"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way, it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth." – 1 Corinthians 13:4-6

After Alana's victory at Emma Wood, the weekend continued to look up. Cole placed fifth, just barely shy of making the final, while Blaine went on to claim third. Jake and Koa placed first and second, respectively, in their longboarding heats. Even more exciting than Koa's trophy was a certain dark-haired girl who congratulated him when he stepped off the stage. He and Nikki talked for a good ten minutes before his family whisked him away to celebrate.

Meanwhile, Dylan and Tammy treated Alana to lunch, and the rest of the gang went their separate ways as well. Mr. Anderson took the day off work and let the twins carve up the local skate park instead of doing their Saturday chores. All in all, it was a refreshingly fun day, topped off with a sunset surf session at C Street.

The next morning, after being awakened by Dude's paws climbing all over his forehead, Cole headed to the beach to squeeze in another surf sesh before the swell faded away. The twins and their father scored overhead waves with not too many people out. Apparently the big surf had scared away all the beginners. As soon as Cole made it into shore, he called up the rest of the gang and met them for another surf session midmorning.

Finally, by early afternoon, Cole was officially surfed out and exhausted. He took a quick shower before heading to Scottie's Surf Shack for the gang's weekly Bible study. Everyone, it seemed, was tired and sore from surfing all weekend long, so they ordered the biggest lunch they could afford. Hamburgers, tacos, fries, and salads littered their table, leaving barely enough room for Blaine to place his Bible. Before they started the study, however, Maya interrupted the group with a surprise.

"I'm assuming no one else read the paper this morning?" she asked, eyes twinkling.

"I don't get the paper anymore," Koa said, while everyone else shook his or her head.

Maya grinned and pulled out the Ventura County Star from her backpack. "Wait 'til you guys see this!" she declared. With one sweeping motion, she unfolded the paper and placed it triumphantly on the table. As soon as everyone got a good look, gasps erupted around the booth.

Alana was the first to lean closer and pull the newspaper towards her. "No way," she breathed. There, on the front page, was a full-blown picture of her surfing at Emma Wood. Her winning wave in the final, where she had executed a perfectly vertical top turn, was the subject of the photo. The spray from underneath her board created a terrific halo of water all around her. The heading read: "Local surfer blows competition out of the water."

Cole laughed. "I think the heading is literal," he said. "Just look at that massive spray!"

"I don't believe it," Alana said, shocked. "This is crazy."

"What, having your picture in the newspaper?" Jake asked. "It's happened before."

"But not on the front page as the main article!"

Maya's smile grew wider. "I knew you would like this. And check it out"—here she flipped to the page where the article continued—"the reporter even did a special on your sponsorship with Roxy."

Cole glanced at Alana. In the back of his mind, he remembered her being interviewed by a few reporters, and then having a long conversation with the women from Roxy. Apparently this was all bigger than he'd expected. "You're officially famous now," he said.

"Dude, she's been famous," Jake reminded him. "Have you checked her social media lately?"

The question was rhetorical. Cole had, in fact, been keeping up with all of his friends' social media—especially Alana's.

"You're probably going to get hundreds of birthday wishes," Jake added, turning to face Alana this time.

"I hope not," she sighed. "Having my picture in the newspaper is attention enough."

The conversation took another turn, but Cole's thoughts were still focused on what Jake had said. Alana's birthday was less than a week away, and he had yet to come up with a good idea for a present. He had considered airbrushing another board, but that would be too redundant, since he had just given her a board last month. He dismissed the idea of a Surfline membership because that was too expensive. Gift cards to surf shops seemed petty, especially now that Alana would be receiving free merchandise from her sponsor. So what other options were there?

Cole was stumped. He swirled his straw around in his Coke until the ice had nearly melted, but still no ideas came to mind. Maybe another mini surf trip, like the one they had taken to Huntington? But no—Alana was already planning to surf C Street like she always did. Taking her out to lunch or dinner would be too awkward, especially if it was one-on-one. Going to the movies was lame (and too much like a date). Frustrated, Cole rested his chin in his hands and sighed.

