by Kate McMahon
‘I’ll help with that,’ Jaspa jumps in. ‘They’re so cute! Did you see the one asking how to convince your parents to drive you to the beach?’ As Jaspa rattles off her top five bribing tips, she notices that Mel is looking through the window, not listening to a word. Eager to see what’s so distracting, Jaspa is gobsmacked when she turns to see that Mel’s eyes are locked with Cooper’s. And then he gives her a subtle nod.
What the heck?
#33
‘Jazz, I’ve gotta tell you something,’ Mel says suddenly, grabbing Jaspa’s hand.
Jaspa puts down her fork, still speared with pumpkin and spinach salad. Her blood boils, then turns cold. She knows what this means – it’s so obvious. Cooper and Mel are in love, and she’s going to have to graciously accept that. But then why is Mel smirking at her? Surely she’s not so ruthless that she’d break her heart with a laugh?
‘What? What? You’re freaking me out!’ Jaspa croaks, jiggling Mel’s hand up and down, trying to shake the truth out of her.
‘Well, it turns out you weren’t delusional at all in thinking Cooper likes you …’ Mel trails off in a tease.
Jaspa fights the urge to swing back around and look at Cooper. ‘And how would you know that?’ she asks, playfully but suspiciously, wondering if her best friend has undertaken some kind of psychological torture to make him cave. Trying to hide anything from Mel is as futile as trying to hide food from a fox.
‘He told me! It was all his doing, I swear!’ she laughs, immediately picking up on the subtle accusation. ‘On the cliff during the search, he ’fessed up that he’s super into you, has been for ages, but Tyler warned you were totes off limits.’ Mel puts her plate down, then hoists her knee up on the couch, wriggling closer to Jaspa. ‘That’s half of what their fight was about at the Rocket Fuel party.’
‘Don’t look now, but Cooper is fully gawking straight at you, and talking to Tyler,’ Carolyn informs Jaspa, a chicken leg in hand.
‘Right then, it’s time, come on.’ Mel jumps to her feet and offers – not that she’d accept a refusal – her hand, pulling Jaspa up to join her.
Jaspa freezes in place, shifting all her weight to her bum in an attempt to remain sitting safely here, where there’s no risk of having rejection spear through her heart again.
Mel uses two hands to clench Jaspa’s wrists. ‘I will use force if necessary.’ She leans back and wrenches her friend to her feet, then affectionately cups her hands over Jaspa’s. ‘I know you’re freaked, but remember that all of our most exhilarating, adrenaline-filled experiences have started out with a bit of fear. Think of this as being like the moment you finally get to surf Hawaii – scary, but worth it. Am I right?’
Jaspa relaxes her hands into Mel’s and smiles nervously. ‘Okay. But please, please, don’t let me wipe out. Promise?’
‘I promise.’
Jaspa’s heartbeat bounces to the doof tune that’s playing, and her cheeks ripen as though they’ve been pinched a dozen times. She follows Mel to the crowd of guys, each step seemingly taking a hundred seconds longer than it should. Mel shows no mercy, leading Jaspa straight to Cooper’s side. His face warms immediately, with no trace of the coldness he had shown on the beach that day. Draping an arm around her shoulders, he leans in towards her. ‘Jaspa, I’m so glad to see you. Can we talk?’ he whispers.
Jaspa gulps, then nods, and they slip away seemingly discreetly, although every eye in the room follows.
Cooper has his index finger entwined with Jaspa’s, which is even cuter and more romantic than holding hands. She follows him to the bench at the front of her house that overlooks the point. He flops down to sit and playfully pulls her onto the bench, so her legs drape over his. He strokes his fingers along her shins, and they tingle with his touch.
‘Jaspa, I just want to say I’m so incredibly sorry about giving you such mixed messages. At dinner, and then when I saw you at the beach. I was a real asshole.’
‘It did upset me, actually. I don’t like it when I can’t read what someone is thinking. I guess I was mainly embarrassed by it all,’ she says through wisps of her wind-blown hair.
He tucks his arm between the bench and her back, drawing her closer. ‘I think you are sweet, and amazing, and gobsmackingly gorgeous, and a much better surfer than me,’ he laughs. ‘And I haven’t been able to think about any other girl for the past, maybe, year or more.’
Jaspa feels his breath skimming along her cheekbone and she slowly rubs her lips together to wet them, both as a nervous gesture and perhaps also to prepare them for what she hopes is to come. ‘So why were you so weird towards me on the beach that day?’ she asks softly, the hurt flashing in her eyes.
He hangs his head. ‘It’s … it’s kinda complicated. Don’t get mad at him, but Tyler just struggled with the thought of his best mate dating his sister. I guess it’s understandable.’
‘To be honest, I’m not that surprised. Before he went missing he’d been pretty awful to me.’ She squints into the sun and rubs her dress fabric between her thumb and forefinger. ‘I just tried to ignore it and put it down to hormones. He’s worse than a girl!’ she says, shaking her head.
