I smiled and felt more confident. I felt so safe with him, and I knew he would do anything he could to protect me from getting hurt.
"Alright, let’s do this," I said. I attached the leash to my ankle, went to the water, and began paddling out.
It was a lot more difficult to get past the breakers, and by the time I did, I was out of breath.
"Are you all right?" Josh said, coming up next to me.
I nodded. "Yes," I said. "Just a little winded."
"You did great," he said.
"Thank you," I said, and then laughed. "How can you be sitting out here like that was just the easiest thing in the world?"
Josh just shrugged his shoulders and smiled.
"It was easy for you, wasn’t it?" I asked.
He smiled sheepishly.
"Oh my goodness, I feel so silly!" I said. "I’m making a huge deal of this, and it was nothing for you!"
"Don’t feel silly," he said. "Just remember that I’ve been doing this since I was first able to swim. You haven’t been, so that wasa challenge for you, and you conquered it. I’m very proud of you. In a few years, that will seem like nothing to you."
"Thank you," I answered. "You always know just what to say."
I sat on my board on top of the water for about five minutes until I felt ready. I knew he wouldn’t try to catch a wave until I did. When my breathing returned to normal, I decided to go for it.
"Do you remember everything I taught you about falling?" he asked.
"Yes," I said.
The first time he taught me how to surf, he had spent a long time teaching me the proper way to fall off my board so I wouldn’t get hurt. He taught me how to bail out of a wave and handle myself even in the roughest waters. I always remembered he had been more serious than I had ever seen him, and I never forgot what he said.
"Okay, good," he said. "I’m not saying you’re going to fall, but I am glad you’re prepared."
"Alright, I’m ready."
I turned around and got into position. As the wave came, I began to paddle, and I could hear Josh encouraging me.
"Paddle, paddle, paddle!" he shouted.
I paddled even faster, and when I caught the wave, I popped up and felt exhilarated. I had done it. This was the largest wave I had ever ridden. However, a couple of seconds later, I started to wobble. The board was going faster than I had expected, and I couldn’t keep my balance.
I remembered what Josh had said about bailing out, but as I dove off to the side, my board crashed against my ankle. I felt a searing pain, and the next thing I knew, I was getting tumbled around in the waves. I came to the surface and tried to figure out where I was. The next thing I knew, I felt Josh’s arms around me, holding me close to him.
"I’m going to help you get to shore," he shouted. "But we have to get out of these breakers first. Wrap your arms around my chest and your legs around my waist, okay? I’ve got you, but I need you to hold on, too."
I just nodded and clung to him.
"On the count of three, I am going to dive under the water. Take a deep breath before we go, but I promise I will not stay under long. Okay?"
I nodded again.
"Okay. One, two, three!"
I took a deep breath and squeezed my eyes shut as we both went underneath the waves. I could feel his strength as he swam toward the shore. A few seconds later, we emerged from under the water, and I knew we were past the danger and that I could stand.
"Thank you," I said. I unwound my legs and arms, but as I tried to stand on the ground, the pain shot through my ankle and into my leg.
