Page 1 of We Thought We Were Invincible
When We Were Invincible
1
Callie
The waves rolled toward the shore in perfect formation. Days like this didn't happen much on Florida's Gulf coast; when the surf was perfect, making every board-toting salt water junkie forget for a few hours that they didn't live in California or some other surf destination.
I was born into a life of tide reports and surf watches. Mom was a self-proclaimed hippie who always said they'd have to pry her board out of her cold, stiff fingers when she was old and dead.
Well, she didn't get the old part right, but we buried her with her board six years ago.
Eyes stinging from saltwater, I lifted my chin and pushed my board away from my chest as it sliced through another wave. The water crashed over me. I drew a long breath when I surfaced and scooped my hands through the water.Almost there, I told my burning arms.Just keep pushing.
This, here was what I was used to, what I savored. It reminded me where I was meant to be. The ocean called me with its silence; its understanding. All my secrets, my feelings, were buried here. I carried them along to watch them sink into the depths.
Once the beach was far enough behind me, I sat up, legs dangling on either side of the board. The water lashed against my thighs as I scanned the oncoming waves. A smile tugged at the corners of my mouth, and my legs kicked the board around. I flattened myself against it and paddled, the only thing on my mind was conquering that roller.
My hands flew through the water until they pushed up. I tucked my legs under me and planted my feet on the board, feeling at home as I leaned in to turn.
I focused my eyes on the beach and knew it would come too soon. Adrenaline buzzed through my veins as the water sprayed up around me.
I didn't see it coming, or I should say I didn't see him coming. Some dumbass dropped into my wave, catching me off guard. Flinging my arms out to regain my balance, I leaned right when I should have leaned left, and my board flew out from under me.
The board leash tugged at my ankle as I crashed into the wave. It flipped me over, throwing me about. I kicked my legs as hard as I could to be free of the sucking, pulling force. My head broke the surface, and the wave tried to drag me back under as I gasped for air.
My board, still attached to its leash, tumbled nearby. I lunged for it and pulled myself up, opting to let the wave push me the rest of the way in. I was done.
Being knocked about was nothing new, but this time it wasn't my fault. Anger built from the pit of my stomach that was now full of saltwater. I coughed much of it out and my throat felt raw. A pounding headache made it hard to see anything but red.
The wave broke, dissolving into a line of foam rolling toward the shore. It pushed me forward until I could stand. I tore the Velcro on my board leash and heaved my board up under my arm as my feet crashed through the water.
I reached the small beach and threw my board onto the sand before marching over to the boy who was running out of the water. He stopped when he saw me.
“Jamie Daniels, you idiot!” I shoved him backwards. “That was my wave.”
He shrugged, a smirk appearing on his tanned face. “Hello to you too, California.”
“The name is Callie, numb nuts.”
“Numb nuts, huh?” He laughed.
“Yeah, as in your nuts will be numb when they connect with my knee.”
I raised my leg to kick, but he caught it, sending me off balance. He let go as I fell to the sand.
“Looks like someone can't seem to stay on her feet today.” He nudged me with his foot.
I stood up and huffed out a breath. “I wasn't expecting anyone else to be out here this early.”
He cocked his head to the side. “You know you shouldn't surf alone.”
“Yeah, cuz you have so many buddies with you.” I gestured to the nearly empty beach around us. Besides, I'm not alone.”
His face fell, but he tried to hide it. “Ah, yes. Where is my brother?”
“He ran to the car. It's a good thing he didn't see you try to kill me.”
“What would you say if I told you I was too lost in my own thoughts to notice you out there?”
