CHAPTER 3
Nick stepped into a large room loaded with surfboards, body boards, and some other ocean gear for rent.
“Wow,” Nick whispered. “This place has a lot of stuff.”
“I know,” the girl said. “My dad overdid it when he opened this place.”
Nick shook his head. “I guess you probably like surfing then, right?”
The girl shrugged. “It’s okay,” she said. “But I like windsurfing better. I bet you will, too.”
“Is that where you have a parachute on your back and a boat flies you up in the sky?” Nick asked. He shook his head. “Forget that. I’m afraid of heights.”
“No, that’s parasailing,” the girl said with a laugh. “Windsurfing is completely different.”
Nick crossed his arms. He was pretty sure he wouldn’t like anything that had to do with any kind of surfing.
“Just give it a shot,” the girl said, smiling. “I’m Meiko, by the way.”
She stuck out her hand, and Nick shook it. “I’m Nick,” he told her. “Nice to meet you.”
“Over here,” Meiko said. She led him over to the back part of the room, past long boards and short boards. There, she pointed at different-looking surfboards and small sails.
“These are windsurfing boards,” she said. “It’s almost like riding a mini sailboat.”
“It looks pretty cool,” Nick said. “I’m just not sure I’d be any good at it.”
“I’ll teach you,” she said.
Meiko pulled a blue windsurfing board off the wall. Then she lifted a sail from a metal rack.
Nick sighed. He didn’t want to do any more surfing of any kind. With or without a sail. As far as he was concerned, he’d never be a surfer.
“I have to meet my family for lunch,” Nick said. It sounded like a lie, but it was the truth. Mom and Dad wanted them to check in from time to time, and they had lunch plans.
“Perfect,” Meiko said. “I get off at one. Stop by when you’re done eating.”
* * *
Nick walked back to the hotel. The whole time, he tried to figure out how he was going to get out of going back to the surf shop. It was nice of Meiko to offer lessons, but he wasn’t interested. I’m not meant to surf, he thought.
Mom and Dad were waiting with Eric on the patio when Nick reached the restaurant. Shaded with a grass roof, the dining area overlooked the ocean.
Nick took a seat so that his back faced the blue waters. He didn’t want to see the waves anymore.
“How did the morning go, boys?” Dad asked. He was still wearing his wetsuit and had goggle marks around his eyes.
“Awesome,” Eric said right away. His hair was wet and his nose was red. “Wasn’t it, Nick?”
Nick shrugged and looked down at the menu. “It was okay,” he said.
Mom looked around. “You didn’t leave your surfboard at the beach, did you, honey? Someone might walk off with it,” she said. “That cost us a lot of money to rent.”
“Yeah, Nick,” Eric said. He laughed. “Where is your board?”
Nick sipped his water. “It’s at the surf shop,” he said. “I’m trading it for a different one.”
“How come?” Dad asked. He looked at the beach. Nick could tell his dad was excited to get back into the ocean.
“His surfboard was broken,” Eric joked. “It kept making him fall off!”
Mom swatted Eric with her napkin and said, “Be nice.”
“I just needed something different,” Nick said. “My first surfboard wasn’t a good fit.”
Everyone else ordered lunch, talking excitedly about what they’d done that morning. As he watched his parents and brother laugh and talk, Nick wondered how he’d keep busy for the rest of the week. His island vacation was off to a bad start.