A Trip To Remember

Walls

"Well that was...interesting." Jo said throwing up his hands hopelessly.
    "Alright well let's see what you girls learned."
"Hey!" Caleb and Nathan shouted in unison with a whiney tone.
"Fine whine about it. That won't prove my point." Jo said rolling his eyes and turning around with a definite superiority.
   "ANYWAY, get in the water and let's surf." Tyler said clapping his hands together.
We all waded into the water, trailing our boards along beside us and when the water reached my chest, I hopped onto the board and laid onto my stomach. I dipped my hands back into the warm water and automatically continued to paddle further into the ocean. I found a spot far out enough and waited as the medium sized waves would slowly raise, then lower my board back to the waters surface. I hoisted myself up and sat in the middle of the board, my legs dangling in the water.
   I could hear Noah's words of encouragement in my head and I scanned the horizon for...well I don't really know what.
    I was going to miss Noah. But actually it was for the best he left now, before I caught any feelings. I made it a rule to be very, very exclusive about who I let into my life and know who I am, and when I did, I would be giving them a piece of my heart.
    And the sad truth is, many people don't deserve a breath from your lips. The closest, most important people in your life, will leave you in two heartbeats, and take that piece from your heart with them. Maybe you'll never know why, or maybe you'll know EXACTLY why. I could never choose which is more painful.
    But I still kept a thick wall between Noah and I, and if he left now, there was no damage to be done, so it was for the best. It was a fantasy, too good to be true.
   Even my closest friends would never see the true, TRUE me. There were only 3 people that truly know, and that's Alysa, Nathan, and Sophia.
   "Hey you okay?" Alysa said paddling up next to me and looking at me. I smiled genuinely.
   "I am just fine, darlin."
   "Good because I think this is our wave," she said with a big grin pointing straight ahead.
   Waves are a true beauty and mystery. They move energy, not water. They curl up with a powerful force that can claim its power on you and crash down and dissolve into nothing all in the same moment.
   "Let's do it." I said with a grin as we paddled closer.
    We turned our boards around and when i felt the first push of the wave at my toes, I got ready and grinned at Alysa.
    I paddled as the wave pushed me forward, and I prepared to stand up.
    I pushed into a crouch and steadied myself with my hands planted on the board.
    I stood up tentatively and again heard Noah's words.
    ~~
    "Just relax. You'll fall if you don't let go first."
    "That makes no sense you fu—"
    "Just get on the board." He said chuckling and shaking his head.
    I rolled my eyes and got onto the board with a struggle.
    I looked over at his amused expression and glared. "Thanks for the help asshat."
    ~~
   He laughed and the memory faded away.
   I relaxed and I swear I felt the ocean and board relax.
   I rode the wave as my friends on the shore cheered us on. I looked to my left to see Alysa eat it on her board and I laughed as she flipped me off.
   I decided to be a little rebellious and did a couple tiny swerves and I heard Noah scream at me to stop and I laughed.
   "YOU IDIOT NATHAN." I heard Jo scream and I looked behind me to see Nathan in the water glaring at Jo and flipping him off as well.
   I made it to the shore and stopped in the shallow and Noah ran to me and since the board made me taller then him a little, he picked me up by the waist while I laughed and he spun like an idiot.
   "Noah stop! Stop I'm getting dizzy!" I said giggling like crazy. I was really happy I learned to surf.
   "Well you did it! I'm proud of my student." He said throwing me over his shoulder and I hit his back multiple times.
    "Hey stop your tiny but your tiny punches hurt." He said, chuckling, earning him another punch.
   "Put me DOWN!" I laughed, wheezing.
   "If you insist." He said before swinging me off his shoulder, holding me up by the waist and throwing me into the water all at once. I went pretty high and far, so as to how he was strong enough to do that, I have no idea.
    I came back up from under the water, spewing all the salt water from my mouth as I yelled a string of curse words at him as he and the others just laughed and laughed.
   "Ok my students suck." Jo said, defeated, gesturing to Sophia and Nathan, who were now screaming at each other. "Bro how'd you teach her so fast. I mean did you take her place? I suppose you'd pass for a girl."
   "Hey man don't push me. I know what happened with you and Sophia and seven minutes—"
   "OK TIME TO GO DROWN MYSELF HAVE A LOVELY DAY."
   I laughed and walked over to Alysa with my smile barely suppressed as she trudged up the sand with her sad face, dragging the board behind her.
   "I fell..."
   "I know sweetie." I said with a chuckle.
"Surfing's hard." She pouted.
"Mmhmm." I muttered getting momentarily distracted by a bee. I looked back at her. "Come on let's go eat, it'll be sunset soon anyway.
"Ooo food!" She exclaimed, all the sadness from her face vanishing and I laughed .
"GUYS COME ON WERE GONNA EAT." I hollered to everyone.
I heard a pterodactyl scream somewhere and jumped, but it came from the ocean and I looked around and found Sophia paddling back to shore like her frickin life depended on it and I shook my head.
I turned around and walked to the tents, and cooked dinner.