Freedom To Surf (Jesse Polock Daughter Story)

Well...Rivalry Isn't Nice

Riley's pov

In the past few weeks, I have done maybe 100 rescues, got yelled at 200 times by my dad, (lifeguarding with him isn't going the best, I mean it's not going that bad, it could be worse I think. He is really protective and aggressively caring about me.) What else should I catch you up to speed with.....I got a secret cat, needless to say, Jesse and Tullie don't know about it and, they don't find out for the rest of the time I live with them. No, I don't plan on moving out soon. In terms of lifeguarding, Hoppo has recently let me know I am very close to being promoted to a full lifeguard position. Since I am not a full lifeguard trainee, aka not doing for the full two years because Hoppo is in a hurry to get me on the team, we have another trainee Yay! His name is Josh and his nickname is Josherd. He and I don't get along well. He lives with Maxi and Boo currently too, so we see each other often, unfortunately. Since Hoppo told me about my soon-to-be promotion, he has been extra nasty to me. News travels fast throughout the crew, which is how he found out.

This would be my 38th day walking to Bondi. It's been fun so far, and lucky me, no one has tried to prank me yet, I mean they have, but not since I joined the service. I get there and I see Josherd, I honestly just call him just Josh, walking down the beach. Please tell me I am not on beach duty with him! I walk into the tower. I have gotten into a habit of getting fully suited up at home and leaving my bag in the tower. It lets me get to work on time so I prefer it. I radio Hoppo asking my position for the first part of the day. Guess where he said.... with Josh. Most of the guys know he and I don't get along. Jesse and Boo kinda get it but they still think that he and I just need to "bond." Ugh. Anyway, I can't sit in the tower all day, as much as I would like to hide from him. I, however, am not retaliating. I can be as sneaky and mischievous as I want, but not when I am on the clock. He can do whatever to me, the only thing I will do is tell the others and run away.... sometimes, I know eventually he will get his comeuppance.

I was sitting in the buggy, watching the water while Josh stood ahead of the buggy, closest to the water. He was ready to run in if anybody was in trouble, but I was closer to the rescue board so I could probably execute a rescue. I sat gazing out into the water but mostly glaring a hole in his head. Obviously, a lifeguard's duty is to always watch the water, which I was doing while multitasking. I kept thinking that maybe if I kept staring at his head, it would explode and a tiny gnome would be left in its place. I heard the radio go off, it only was beeping once which meant it wasn't an emergency, I didn't hear Josh's beeping which means it's turned off, which is a no-no in the service while you're on duty.

Pushing my finger down on the receiver button to answer. The response I got was Reidy's voice floating through it saying "pay attention to the water, or you can be confined to the tower till you learn to pay attention." I knew Matty Dee, Whippet, Jesse and Boo were in the tower with him. My guess is they were watching me, while I was down here. Since the whole team knows of my trouble with Josh, someone was watching us most of the time. Boo is injured from a surfing incident so I presume he is watching us. I mean what else are you going to do when you are confined to a tower. Jesse was only up there because he was on lunch, he was stationed at the south end today.

I sighed, not really wanting to respond, I had a feeling that if I did the next voice I heard would be my Dad's. I put my radio back on to its place on the dash while redirecting my attention back to the water. I suddenly see a child out the back struggling, I quickly grab my board and run off into the water. I can see Josh out of the corner of my eye looking stunned, I mean this child was directly in front of him basically. The rip underneath me was strong and the child, who was a young girl, starting to bob up and down, a clear sign she was going under soon. I picked up my speed and paddled probably the hardest I could before her young body was swallowed by the big, wide and some parts unexplored ocean.