❝Emerson Baldwin has self diagnosed himself with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
He hates anything that has to do with a) disorder. b) feeling out of control in any way. c) stepping out of his comfort zone.
So when his friends somehow talk hi...
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The beach Rosalind chose to bring Emerson and his friends to is mostly bare, the only people on the beach being a few fisherman and a couple of fellow tourists.
Apparently, locals find the water too cold this time of year. Thus, the empty beach. Emerson personally can't imagine it being any hotter outside so his blood must either be extra thick or Hawaiians are crazy.
He watches everyone as he sits atop a blanket Claire brought just in case he forgot to bring something for himself. He obviously did and now here he is staring with a slight pinch of bitterness as his friends joke with each other while they pull on their wet suits.
Rosalind had helped everyone rent their own boards for a couple of hours along with a suit. Emerson has to admit that everyone seems to really like her and, so far, she's been decently helpful.
Alex is taking forever to zip up his wet suit and Emerson first assumes it's so Rosalind will check him out with his shirt off but then he looks closer at Alex's red face and realizes that's not it. His zipper seems to be stuck.
Emerson laughs to himself, watching as Claire rolls her eyes and approaches him, her fingers fumbling with it before jerking a few times. When it finally budges, Alex mumbles something to her and she laughs loudly, the sound drowned out by the crashing of the waves.
Refocusing on his book, Emerson places his earbuds in and presses shuffle on his Spotify song list. He closes his eyes for a moment as the song begins, a small smile spreading over his lips. It's one of his favorites.
Some small part of Emerson still loves the ocean despite the pain it's caused him. That same minuscule spot in him misses the salt in the water and the foam of the waves as it hits his skin. He used to visit the beach on vacations with his parents all the time when he was little. That stopped the summer before freshman year along with his sense of adventure.
Curiosity gets the best of him when he hears a loud shriek, quickly tugging one earbud from his ear and looking out at the water. His eyes darting back and forth. They land on Gwen, a bright smile adorning her face as she stands for the first time on her board before swiftly falling off directly after. He laughs, finding this all too amusing.
Finding Rhyme in the water, Emerson is surprised to see him standing upright and strong on his own board, a shining grin on his face as he pumps his fist once victoriously, Rosalind cheering from the shore as she laughs.
Searching for Claire, he finally spots her down the beach further from the rest, fighting to even keep a grip on the surfboard. He watches with concern when a large wave comes in over her head. He doesn't take another breath until he sees her pop back up, her mouth open as she coughs.