Cooper laughs, exposing his dimple. Jaspa’s so tempted to touch it. ‘You know, Jaspa, it’s probably got way more to do with your surfing. It’s no coincidence he started wigging out when you started getting so good and everyone began paying attention, even if you didn’t realise it. He’s jealous, which sucks for him because he’s really talented, too. He’s just got lots of stuff he needs to work on if he wants to be the best. But you, you could almost click your fingers and be there, if you wanted to.’
Jaspa doesn’t know why people keep telling her this. She’s only fifteen, and only just made the tour. Can’t she just enjoy that for a while without being told she could be the best? She politely bats away the compliment.
‘Oh, I don’t know about that. I just want to have fun and support my friends, travel the world and see what happens. Most importantly, I want to always be in love with surfing. I love it so much.’
Cooper takes this moment to rest his other hand on her cheek, fixing his eyes on hers. ‘Jaspa, I think, no, I know, I will always be in love with you.’
Before Jaspa has a chance to respond, he presses his lips onto hers, lingering there for several seconds without moving, then slowly deepens the kiss, breaking up the passionate movements with tender pecks on her cheeks. He draws back to meet her gaze, brushing her hair back with his fingers before kissing her again, this time allowing his tongue to gently greet hers, coaxing it to dance inside their mouths. Jaspa feels as though delicious warm caramel has been poured all over her. This is like doing a perfectly timed cutback from the open face back up into the crest of foam, ready to race the wave again. That synchronicity, the adrenaline, the beauty of being so connected. And the fact that he is so damn yummy. The best thing about dreams is when they start to come true.
#34
‘You did what?’ Mel gasps down the line.
Jaspa squeezes her phone between her cheek and shoulder to free up her hands. Waving to Cooper as he drives away, Jaspa scoops up her brand-new custom surfboard and jiggles it under her arm. It’s a perfect fit. The rails, thin with a subtle upturn, lightly rest behind her knuckles, the texture as smooth as an ocean glass-off, yet to be blemished by wax, dings and zinc stains. ‘I, umm, I kinda told him I love him,’ Jaspa replies with a giggle.
‘Whoa. When? Where? How? Spill. Now.’
Jaspa leans against the front door, rummaging through her faux leather embroidered handbag for her house keys. ‘Well, we were out surfing and he let me have the wave of the day, so I screamed, “Thank you, I love you!”’
It wasn’t until Jaspa was paddling back out that she realised what she’d said. Did that count as an official declaration? She isn’t sure; she’s never said it to a boyfriend before.
‘Hmmm,’ Mel croaks into the phone. ‘Giving away set waves is almost love-worthy in my eyes. If he also lends
you his boards, this dude’s a keeper.’
‘Actually, he’s done better than that.’ Jaspa flips her board to fit vertically through the door. ‘He introduced me to his shaper and I’m now on the team with him and Trudy Hardwick!’
‘What the? You’re getting sticks from Darren Hanson? That guy’s a genius, he could make an ironing board rippable.’
‘I know, I had to pinch myself. I just this minute picked up my board and it feels divine.’ Jaspa pushes the door open to see Tyler asleep on the couch. ‘Hey, I’ve gotta go,’ she whispers. ‘I’ll come over later to surf.’
‘Okay, I’d better go too before I vomit jealousy down the phone. And don’t for a second think I’m not going to snag a few waves on your new ride. Love you.’
‘Love you back. Bye.’ Jaspa closes the door behind her and rests her board on the rug as Tyler stirs, looking blearily at Jaspa through half-slit eyes.
‘Hey, Tyler, I got your text so came straight home. How are you feeling?’ She walks to the kitchen to pour two glasses of coconut water.
‘I’m okay. It’s been a bit of a weird day, and the tablets still make me feel a bit rank.’ Tyler sits up so Jaspa can flop down beside him.
She hands him his drink and he takes a sip, the cracks disappearing as his lips rub together.
‘You sure you’re all good?’ she asks with eyebrows raised. Her brother looks like he’s got a million things on his mind.
‘Actually,’ he says with a chuckle to himself, ‘I’m really fricken good. I’ve got something to show you.’ He reaches towards the floor and fumbles about, trying to find his phone. Picking it up and tapping into his Gmail account, he opens up an email and hands it to Jaspa, whose mouth falls wide open as she reads a message from the director of the tour’s Australian division.
Tyler, we’re incredibly sorry to hear what happened to you and hope you’re well on your way to recovery. All of us here send our regards. I’m writing to inform you that Daniel Larkin has had to step down from his position on the tour due to family concerns. You are next in the rankings to join the team on the world tour, if you choose to accept. Please kindly inform us of your decision by 2 January, and don’t hesitate to contact us with any queries. We hope to have you on board.
‘Wow, Tyler I can’t believe it,’ is all Jaspa can manage. Just when she thought everything was sorted, life sends another closeout set to try and get under. She’s ecstatic for her older brother, but also worried he’ll revert back to his old attitude. And does this mean he won’t be her support on the tour? She got so used to the idea, she’s not sure if she can do it without him now – or with him in competition mode. His little sister will be the last thing on his agenda.
She pauses a moment and looks into Tyler’s eyes, which are glistening with a mix of excitement and fear. No matter what, she has bucketloads of love for her brother and will support whatever path he takes. She leans across and hugs him with one arm. ‘I’m so happy for you, it’s turned out exactly as it’s meant to be.’ She sits back, staring at the email. ‘So, have you made a decision?’
