Page 101 of Beyond The Break

I watch as she rolls her eyes with a smile before taking the bottle from him and chugging it while we rejoin the rest of traffic.

TWENTY-NINE

ELIANA

The sun dipslow on the horizon, its golden glow spreading over the entire ocean. Griffin and I stand side by side on the beach, our eyes fixed on Maliah and Kairi as they paddle out for their last heat. It’s been a long and exhausting day for us all, but the air still feels charged with anticipation as we’re now reaching the climax of the competition. This heat determines the winner, the person that will join the World Championship Tour.

As I point my camera at them, I observe their exhausted yet determined expressions while they sit up on their boards, gazing toward the horizon. Suddenly, as the first set of waves begin to roll in, an airhorn blows, signaling the start of the final heat.

I snap photos through the whole heat while Mal and Kairi surf with a ferocity that I’ve never seen before. The crowd is astounded as they both execute aerial maneuvers with grace. Their performance is breathtaking and I’m so grateful to be here and capture this moment.

After a long heat, it finally draws to a close, Maliah and Kairi paddling back. I watch as Gabriel meets them at theshore, offering them both towels before guiding them to the team tent to warm up.

“You guys surfed amazing out there, I think it was the best I’ve ever seen.” I say as they approach. They give me an exhausted smile before they burry their butts in the sand beside me, breathing heavily.

Koa, Zale, and Colton make their way to the water with their boards in hand for their final heat. I’ve watched them practice all week and they’ve all improved drastically; I know this heat is going to be intense. I grab my tripod and walk further down the beach, just behind where Gabriel stands, arms crossed.

Adrenaline pumps through my veins as I watch them paddle out to the lineup. The waves have become bigger, coming more often. When the airhorn blows, I hit record and follow them with the camera as they surf aggressively, pushing their limits.

Koa’s performance is the most shocking to me. He does a combination of aerials on his first wave, leaving the judges and supporters in awe.

“It’s like Poseidon himself carved the perfect wave for this guy.” one of the coaches next to Gabriel says.

Kairi and Maliah join me after they’ve warmed up. “So, are you cheering for Zale or for Colton?” I ask teasingly.

Kairi’s cheeks flush. “I’m actually cheering on Koa, thank you very much.” Maliah and I burst out into a chorus of giggles, Kairi joining in shortly after.

As their heat comes to an end and they paddle in, we huddle in the tent waiting for the judges to prepare the final scores. We don’t wait long before they walk out onto the platform stage, calling all the teams to gather in front of it.

Griffin and I intertwine our fingers as we wait. He had mixed emotions about coming today, not wanting to see what he missed out on, but also wanting to be here to support histeam. He obviously decided to support. He pulls my knuckles to his lips and kisses me before leaning down and whispering in my ear.

“What are you wearing under that sundress?”

I smirk before I pull him closer. “I’m not wearing anything, so feel free to slide in whenever you’re ready.”

He rears back and the expression on his face is priceless as he clears his throat and readjusts his shorts, the tips of his ears turning red. I can’t hold back my laughter as he comes to stand behind me, pulling me towards him to try and hide his growing erection.

I lean my head back and wait for them to announce the results. I watch as a slim brunette lady walks out in front of the judges with an envelope in her hand. Camera men streaming this competition for local news and sports channels all squeeze in closer as they focus their cameras on her face.

She clears her throat before tapping the microphone, checking that it works.

“Hello, surfers and coaches,” she says, her Australian accent coming through as she speaks. “Today’s competition was unlike anything I’ve ever seen. I think I can speak for the judges when I say amazing job today. You should all be proud of yourselves, regardless of what today’s results will be.”

Gabriel shifts his stance beside me, bringing his knuckles up to his mouth as he waits to hear what she says next.

“In this competition, I’ll only announce the men’s and women’s first place winners as they are the ones who will progress to the Championship Tour,” she glances down at the envelope and slowly pries it open before pulling out two papers.

“In first place for the men’s,” she pauses for dramatic effect. “Is Koa Foster.”

The crowd erupts into a deafening roar of joy as cheers and applause fill the air. I watch as the losing male surfers areembraced by their teammates, while Zale and Colton shake Koa excitedly. Their faces are lit up with smiles of genuine happiness, high fiving him before they escort him to the stage.

I snap pictures of him as he accepts the trophy from the judges, a tentative smile tugging at the corners of his lips. He runs a hand through his tousled hair, the saltwater still clinging to the strands, as he takes his spot-on stage.

“Congratulations, Koa,” she says into the microphone before turning her attention back on the crowd. “And now, for the women’s winner.”

Her three-second pause feels like an eternity, but she brings her red lips to the microphone. “In first place for the women’s is Maliah Cooper.”

Cheers erupt from every corner of the beach, echoing in the distance. I run towards her and wrap my arms around both her and Kairi as we jump in a circle excitedly. The world spins on its axis as the crowd joins in, jumping up and down with unrestrained joy.

---