• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

"I'm ready."

"Good. It's a perfect day."

"You're welcome," said Kai. "I ordered it special for my girl." He reached forward and put his hand on Lena's arm.

"Sit back, Midget," said Ani. "You're interfering with my concentration."

Kai glared, but sat back.

"Do you think I'll be able to stand up the very first day?" asked Lena.

"Sure. It's called a pop-up. And yes, we'll just keep at it until you get at least one ride. Let's drive south a couple of miles. The waves look a little tall today for a beginner."

Good, thought Lena. Maybe we won't see anyone we know.

Ani parked on a gravel strip by the side of the highway, and the three of them clambered out. Standing next to the Jeep, they stripped down to their swimsuits and pulled on their wetsuits.

"Need some help?" asked Kai, standing close to Lena. His hand slid down her back. He gazed at her, looking like he might kiss her again, so Lena shook her head. "I've got it," she said, zipping up the wetsuit.

"Kai, grab your board and go," said Ani. "I need Lena to focus, and since you lack that ability entirely ... please leave."

"You're wrong," said Kai, moving in for one last kiss. "My ability to focus on Lena is highly developed."

Lena pushed him away, laughing. He unhooked his board from the Jeep and headed down the path to the beach.

Ani unhooked the second board and led Lena to the beach.

Kai was kneeling next to his board when they reached him, applying wax. His board was bright blue with a black skull-and-crossbones on it. Ani tossed the green soft-top board next to him and put her hands on her hips, looking at Lena.

"I've heard you're a good swimmer," she said.

"I am."

"That's good. Because a surfer whose board has gotten away from her is just a swimmer, okay? You wear a leash for the board, but leashes can break. And surfing is hard work—you can get tired real fast out there in the water. In fact, I suggest you start doing pushups to build your upper-body strength, okay?"

"Okay."

"Great. Which foot are you?"

"What?"

"Which foot are you? Regular or goofy?"

"Um..."

"Don't you skateboard?"

"No."

"Really? I always thought every surfer was a skater, too."

Lena shrugged. She didn't care about rolling on concrete ... she wanted to be in the water.

"Okay, here's what we're going to do," said Ani. She walked around Lena and stood behind her. "Just relax. I'm not going to do anything to hurt you. Do you trust me?"

"Sure." Lena stood still, waiting tensely.

A long moment passed, while they stood in silence. Lena tried to relax, listening to the lull of the surf, watching the perfectly formed waves roll onto the shore, one by one. Suddenly, Ani shoved her. Lena instinctively put out her right foot to keep herself from falling.

"Aha! A goofy-foot,"s aid Ani.

"A what?"

"I wanted to see which foot you put forward to catch yourself. You put your right foot out first, so your stance on the board will be right foot forward, otherwise known as goofy-foot. Left foot is regular."

"Left foot is...?"

"Regular. Sorry if I startled you. That's just the best way I know to find your stance."

"That's okay."

"Of course, if it ends up feeling wrong while you're surfing, then by all means try the other foot. It's not a perfect system." She smiled. "Now come sit down with me for a while."

Lena sat down on the board next to Ani.

Kai had finished waxing his board and now leaped on top of it, singing the chorus from "Greased Lightning."

Lena cracked up, watching him wiggle his hips and flap his knees open and closed.

Ani rolled her eyes. After a moment, she said, "I'm sorry to say, Midget, but you're no Danny Zuko."

"I know I'm not," said Kai. "I got the part of Kenickie."

"Then why are you learning 'Greased Lightning'?"

"Because we're doing the stage version of Grease. Kenickie gets to sing that song, not Danny."

"Oh. Well, that's great, but now I need you to shut up, okay?"

Kai sat down on his board, winking at Lena.

"We're just going to watch the shorebreak for a while, Lena," said Ani. "Every time you get ready to surf, before you get into the water you