WAVE BOUND

1 - Down to Earth

The ground is unstable under my feet. I shift back and forth along my toes to save myself from falling forward. If I do, no one will bring me to the surface. I'll be alone, sinking beneath the crystal blue waters, staring at the sunlight.

   "Ria!" a tangy Aussie accent shouts from the shoreline. I quickly gaze at the bright blonde-haired girl on the beach, waving her arms around like she just discovered how to do it. I redirect my board and ride towards the shore, the frigid water hitting my feet.

As I got to shore, the cool feeling of the water ceased, and the burning sensation of the sand began. The hot air made my skin sticky, especially under my tight rash guard. It was long and black with yellow along my shoulders and running down my arms. I wore a matching black bottom that covered me enough to not flash anyone. It was uncomfortably hot, but it was the only way I wouldn't receive burns from hitting the board or the water.

"hot hot hot!" I exclaim, running across the scorching sand. "fuck, it's so hot!" my voice whined. The sand pushed against my feet, and it felt like I was sinking into it. It was almost like it wanted me to feel the pain. That it would somehow make me stronger.

I finally arrived at the beach bar's wooden planks, where the petite girl stood. She wore a brown T-shirt with the words 'bikini beach bar' on the back and a picture of a fish in a bikini top. "I want to introduce you to some of my mates," she said, urging me to follow behind while she weaved between the tables. The floorboard creaked under me, and the wood felt soggy from all the water dripping off people's swimwear.

We reach a table of 3 boys. The first is rather stocky with brunette hair that matched his hairy chest. The second one was less bulky than the boy before but definitely athletic. His hair was grown out buzz-length with frosted tips. Lastly, there was a bigger bloke in height and width with hair blonder than the sun.

"This is my brotha, Luke!" the small girl, Tallulah chirped, pointing at the majorly blonde fellow. "Hey there," he gave a short wave and nodded, then looked towards his friends. These are my pals, Mateo and Noah," he said. "Nice to meet you," Mateo's the one with the frosted tips and the glowingly smooth skin. I can't tell if I wanted him or wanted to be him because he was perfect. We lock eyes briefly; his blue eyes attract me like the waves in the ocean do. Something pulling me in.

"G'day mate! Bloody fantastic to meet you! Cheerio!" The brunette, whom I can only assume is Noah, walks towards me and vigorously shakes my hand. The bones in my hand feel like they are cracking under the pressure. "We don't talk like that," I yank my hand away once I have the chance. Tallulah gives me a knowing look and rolls her eyes. "We don't talk exactly like that," she says.

"Take a seat!" Tallulah pulls one of the wooden chairs out for me. I'll grab you a drink!" I breathily chuckle while I hop onto the chair, hoping the wood isn't rotting beneath me. This place was so old, and I'm sure they hadn't replaced any furniture from when they first opened. "I can't drink and surf! But I'll have some chips."

Her lips thin into a grin, and she nods. "Coming right up!" She scurries off, and eventually, I can't see her through the hoards of people in their tiny bikinis and oversized sun hats.

"What kind of chips do they have? like Lays?" Noah seems genuinely confused. "they're American fries. We call them chips." My forearms lean against the wooden table, trying to hide under the umbrella so the sun doesn't beat against my skin. "Are you guys American?".

"Almost," says Mateo. We all live in Canada, but technically, I'm the only Canadian." I gaze towards Luke, "Why aren't you in Aussie with your sista?" He finishes sipping his water before saying, "Snowboarding is the best in Canada. You can't down here. "My mouth makes an O shape to convey my understanding.

"And you surf? Are you any good? "Noah asks. I hate to be rude, but he seems to be the dud of the group. Maybe all the falls from Snowboarding got to his brain. "I'm a little good. I don't do it competitively, but I like to ride the tougher waves."

"Where do you live on the island," the frosted-tipped boy asks. I never knew someone could look so sweet but also so handsome. I find myself losing track of time while making eye contact with him. I didn't know if seconds or minutes had passed before I responded, "Byron Bay. There are lots of beaches, so I only have to travel a little to ride the waves. "

"Why don't you speak super Australian?" we all roll our eyes and turn back to the brunette boy. "I lived half my life in America, so," my pingers tap against the wooden table. I pick up on some Australian terms, but I'll always return to my roots". He nods as if that was his last question, or so I hope.

The conversation dies down, and eventually, no one says anything. A few moments of silence pass before Tallulah returns with the chips in her hand. The perfectly crispy fries sit on red and white checkered paper in a red basket. My stomach starts to growl as if it realizes how hungry I am before I do. "Thanks," I cheekily smile at the girl.

She pulled out her seat, scraping against the floor and making a loud noise. "You can just take a break like this?" Luke asked. She shrugged, "They don't care. "She pulled Noah's water towards her and poured a straw into it, taking a few sips. "My shifts are basically over," she said.

"Do you want to go into the water?" I ask. She quickly looks at me, excitement in her eyes. "I thought you'd never ask!" She pulls her T-shirt off, revealing a matching brown and hot pink flowered bikini under her uniform. Noah whistles, causing Luke to smack him in the arm. My rashguard was mostly dry, so it was easier to pull off, showing the -kini I wore under. The rich blue of my top complimented my sunkissed brunette hair. My fingers threaded through and pulled the locks together to create a bun, just strong enough so the water didn't touch the ends.

"Why don't you guys join us?" Tallulah asks the boys. They glance at each other, saying "Okay!" in unison. They were already in their bathers, so they leaped from their seats and began to walk off the deck. Luke slipped cash onto the table before we left.

"beat you there," Noah smacks the skin on my back, causing me to wince. But I refused to lose, so of course, I took the challenge, "You wish.". I hear the others chuckle behind us while I leap past the deck stairs, trying to catch up to Noah's headstart. After each step, the sand began to burn my toes, ushering my skin to meet the water sooner. I have an advantage as I run in the sand more often than he does. He huffed and buggered as his back hunched. I soon pass him, and he sounds defeated, "Hold- hold on! Wait for me.".

My feet hit the wet and chalky sand before I finally meet the chilling, crystal-clear water. I let out the breathiest cheer I could mister before falling back into the water, forgetting about protecting my hair and letting the small waves take me.

Life was so simple when all I did was surf, tan, piss up and eat. when I enjoyed being alone with my thoughts and the waves. When I could float above the water.