Powerslide (10 page)
“So,” I said.
“So, you didn't kill yourself doing something stupid,” she said.
“I tried,” I said. “I really, really tried.”
We stared at the ramp for a minute.
“Have you seen Goat?” she asked.
“Yeah.”
“How is he?”
“Half-dead.”
“Only half?” she asked. A wind came in off the water, causing Sara's hair to flip to one side. She gathered it together and tied it off with an elastic. “Was it worth it?” She stared at the long scar that ran along the ridge of my brow. The doctor said it would go away eventually. If it didn't, it would be a good conversation starter.
“Was what worth it?” I said.
“Everything,” she said. “Are you right where you thought you'd be now?”
“Maybe. I don't know,” I said.
“Do you still feel that you
had
to do it?” she asked.
“Maybe not.”
She kicked my bruised shin, which hurt like hell, but I deserved it. “Maybe?”
“I guess not.”
“You know you could have killed yourself out there,” she said. She still wasn't looking at me, and I wasn't looking at her. She took my hand and held it tightly. I felt her tense beside me. “And I really would have missed you.”
“I would have missed you too,” I said. I liked the feel of her hand in mine. It seemed weird at first, and then completely normal, as if it was exactly the way it should be. As if we had been heading to this point since day one.
“Next time, listen to me, okay?”
“Okay.”
Sara let go of my hand and walked to the edge of the ramp. She tapped the tail of her board on the coping and looked down at the smooth curve of the half-pipe. She glanced over her shoulder at me. “You could go back and forth in here forever if you wanted to,” she said.
“You could.” My knee was feeling better, but not good enough to ride a ramp.
“And that should be enough, right?” she said.
“Right,” I said.
“Wrong,” she said, with a smile. “But it would be something.” Then she dropped in.
I thought about how she was moving away to go to college in the next few days. These endless days of skating and hanging out would soon end. It made me anxious. I hadn't applied to any colleges yet, so I had decided to take Jack up on his offer and do the stunt-double gig. But I would do it my way this time. I never wanted to feel at the mercy of someone else again. I would do what I loved, and I would do it on my terms.
I watched her ride the half-pipe with a big smile on her face. I listened to her wheels rolling, the tap of her board as it struck the coping, and then I closed my eyes. The ocean breeze brushed over me, and I thought, Yeah, it was something.
Special thanks to Megan Ross, my first reader and muse; Sara Finlay and Danny McNaughton for donating their awesome names; my kids for hanging out with me while I skateboard so I don't look as ridiculous; Christi Howes for sprucing this mess up, and Sarah Harvey for steering it in the right direction in the first place; OnDeck Skateboard Shop in Ottawa and Broken Skateboards; and finally, for all the thirty- and forty-somethings who refuse to grow up and who help keep sports like skateboarding and snowboarding alive and vibrant.
Jeff Ross grew up near Collingwood, Ontario, where he learned to snowboard, skateboard and injure himself in fantastic and unique ways. Jeff lives in Ottawa, Ontario, where he teaches English and Scriptwriting at Algonquin College.
Powerslide
is his second novel for the Orca Sports series. More information is available at
www.jeffrossbooks.com
.
Titles in the Series
orca sports
Absolute Pressure
Sigmund Brouwer
All-Star Pride
Sigmund Brouwer
Blazer Drive
Sigmund Brouwer
Boarder Patrol
Erin Thomas
Chief Honor
Sigmund Brouwer
Cobra Strike
Sigmund Brouwer
Crossover
Jeff Rud
Dead in the Water
Robin Stevenson
The Drop
Jeff Ross
Fly Away
Nora Rock
Flying Feet
James McCann
Gravity Check
Alex Van Tol
Hitmen Triumph
Sigmund Brouwer
Hurricane Power
Sigmund Brouwer
Jumper
Michele Martin Bossley
Kicker
Michele Martin Bossley
Maverick Mania
Sigmund Brouwer
Oil King Courage
Sigmund Brouwer
Paralyzed
Jeff Rud
Powerslide
Jeff Ross
Razor's Edge
Nikki Tate
Rebel Glory
Sigmund Brouwer
Scarlet Thunder
Sigmund Brouwer
Slam Dunk
Kate Jaimet
Squeeze
Rachel Dunstan Muller
Thunderbird Spirit
Sigmund Brouwer
Tiger Threat
Sigmund Brouwer
Titan Clash
Sigmund Brouwer
Two Foot Punch
Anita Daher
Venom
Nikki Tate
Winter Hawk Star
Sigmund Brouwer
orca sports
For more information on all the books
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