lifeguard | e.d.

6 | no effort

Via's POV
10:02 am | after work

it has been two months since i've talked to ethan. he made pretty much no effort to even call or text which made me a little disappointed. okay, maybe a lot.

coralline left for oregon two days ago to go see her family. lucky her. both my parents were killed in a car accident when i was eleven.

i lived with my brother since he was eighteen. he became my legal guardian and would take me to my therapy or counseling sessions.

the sessions worked and as much as i didn't want to, i let go of my parents. they're in a much better place and i needed to accept that.

my shift ended at ten and i sit in cora's jeep now staring out the windshield, lost in my thoughts.

my phone vibrates and i grab it out of the cup holder, unlocking it. it's a message from cora.

cora: i'm not coming home until tmrw now. sorry

i sigh reading the text and quickly type back my reply.

me: it's all good. have a fun time ly

she replies telling me she can't wait to get back and surf with me.

oh, surfing sounds fun. i need to free my mind and sitting here by myself in my apartment doesn't sound that appealing.

  i walk into my apartment and grab my bikini lacing up the strings in the back. i pull the bottoms on and then put an over sized shirt on, not bothering to wear shorts.

i grab the keys to cora's car and my board from the balcony.

my feet hit the hot sand and i wince a little making my way towards the water, quickly. i throw my backpack down and take my shirt off before running in the salty water.

i land on my board and begin paddling out farther. i sit up on my board and the sun shines down on my skin. the water glistens brightly, blinding me.

i hear the low roar of a wave approaching and i snap out of my trance. i lay down on my board and paddle just a little further out.

i get up just in time to stand sideways and balance out. instead i lose my balance falling right into the wave, getting sucked in.

i try my hardest to swim up out of the water but the wave and the current hold me down. i roll under pressure and my left shoulder hits the rough sand.

my lungs are burning and i need air. my head pounds and my eyes feel like they are bulging out of head. i keep them closed though, the blackness being the only thing calming me.

  my board is attached to my ankle and i feel it tugging on me as i'm still stuck in the current.

  my thoughts start scattering as my body feels, weightless. and then all my thoughts are gone.

  i'm floating towards the shore. adults and children gather to try and  help me but i'm already unconscious.

  two large, calloused hands wrap around my waist and carry me out of the water. i'm lying down on the dry sand; grains sticking to my body all over.

  i feel an index and middle finger pressed up against my neck, checking for a pulse. then the rather large hands land in the middle of my chest. they pump up and down trying to circulate air. when that fails to work i feel a pair of lips on mine, blowing warm air into my mouth.

  i cough. water coming up my throat as i sit up and look around. my eyes blink a few times registering to the light.

  "valencia?" i look towards the person who rescued me from the water.

  ethan. looking as flustered as ever. beads of sweat forming on his forehead right below his hairline.

  my throat is scratchy and sore. i don't talk. i just nod my head slowly.

  he sighs heavily and picks me up, surprising me. he puts me back down on the ground right by my backpack and searches through to get my towel.

  once he reaches it he pulls it out and wraps it around.

  "how did you know that was my bag?" i manage to squeak out.

  "i've been watching you since you got here," he says looking me dead in the eyes.

  his words and stare send a shiver down my spine.

  i smile lightly showing no teeth but then remember that he never called or texted me for two months. my smile fades.

  i stand up, unsteadily and grab my backpack and board. i clumsily walk towards cora's car, sliding my board in the back and climbing in the drivers seat.

  ethan catches up to me and comes to the open door, blocking me from closing it. his eyebrows furrow and  i roll the window down.

  "yeah?" i ask a little bitchy.

  "hey, um, i just wanted to say i'm sorry," he starts sounding a little worried. "my family went through something and my brother and i had to go back to new jersey for a bit."

  my tone softens towards him and i suddenly feel bad for accusing him of ignoring me.

  "oh, uh, sorry about that," i offer and he smiles thanking me.

  "could i take you out sometime?" he asks rubbing the back of his neck, he's nervous.

  "i'd love that," i reply right before he kisses my cheek.

  i blush and he waves before running back towards the beach. maybe he'll actually text me this time.

AUTHORS NOTE:
hey honeys well here's a chapter for you and i hope you enjoyed...fyi ik nothing about surfing or drowning so if i sound stupid i honestly dc. lol
vote and comment!!
-ella

(edited)