Tyler nods slowly. Taking back the phone, he types in a reply, then looks up at Jaspa. ‘I reckon this is the best thing for both of us.’ He hesitates for a few seconds, then presses send.
Your surf speak glossary!
a-frame a wave peak that peels both left and right.
backside/backhand riding a wave with your back to the ocean.
backwash when water pushes from the shore back towards a regular breaking wave, causing them to collide.
barrel/tube the hollow part of a breaking wave, which surfers can ride inside of, completely hidden from a shore view.
beach break waves that break over sand.
bottom turn generally the first turn you do, performed at the bottom of the wave.
closeout a wave that shuts down without peeling left or right.
cutback a turn you do on the open face to position yourself back near the critical pocket of the wave.
deck the side of the surfboard you lie down on.
drop the ride when you take off on a wave with the pitching lip.
duckdive pushing your board underneath a breaking a wave so you can pop out the other side.
face the ‘green’ smooth part of a breaking wave that isn’t the whitewater.
floater a manoeuvre that involves gliding over the whitewater, usually so you can reach the open face or finish a ride.
frontside/forehand riding a wave facing the ocean.
glassy/glass-off when there is little to no wind and the ocean is smooth like a mirror.
goofy footer a surfer who stands on a board with their right foot forward. (The same term is also used for skateboarding and snowboarding.)
grommet/grom a young kid who surfs.
Huey the surfing god.
impact zone a spot in the line-up where the waves are breaking with the most power (don’t get caught there!).
inside the position that’s closest to the breaking pocket of the wave, where you have priority to take off over any other surfer. (The term ‘caught on the inside’ is also used when you’re stuck in the impact zone.)
interference when a competitor drops in or obstructs the path of the surfer who has right of wave. The penalty is usually removal of the interferer’s highest score.
kook/gumby a derogatory term used to describe someone who isn’t a very good surfer.
layback a forehand manoeuvre where you end a turn by laying your back close to the water. A very ’70s-style move.
left-hander a wave that peels left from the viewpoint of the surfer on the wave.
leg-rope the leash that attaches to your surfboard, which is wrapped around the ankle on your back leg.
line-up a position in the ocean where waves are breaking and the surfers are sitting.
lip the first point of a wave that pitches over. The lip can vary in intensity, from throwing with force to form a barrel, to crumbling along the face.
lull the time between sets when no waves are breaking.
natural footer a surfer who stands on a board with their left foot forward. (The same term is also used for skateboarding and snowboarding.)
offshore wind a wind blowing from the land onto the water, which makes the ocean nice and smooth.
ollie getting air by hopping the front of the board out of the water.
onshore wind a wind blowing from the ocean onto the land, making the ocean bumpy and sometimes tricky to surf.
outside a position that’s on the other side of the surfer who’s closest to the breaking pocket of the wave. When you’re there you have to give way to the inside surfer, unless they encourage you to ‘GO!’
out the back the furthest out to sea you can be, on the other side of the breaking whitewater, while still in a position to catch waves.
overhead when you’re riding a wave and its face is taller than you are.
over the falls when you take off but don’t get to your feet, and fall with the pitching lip. Wipeout!
peak the point of a wave that pitches up, ready to break.
pop-up jumping to your feet on the take-off – the quicker, the better!
pull in what you do when you see a tube/barrel forming before you.
quiver collective noun for surfboards.
rail the edges around the sides of a surfboard, which you ideally want to carve deep into the water on your turns
reef break a wave that breaks over reef – sometimes dead coral, sometimes alive. Be careful of your feet!
right-hander a wave that peels right from the viewpoint of the surfer on the wave.
roundtail when the tail of a surfboard is rounded – often preferred for barrelling waves.
re-entry (reo) a manoeuvre where you soar vertically into the top pocket of the wave and snap the board around underneath you.
set a group of waves that are usually bigger than the average on the day
shaper someone who makes surfboards.
soul arch when you’re on a wave and you stand stylishly still and tall for a moment with your back arched, old-school style!
squaretail when the tail of a surfboard is squared off at the end.
swallowtail a v-shape cut out of the tail of a surfboard.
take-off the moment you stop paddling for a wave and stand on your surfboard.
wipeout ooops, you’ve fallen off the wave!
About Kate McMahon
Kate McMahon has spent the past twenty years surfing waves all over the world, and regularly arriving to events late with her hair dripping wet. After watching many of her friends compete on the world surfing tour, she wondered how she too could combine a career with her true love; her butt still hurts from pinching herself after landing the dream job as editor of SurfGIRL magazine in 2001. Since then, Kate has edited various preschool, tween, teen and music magazines and lives just 100 steps from the sand at Narrabeen on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, where she gets up to mischief with all of her amazing surfer girlfriends.
First published by Kate McMahon in 2018
This edition published in 2018 by Kate McMahon
Copyright © Kate McMahon 2018
www.katemcmahonmyword.com
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, organisations and occurrences either are a product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or events or locales is entirely coincidental.