Summer Waves and Crashing Days

Water. That’s how it all started. That’s how my entire life turned upside down and I experienced something that I never thought possible. However it happened, this is the story of how I fell in love, and it all began here…

The sun beat hot rays of light onto my stomach as I floated on the beautiful Atlantic water. The waves effortlessly rolled beneath me, and I felt as though I was on top of the world. There was nothing that could make me unhappy in moments like this.

But just as I thought this thought, the one thing that could make me unhappy at a time like this, screamed my name.

“Soph!” Irritated at him calling me by that stupid nickname, I lost control of my float and went beneath the surface of the water.

When I came back up my boyfriend, Cody, was still calling my name from the shore.

“What?!” I yelled back.

“Go deeper!”

I flicked him off, he had been irritating me lately, ever since we came on this vacation. Honestly, I was contemplating on whether I should dump him.

“Go deeper! Don’t be a pussy!” he yelled.

That did it. I know that I shouldn’t have given in to him, but I wanted to show him that I could in fact go deeper, and that I wasn’t a ‘pussy’.

So, I went deeper. I guess it depends on the eye of the beholder, but you may look at this as the biggest mistake of my life, or the best, but no matter which one you prefer, I swam straight into a rip tide.

I realized what I had done a moment too late, and just as the oceans strong current ripped me beneath the surface, I sucked in one last gulp of air.

~

“Oh my goodness!” I said from the shore as I saw Sophia fling her hands up into the air and disappear beneath the water quickly.

“What is it now Amber?” Cody said to me, irritated.

I am Amber, Sophia’s best friend, and I hate Cody.

“Didn’t you see that?!” I said, motioning to where Sophia had been seconds ago.

“She’s fine. It’s whatever.” He replied, and turned to walk away.

It was I that noticed that Sophia had not come back up for air yet. I was the one who grabbed Cody and pushed him towards the water, screaming at him to save her. But, it was not Cody that jumped into the water to save her. It wasn’t even the lifeguard, because his post was too far away. No, it was an innocent bystander, swimming to save my best friends life, instead of her boyfriend.

~

I was fighting with myself, trying to stay alive. I tried to remember what my father had told me about rip currents, to always swim parallel to the beach because after a few feet you’d make it out of the rip tide.

I began to swim parallel to the beach, or at least what I was estimating was parallel, with everything I had, determined not to give in. In the end, however, everything I had just wasn’t enough, and I realized that when you fight with Mother Nature, that evil bitch always wins.

I sent a little prayer to God, begging him to let me live, and began to remember the happiest times of my life. A little too late I realized that none of which included Cody. I silently told my mother and father that I loved them. Then I closed my eyes and let out my breath.

~

I was swimming faster than I have ever swum in my life. I saw the girl stop swimming and let out her breath, and just before the Atlantic current could rip her away, I kicked my legs with one last plunge to her, and grabbed her waist.

The girl had been within two feet of breaking through the rip tide, so I got out quickly and broke to the surface. I kept one arm around her as I swam to the shore, keeping her head above the surface. When the water got shallow enough, I picked her up bridal style and ran to the shore.

I laid her down on the sand and cleared the hair away from her face, and as I checked her pulse, I tried not to notice how amazingly beautiful she was.

~

I saw the guy come out of the water with Sophia and Cody and I ran to them, a crowd gathering as he set her in the sand and checked her pulse.

The boy started to conduct CPR, five pumps to the chest and a breath into her mouth. Five pumps, breathe, five pumps, breath. The crowd was getting restless, thinking it was over. I couldn’t take it and collapsed to my knees next to Sophia, begging her to breath. Five pumps, Sophia sat up slightly, coughing up water. The boy held her up so that she wouldn’t have to strain herself, and I, with tears streaming down my face, buried my head into my best friend’s stomach, thanking God she was alive.

~

I was alive. I was alive. I couldn’t get used to the sentence, because it was so astonishing. I shouldn’t be alive, but I am.

After thanking God for keeping me alive, I looked up at my savior.

I tried to say thank you, but my throat was burning from the salt water and coughing.

He smiled at me and put his hand under my chin, “Don’t speak now, but your going to be fine.”

Despite his command, I cleared my throat and said, “You saved me?”

~

“You saved me?”

I smiled down at this vulnerable, fragile angel, and after realizing just how extraordinarily beautiful she was, I brushed some sand off of her cheek and said, “Yes, beautiful.”

She locked her arms around my neck, pulling herself close to me, and thanking me over and over again for saving her life. I put my arms around her, telling her it was no big deal.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa,” some assholeish looking guy said, and the girl, I need to learn her name, pulled away slightly from me, and looked up at him irritated.

~

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa,” Cody said as the crowd dispersed.

I looked up at him irritated.

“Who the hell do you think you are, Buddy?!” he screamed at my savior, I need to learn his name.

Amber, my best friend, stood up furiously.

“Who the hell does he think he is?” Amber questioned him, “Who the hell do you think you are?! You saw that Sophia was in danger, and you didn’t even try and save her!” Amber said, pushing Cody in the chest.

“So? It’s not my damn job.”

I gasped.

I tried to stand up, but lost my footing, so my savior kept his arm aroundmy waist as he helped me stand.

“It wasn’t his job either!” I screamed, pointing to the man with his arms around me. “But he saved me! What? Were you just going to let me die?!” I screamed, livid.

“What? No, of course not Soph.”

I scoffed and rolled my eyes.

“You of all people should know that I hate that nickname.”

“Why are you so mad?!” Cody asked.

I just laughed and shook my head.

“Cody, we’re done. You’re going to have to find another place to stay. Go back and pack your things. You better be gone by the time Amber and I get back.” I said, deadpan, and turned to walk away.

“Whatever. Fuck you.” He said, and snatched his things and walked away.

As soon as he left I was wrapped in a feroucious hug by Amber.

“Thank GOD you’re alive!” she squealed in my ear, tears on the brink of flowing down. She let go of me and grabbed my savior in a hug, “Thanks GOD your not like her douchebag boyfriend and saved her!”

We all laughed, and I finally asked what his name was.

“Matt,” he said smiling down at me, “and should I just keep calling you Beautiful, or are you going to tell me your name too?” he asked, winking.

“Sophia, not Soph.” I said, smiling.

“Yeah, I got that.” He said laughing.