CHAPTER 5
First thing the next morning, Isaac convinced his parents to buy him some board shorts. It was pretty clear he couldn’t surf in his jeans or snowboard gear. They headed to a local surf shop nearby and bought the gear he’d need.
After he promised to help with unpacking later, Isaac picked out a blue wetsuit. Then he grabbed his new board and headed down to the beach.
The other boys were already there, in the same spot as the day before. When Steve spotted Isaac, he elbowed the boy closest to him and muttered something under his breath. They both turned to stare at Isaac.
Isaac couldn’t hear what they were saying, but he could tell from their faces that they weren’t happy to see him. He kept walking along the beach until he reached the lifeguard tower. There, he dropped his towel, changed his shoes, and walked toward the water with his board under his arm.
He could feel the group of local boys watching him. He did his best to copy what he’d seen them do the day before. He walked out into the water, put his new surfboard in front of him, and climbed on, lying down on his belly.
The moment he did, though, he slid off the back of the board and straight into the water. He came up coughing water and feeling embarrassed. He heard laughter from down the beach.
Isaac gritted his teeth and climbed back onto the board — or at least he tried to. No matter what he did, he slipped back off the board and fell into the water.
“Hey, kid,” the lifeguard called from his tall chair. “You got any wax on that board at all, or what?”
The local boys down the beach went crazy with laughter.
Isaac walked awkwardly out of the water, carrying his board in both hands. He hefted the board as calmly as he could. He started to walk past the local boys.
Jackson wasn’t letting it go, though. “Hey,” he called out, jogging up from the surf toward the top of the dunes. “Wait a second.”
“What?” Isaac said. He stopped walking but didn’t look up at Jackson.
“Where are you from?” Jackson asked quietly. It was just the two of them this time, and Jackson didn’t smile.
“Big Sky,” Isaac muttered. “It’s in Montana.”
“I figured,” Jackson said. “You ski up there?”
“Snowboard,” Isaac said.
Jackson shook his head. “And you figured you could pick up surfing just like that, huh?” he snapped.
Isaac shrugged.
“Well, let me clue you in on something, clueless,” Jackson said. He leaned down a little, his face only inches from Isaac’s. “This is my beach. And I don’t want some Canadian wannabe who can’t even wax his own surfboard hanging around and looking like a dork. Got it?”
Isaac stared down at his feet. He realized he’d forgotten his towel and sandals in his rush to get out of there.
“I’m talking to you,” Jackson said. “Got it?”
Isaac didn’t answer. He didn’t even nod.
Jackson reached out and shoved Isaac’s shoulders with both hands, knocking him backward. Isaac struggled to stand, and the tail of his board dropped to the sand.
“Now take off, okay?” Jackson said. “And don’t come back. Remember what I said. My beach.”
Jackson strolled back toward the water, where his friends stood waiting for him with their boards. They’d all seen the whole thing.
Isaac dropped his board onto the dune and went back to collect his towel and sandals. He didn’t want to face the other kids, but he knew he couldn’t just leave his things lying there.
Then I’d have to explain why I left them, he thought.
When he reached the lifeguard tower, Isaac looked up at the lifeguard. “You could have helped me, you know,” Isaac said with a scowl.
The lifeguard, who looked like he was probably still in high school, looked down from his giant chair. “Seriously?” he said. “Toughen up, bro, or you’ll never make it on these beaches.”
Fine, Isaac thought as he grabbed his things and hurried back to pick up his board. Then that’s what I’ll do.