C H A P T E R T W E N T Y - E I G H T
safe return

snap:
the surfer moves from a bottom turn to the top of a wave at a 30 to 50 degree angle.

I woke up to chatter. Whom I presumed was my mother talking on the phone until I opened my eye that wasn't pressed against the pillow and came face to face with navy sheets.

Dawsons sheets.

However, he wasn't in bed with me. He was one of the people out in the hall who woke me from my slumber.

"What is a girl doing in your bed?" I overhear his mother ask as his loud sigh immediately follows.

"It's not just a girl mom, it is Ainsley. She had a rough day yesterday, her father showed up unannounced and there was no way I was sending her back home when he was there".

"Well I'm glad that there was at least a good reason for it as oppose to just sleeping with one another".

Dawson lowers his voice to a point where I could no longer make out the conversation, but a few moments later I heard the door click close as well as Dawsons footsteps getting louder the closer he got.

I close my eyes, pretending to still be asleep as I felt the bed dip when Dawson laid back down beside me. His hand wrapped around my waist, tugging me towards him so my back was pressed up against his chest.

He nuzzled his head against my neck. His stubble lined jaw gently scratching my neck before he places a kiss up against my tender skin.

The bed shifts once again until his lips press against my jawline, my cheek, until they press up against my lips momentarily.

"Babe, you know you don't have to pretend to be sleeping anymore"

At his words I open my eyes to Dawson gazing down on me. His arm bushing up against my stomach to support his weight above me.

"Who said that I was pretending?" I tease.

"I could see your eyes flutter closed when I entered the room" A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he brushes a stray piece of hair out of my face.

"God you are so beautiful" he murmurs placing another kiss against my lips before laying back down, his head resting against the pillow as he stares up at the ceiling. "How did I ever get so lucky?"

I find myself smiling as I roll over to rest my head against his bare chest. "I ask myself that everyday because I don't know how I am the one who gets to call you my boyfriend".

He laughs while running a hand through my hair as I listen to his heart beat. "It's been a while since someone's called me that, but it sounds so good".

"When was your last relationship?" I question.

"High school. Junior year to be exact" he responds. "Dated one of the volleyball players up until she moved away and I never heard from her after that".

"Sounds just like my last relationship, just with the addition that he thought it would be a great idea to cheat on me with a girl I would always compete against".

He frowns at my words as I lift my head off his chest when I feel him inhale sharply. "You don't have to worry about me ever doing that to you. I could never imagine cheating on someone".

"It seems to be a reoccurrence in my life and the relationships around me. I was cheated on and my father cheated on my mom with one of his athletes he was coaching so it's always on the back of my mind".

I never realized what I said until after it came out of my mouth but Dawson just became one of the only people to know the real reason as to why my father left.

Immediately he could tell it wasn't a conversation I wanted to dive deeper into so he quickly diverted the subject. "How about we go get started on breakfast and then head out into the water. It's your last chance at practice before the competition".

With that he stands and raises his hands over his head while stretching. His toned abs on full display as I find myself staring at him.

He throws on a blue t shirt with Malibu surf written on the front before helping me get off the bed.

I had forgotten that I was just wearing my black lacy bra and when Dawson noticed his eyes went wide before he quickly threw one of his hoodies towards me.

"With you looking like that I don't think we'll be leaving this room" he says as I quickly slip on the sweater, allowing the soft material to engulf my petite body.

As I take a step forward, he grabs the extra material of the sweater pulling me up against him. "I like you wearing my clothes. Probably would like it even better if you weren't wearing any".

I slap his chest in a teasing manner. "That's very contradictory to what you were just saying"

"Well I definitely wouldn't be opposed to spending all morning here with you" he responds while slipping his hands beneath the sweater and onto my bare hips.

I stand on my tip toes so I am roughly at his height before gently brushing my lips up against his. When our lips touch he digs his thumbs into my hips pulling me even closer.

He bites down on my bottom lip eliciting a moan from me allowing his tongue to access my mouth as he deepens the kiss.

My own hands make their way up his body until I tangle them in his hair just as my back hits the wall causing Dawson to pull away as he looks at me with hungry eyes.

"Now as much as I would rather be doing this" I say pointing between the two of us. "I need all the practice I can get if I want to stand a chance at winning the competition".

He groans before resting his forehead against mine. "You're right, but damn it's getting tougher and tougher to resist you".