"Bro." Blaine's voice brought him back to the present. "Earth to Cole."

"I'm listening," he snapped, then checked himself. "Sorry. I was lost in thought."

"Deeply lost," Maya chuckled.

"We want you to say a prayer before we start the study," Blaine said.

"Oh. Sure." Cole shifted in his seat and folded his hands, but not before Jake suddenly stood up.

"Wait! I have to use the bathroom."

Everyone groaned. "Hurry up, Jake," "Don't get lost," and "Try not to fall in!" were flung in his direction as he shimmied out of the booth. Alana, who was sitting on Jake's opposite side, was forced to get out and let him past. Once he was gone, she took her seat again, but scooted closer to Cole this time. Their jeans touched slightly when she sat down.

Cole swallowed. Now he really wouldn't be able to concentrate. He began jiggling his leg underneath the table, but when Alana placed her hand on top of his knee, he froze.

"What?" he asked, suddenly realizing his mouth was dry.

"You're shaking the booth," she said.

Behind her smile was a silent laugh, and Cole relaxed immediately. "Sorry."

She just shook her head, then reached up and tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. The familiar action made Cole's stomach swarm with butterflies. They had always sat opposite each other during Bible study, but now that they were this close, something had flipped. His hormones were bouncing off the walls.

Finally, after what seemed like ages, Jake returned. He didn't seem to mind that Alana had taken his seat, as he immediately plopped down at the edge of the booth. "I'm back," he declared, "and now the party can start!"

"Shh," Maya hissed. Cole, bowing his head, began the prayer, trying to ignore the accidental slight touching between him and Alana. Maybe we should look for a roomier booth next time...

When church let out later that evening, Jake found himself walking numbly up the aisle towards the exit, clutching the hands of his little brothers on either side of him. They had been squirrely throughout the whole service since the church didn't provide Sunday school at that time of night. Jake glanced over his shoulder and saw his parents, somber-faced, trudging behind him.

Their countenances only made Jake's attitude sink a little lower. Their family had always been diligent in coming to church, especially after hearing that Mrs. Sanders had breast cancer, but instead of lifting their spirits, the sermons only reminded them of their pain. Jake, rather than being at peace, felt troubled about the whole situation. He had a deep, aching sense of bitterness that wouldn't leave no matter what he tried, and he was also confused about why his mom was chosen to be a victim of cancer. There were billions of people in the world, and for some reason she had been targeted. It wasn't fair.

The message in the sermon that night was about forgiveness, something that Jake never really had a problem about. He was the goofball; the class clown. He didn't make enemies, and he never really fought with his parents or siblings, so forgiveness had never been something required of him. But now that he and Maya were locked in some sort of estrangement, the need for forgiveness had never felt so real.

Jake wrestled with his thoughts for a few moments. Throughout the sermon, he'd been subconsciously crafting his feelings into words, and words into an apology. He wanted to show Maya that he still loved her and didn't want one measly fight to break them apart. He understood that couples had their differences, and the best way to resolve those differences was to work together and compromise. Jake had already prayed for hours on end, so the next logical step was to confront Maya and ask for forgiveness. While it sounded simple in his head, as soon as he'd spotted Maya sitting a few pews ahead of him, he realized it was going to be a lot harder to do in person.

The exit was only a few steps away. Eager to be free of the stifling room, Jake lunged forward and let himself be enveloped by the crisp night air. He breathed in and out deeply. Immediately, the little fingers wrapped around his hands let go, and his brothers darted towards the parking lot to let out their pent-up energy.

"Something wrong?" Mr. Sanders asked quietly, placing a hand on his son's shoulder.

Jake pursed his lips, debating whether or not to present his dilemma to his dad. "It's not about mom," he said after a lengthy silence.

"Well, what's it about?"

Mrs. Sanders, who had moved in front of them, gestured that she would play with the boys for a bit. Father and son sat down on a nearby bench to talk.

"It's kind of hard to explain," Jake began.

"Just start from the beginning."

He cracked a smile. "Easier said than done."

Mr. Sanders gave him an understanding look. The warmth in his eyes shone out in such contrast to his somber face that Jake was taken aback. His father still had some joy behind his constant worrying.

