the bottom of Finn's board, unbalancing him. Just then, hearing splashing in the water, Kai rolled her head back over and watched as Finn fell off his board. Startled, Kai sat up quickly but ultimately fell off her board and into the water as well.

I sighed. "Shit."

Finn slowly climbed back up onto his board, cursing at me.

"Oh, shut up, you flirt. What do you think you're doing, trying to get involved with Kai?"

He lowered his brow. "Ohh, so I'm interrupting something, eh? Well you can take your surfboard and shove it up your ass!"

Kai's board tapped my own, catching my attention. Then, a stunning realization hit me. Kai didn't come back up. I scrambled to the safety cord attached to the board, pulling it up. When I reached the end and no Kai, my heard sunk. "She must've come out of it…"

"Why the hell are we sitting here?! Kai's down there, floating somewhere! I'm going to get her."

"No, I'll get her." I kicked Finn off his board once more, undoing the safety strap on my ankle.

Resurfacing, Finn glared at me. "You know what? You're being selfish. Save yourself the damn trouble and think about Kai for once. I'm going to get her."

Finn

Just as soon as he had his safety strap undone, mine was off and I was already five feet below the surface. My eyes shot open and I scanned the clear water for Kai. Quite a few feet deeper sat a trapped girl, frantically trying to free herself from something she was caught on. Adrenaline now pumping through my veins, I powered to the bottom and ignored my need for air.

I grabbed onto Kai's arm, reassuring her I was there. When the girl suddenly froze in the water, I knew something was wrong. Her limbs became limp and she just floated there.

I scrambled to find whatever was keeping her trapped to the bottom, seeing it was much too large to lift. I took the denim belt loop and began to pry it from its stitching. One or two good tugs did nothing, and I was running out of time. One last adrenaline and anger-fueled tug did the trick and she was free, but far from trouble.

I kept her lifeless body close as I swam to the surface, ignoring the possible decompression sickness that might result. Once I'd resurfaced, a frantic Aerrow helping me get her onto a board, I gasped for air, my heart and lungs yelling at me for the stupid yet life-saving stunt.

"Is she all right?"

"Does she look all right?" I yelled at Aerrow. "Just shut up and help me get her to the shore! We have four minutes, less now, to get her to breathe before she could die." And I knew it would take longer than that to get her to the shore.

I got behind the board and began pushing it to the shore. Aerrow, unsure what to do, grabbed his board and Kai's, pulling them behind him. I counted each second as it passed by, the knot in my chest tightening with each moment. With each fueled kick, however, we made it with only moments to spare. I picked Kai off the board, ignoring the board itself, and rushed her up onto the beach. Piper dropped what she was doing, dragging Junko and Radarr behind her, to see what was going on.

"What's wrong? Is she all right?"

"I'm not sure what happened… Kai fell off her board and somehow made it to the ocean floor. She got caught on a spare carrier ship part and took in some water."

Stunned, Piper struggled to breathe herself. "…Cpr!" she demanded. "Someone needs to get her breathing."

"You do it!"

"I'll do it," Aerrow called behind me, rushing up onto the beach.

That's all I needed to hear. I quickly took charge and tilted Kai's head back, pried open her jaw, and placed my ear over her chest. "She's still alive… she's definitely not breathing." I sat up, hovering over her. I looked directly at Piper. "Go get Stork in case things go wrong."

She nodded, running off.

I quickly returned to Kai. I sighed, plugging her nose. Performing rescue breathing, I forced about two breaths into her lungs with no luck. By now, we'd passed the four minute mark. Her heart was still beating, but it wouldn't be for long. Another breath, then another. And another…

Suddenly, Kai attempted to breathe in before coughing up the water she'd taken in. I sat back, letting out a sigh of relief. Aerrow rushed to her side as she rolled over, continuing to cough up water.

"Kai! Kai… are you all right? What happened?"

"That's...," she paused, coughing. "That's… my line…"

Aerrow whined, worried.

Piper quickly returned with Stork, and though reluctant to be near the water after our last vacation here, he quickly took over and assessed the medical situation. "She needs to get back on the ship…"

"Right. Everyone, back on the ship. Our vacation is over…"

Junko attempted to pick up Kai, but I stopped him, taking her to the ship myself.

"I would believe you if you told me that you saved me…"

I scoffed. "Isn't that just the thanks I get."

"…You… really saved me, didn't you?"

I stayed silent, continuing toward the condor.

Feeling guilty, Kai sighed, closing her eyes.