Kieran Tate is the type of person who just floats through life. He had a somewhat average childhood, has somewhat average grades, and isn't really anything special. That's the way he likes it to be; do all of the needed tricks without falling off th...
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I breathe deeply as I skate through the ramps and curves, wiping the small bead of sweat from my upper lip. I have been at this combo for probably hours, but I keep failing on the final trick.
Will, Evan, and Jason are seated on the ledge of the fun box, obstructing other fellow skaters from the area and getting angry looks. However, they don't really care as they have made it their mission to observe me. When I first walked into the skatepark today, they took turns yelling at me for not being here in over a week and falling behind. This is their idea of an intervention, and just to humor them, here I am trying to pull off a trick that I've never landed before.
I push off the ground with my feet, performing a rail slide as I give my crew a smug wink. They all roll their eyes, Jason going as far as yawning with a teasing grin. I flip him off before gaining speed on my board to perform a simple kickflip as my wheels leave a small ramp. When I'm airborne, the trick comes as easy to me as breathing, and soon enough, my knees are handling the shock of my board hitting the ground after a successful run.
I let the wind ripple past my face as I find the courage to pull off my final trick. I swerve through the other people on skateboards, scooters, and bikes until I find myself leaning back almost forty-five degrees as I glide around the bowl. I jump out of the big swimming pool junction as my hand catches my board. I run across the small bit of concrete before sliding Bernadette under my feet as I hop on.
It's now or never...by that, I mean that this could determine whether or not I have to go to the hospital in about five seconds.
Right before I'm in front of the guys, I position my feet correctly so I can pull off the infamous Tre Flip. Will gives me a big thumbs up and I nod with fiery determination.
In three, two, one...
My feet leave the ground as I use my back foot to kick the board into a spin. Not having the courage to see myself fail miserably, I clench my eyes shut. However, when my heels hit the weakened wood again, an elated and disbelieving laugh bubbles out of me. I peek one eye open just in time for my leg to make contact with a grind rail and for me to flip over it entirely.
I don't even let the embarrassing fall disorient me as I see the guys running toward me. They help me up as I begin to laugh.
"Holy shit, I did it! I fucking did it!"
"Yeah!" the guys yell around me, pulling me into a suffocating but excited hug as they ruffle my hair, slap my back, and basically praise me in the typical skateboarder ways they know how.
We probably look stupid as hell—jumping up and down in a circle in the middle of the skatepark—but the accomplishment is exhilarating.
"Damn, Kieran," Evan shakes his head with a laugh. "Didn't think you had it in you."
"Oh, fuck you," I chuckle.
"Well, for the record, I had faith in you," Will says before giving me a fist bump. "Not really, but it looks like you did just fine, man."