"I have a good idea of what's going on," he said. "I've noticed you haven't been spending much time with Maya lately."

Well, shoot. Apparently the cat was out of the bag. Jake squirmed for a second before caving in. "Yeah," he admitted. "We kind of got into a fight."

His father nodded. "I figured as much."

"We see each other at work," Jake was about to say, but he realized that was a lie. Maya worked many more hours than he did, and when their shifts happened to overlap, they avoided each other like the plague. Jake cringed.

"Remember what Pastor Browne said in the message tonight?" Mr. Sanders asked.

"Which part?"

"The part where he reminded everyone of the power of forgiveness."

Jake must have looked confused, because his father continued, "The first to apologize is the bravest. The first to forgive is the strongest. The first to forget is the happiest."

Realization dawned on Jake's face. "I remember," he said.

Mr. Sanders leaned close and studied his son carefully. "I don't know which one of you started the fight, but I do know this—you love each other. I've rarely seen this type of love in kids so young, but with you and Maya, it's there."

Jake shifted awkwardly in his seat. "Dad, we're not that young."

"Ah, but you're forgetting, I'm old." He laughed. "My point is, if your love is as strong as it appears, then it should keep no record of wrongs. My advice to you is to apologize, seek forgiveness, and then move on. The sooner, the better."

Jake nodded.

"Is there any other words of wisdom you'd like me say?" Mr. Sanders joked. "If so, now would be the time to ask for 'em. I'm starving."

Jake cracked a smile. "Then let's go eat. I'm hungry too."

Mr. Sanders wrapped an arm around Jake's shoulders as they stood up. "I'm proud of you," he added.

Don't be proud of me for something that I haven't done yet, Jake thought. His stomach twisted. Though he scanned the parking lot for any sign of Maya, he couldn't see her anywhere. Part of him was relieved. He could handle this awkward situation another time.

But Jake wasn't off the hook just yet. The Sanders suddenly ran into the Andersons, and before long the adults were talking back and forth. The twins approached Jake and pulled him aside.

"Hey, man," Blaine said. "Long time no see. Did you squeeze in another surf sesh after our Bible study?"

"Yeah, and I got home just in time for church," Jake replied, glad for the change of subject. "The waves were sick."

"It's a bummer the swell is dying down," Cole added. The other guys murmured in agreement.

Suddenly, an exclamation from Mr. Anderson jolted their attention back to the adults for a second. Jake cringed, realizing that his father had probably just spilled the beans about his mom's cancer. Jake still hadn't told the news to the gang—and neither had Maya, for that matter—and Jake hoped it would stay that way. He didn't want everyone to pity him for something that was outside of his control.

Fortunately, Cole didn't ask what was wrong. He launched into an entirely new subject. "Oh, yeah! I meant to talk to you about something."

"Shoot," Jake said, giving him the go-ahead.

"So, listen: I know you and Maya haven't exactly been on speaking terms lately—"

Oh, no. There it was again. Jake closed his eyes and wished he could get away.

"I know it's none of our business," Blaine said, "but we want to make sure everything is okay. You two are our closest friends."

"Everything's fine," Jake sighed. "We just hit a rough patch. It's nothing to be worried about."

The twins exchanged a look. "Okay," Cole said, taking the hint. "If you say so. Just know that we're here for you."

In any other situation, Jake would have laughed out loud at the absurdity of Cole's words. Here was the guy who used to not care squat about other people's problems, but now he was offering his assistance to Jake. The thought was kind of humbling, actually.

"Just pray for us, alright?" Jake managed to say. "I can handle the rest."

Blaine smiled. "Now that we can do."

When the families broke apart and headed their separate ways, Jake realized with a start that the twins' dad would probably tell them about Mrs. Sanders' cancer. But that was only a mild irritation compared to the real problem Jake had to face: confronting Maya. He was sick of avoiding her and never getting the chance to talk to her. The next chance he had, he would apologize. He promised himself that much. Of course, he never actually got around to visualizing the fallout, but he reassured himself it would go smoothly.

At least he hoped it would.