it out on Nathan. He said that Dad had told him family comes first, no matter what, so if he didn't like something he had to suck it up, not cause any aggro. Jakey, never one to be sentimental, then said Nathan's only saving grace was that he was a Clippers supporter, and that his sister baked good cake.
It felt like my relationship with Nathan just zoomed on right ahead, like there was no stopping it. We'd started out being madly attracted to each other, and within six weeks it had developed so that it was a combination of friendship and humor and all things physical. We had met each other's families, apart from my mother, and we had hopes for the future. And it made no bit of difference that we came from different parts of town, that our backgrounds were supposedly incompatible.
Cassian and I hadn't been brought up to believe that because we lived in Beverly we were better than anyone who didn't live there. Cash can still remember when me, him and Dad used to live in a small two bedroom apartment. I didn't have any memory of that, of sharing a bedroom with him, or staying at Aunt Kate's house with Jakey and Raff. I only remembered living at the ranch, and thinking those were the best days, horse riding, swimming, tennis, learning the piano, going to step classes at Aunt Kate's gym.
When Grandad use to take the horses to the beach it was usually Jakey and I who went with him. And that's when I use to watch the surfers. I use to be mesmerized by them, longing to have a go. Grandad said that Trey use to surf, but it was news to me. Dad had never taken us surfing, and I'd never seen a surfboard at home. I begged Dad to teach me. He said I was too little. Still I begged. He said he hadn't surfed in years, that he'd probably forgotten how to. I pleaded. He said I needed to learn gymnastics first, that I had to have body awareness, flexibility, balance before I could surf. I agreed, anything to get out out of having to play tennis with Cash all day.
On my ninth birthday he bought me my first surfboard, and for me that was it. We had moved off the ranch by then and were close to the beach, so we all got enrolled in lessons. Jakey, Cash and Raff only lasted two months, but I kept it going. Dad even bought himself a new board and started up again and he would take me to the beach whenever he had time. Cash use to come too, but Cash only cared about tennis. Dad entered me in surf competitions and sometimes I would do all right and place in the top three. But that wasn't the real appeal for me, winning certificates or medals. I just loved to be on the waves. In a way that's how Cash and I are so similar. Cash loved tennis, but he was never hung up about whether he won a match or tournament, even though he won quite a few and had a shelf full of trophies. He said he just loved to hit balls, loved the satisfaction of controlling the ball with his racket, of hitting a perfect shot. If you got a point for it, then it was a bonus. I knew what he meant, because for me there was no better feeling than riding the perfect wave, or riding perfectly on any wave.
Nathan and I ended up going surfing a few times. I loved that he wanted to share things with me, even though it wasn't his passion. He didn't have an ego, didn't resent that I was better than him and he let me coach him. And seeing him stand on the board and make a ride made me so proud of him. Everything in our relationship was just about the little things, there were no dramas, no major conflicts, no worries. Our love was pure, simple, uncomplicated, true. And for me nothing mattered more than that
Chapter 4
NATHAN
Friday's game is against Lincoln High, and it should be a good one. It's the last game in the league, and West really need the win and having the home advantage, we should. Magdala says she has piano recital practice, so she says she'll meet me there, that she might be a little late.
It felt like my relationship with Nathan just zoomed on right ahead, like there was no stopping it. We'd started out being madly attracted to each other, and within six weeks it had developed so that it was a combination of friendship and humor and all things physical. We had met each other's families, apart from my mother, and we had hopes for the future. And it made no bit of difference that we came from different parts of town, that our backgrounds were supposedly incompatible.
Cassian and I hadn't been brought up to believe that because we lived in Beverly we were better than anyone who didn't live there. Cash can still remember when me, him and Dad used to live in a small two bedroom apartment. I didn't have any memory of that, of sharing a bedroom with him, or staying at Aunt Kate's house with Jakey and Raff. I only remembered living at the ranch, and thinking those were the best days, horse riding, swimming, tennis, learning the piano, going to step classes at Aunt Kate's gym.
When Grandad use to take the horses to the beach it was usually Jakey and I who went with him. And that's when I use to watch the surfers. I use to be mesmerized by them, longing to have a go. Grandad said that Trey use to surf, but it was news to me. Dad had never taken us surfing, and I'd never seen a surfboard at home. I begged Dad to teach me. He said I was too little. Still I begged. He said he hadn't surfed in years, that he'd probably forgotten how to. I pleaded. He said I needed to learn gymnastics first, that I had to have body awareness, flexibility, balance before I could surf. I agreed, anything to get out out of having to play tennis with Cash all day.
On my ninth birthday he bought me my first surfboard, and for me that was it. We had moved off the ranch by then and were close to the beach, so we all got enrolled in lessons. Jakey, Cash and Raff only lasted two months, but I kept it going. Dad even bought himself a new board and started up again and he would take me to the beach whenever he had time. Cash use to come too, but Cash only cared about tennis. Dad entered me in surf competitions and sometimes I would do all right and place in the top three. But that wasn't the real appeal for me, winning certificates or medals. I just loved to be on the waves. In a way that's how Cash and I are so similar. Cash loved tennis, but he was never hung up about whether he won a match or tournament, even though he won quite a few and had a shelf full of trophies. He said he just loved to hit balls, loved the satisfaction of controlling the ball with his racket, of hitting a perfect shot. If you got a point for it, then it was a bonus. I knew what he meant, because for me there was no better feeling than riding the perfect wave, or riding perfectly on any wave.
Nathan and I ended up going surfing a few times. I loved that he wanted to share things with me, even though it wasn't his passion. He didn't have an ego, didn't resent that I was better than him and he let me coach him. And seeing him stand on the board and make a ride made me so proud of him. Everything in our relationship was just about the little things, there were no dramas, no major conflicts, no worries. Our love was pure, simple, uncomplicated, true. And for me nothing mattered more than that
Chapter 4
NATHAN
Friday's game is against Lincoln High, and it should be a good one. It's the last game in the league, and West really need the win and having the home advantage, we should. Magdala says she has piano recital practice, so she says she'll meet me there, that she might be a little late.
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