I smile placing one more kiss against his lips as he leads me out of his room. "For the record, I want you just as bad".

The two of us make our way downstairs and into the kitchen to find his mother sitting at the kitchen table sipping a morning cup of coffee.

"Good morning you two" she says giving me a small smile. "Its nice to see you again Ainsley".

"You as well Mrs. Evans. I'm sorry if I overstayed my welcome by spending the night" I respond sheepishly as Dawsons hand brushes against mine before he makes his way over to the fridge.

"Hun it's alright. Dawson explained everything. I'd much rather have you stay here than have you go somewhere where you don't feel safe and I am glad that you feel safe here" she says standing up and placing a hand against my shoulder in a comforting manner. "I'll be in my office if either of you need me".

"Thank you" I say to her retreating body before turning my attention to Dawson who was scrambling some eggs and making toast.

"I know it's nothing fancy for breakfast but I figured we should hit the water soon before it gets hectic out there" He says as I grab two plates from the cupboard.

"It's perfect" I kiss his cheek before leaving him to prepare the two plates as he ushers me to sit at the counter.

We eat in silence for once, neither of us having enough time to chat as we quickly scarf down our food so we can make it out to Spirit Sands for the morning surf.

When we finally made it out to the beach, a twenty minute ride away, we were greeted with large waves crashing upon the shore as well as a good handful of surfers out in the water already.

"I'm running you through a competition simulation today. We're treating this practice as though you're currently competing" he says while he finished waxing my board. "I'm going to be out there with you, I'm going to be fighting you for those waves and I'm not going to be taking it easy".

"Has anyone ever told you that you'd made a good coach?" I question causing him to lift his head from his work as he lets out a chuckle.

"I do believe that I had told you I'd be a good coach. Now let's get out there, we don't have all day" he responds handing me my board before reaching for his.

The two of us stroll down the beach. The sand compressing beneath our feet as the wind tousled our hair.

Moments later we were ankle deep in the cool water as Dawson threw his board out in front of him and began paddling out into the ocean leaving me behind.

A superstition I had in competitions was to always be the last one on my board and in the past it has worked out in my favour.

It would give me more time to compose myself, to scan the shoreline for where the waves appear to be breaking.

Dawson turned around about a hundred yards out to make sure that I was following but instead out going straight out in front like he did, I angled myself to the right where the whitecaps were forming.

I was slower at paddling than he was; probably due to the size of his arm muscles compared to mine. He was able to propel himself through the water smoothly where it was a little more of a struggle for myself.

By the time I made it out to a good place to scout for waves, Dawson was riding his first one. Carving back and forth along the face of the wave causing a spray to trail behind him.

I mentally curse. I always wanted the first wave. I always needed to set the pace for the competition, and I usually did.

Not today apparently.

I advert my focus away from Dawson and back to the skyline where I watch a wave approaching with a peak on the right.

I smirk noticing the wave growing in size as I quickly turn my board so that I'm facing shore and begin paddling as I feel the wave sneak beneath me and rise me up above the water.

Pressing down with my hands I pop up to my feet quickly and immediately ride the wave down to the bottom before maneuvering my board so I am now being propelling up the face of the wave; a bottom turn.

Once at the top, the nose of my board exceeds the crest as I perform an aerial, landing the board with ease as I carve the front of the wave waiting for another opportunity to jump the crest.

The time doesn't come so I ride the wave for as long as I can trying to rack up points before bailing into the water once I got close to shore.

This is how the rest of the morning was spent. Dawson and I alternating waves; occasionally getting into some paddle battles for some, in which he would always win.

I was low reclined in the front seat of his truck. My hair tied up into a messy bun as I checked my messages on my phone.

One from Jessa stood out to me due to the mention of father in text.

Girl! Why is your mom in the diner with your FATHER looking for you!? What the hell is going on?- J

I groan reading the message as I quickly type back a reply that I'll fill her in on everything before slipping my phone back into the pocket of my sweater.

"Daws" I say breaking the silence as he turned to face me. "Can you come with me to my house? I don't want to go in there alone".

A smile finds it's way onto my face as he grasps for my hand across the centre consul. "Of course i'll go with you. I wouldn't want you to have to deal with that alone" he responds as he turns down the road to my street.

As we approach you couldn't help but notice the yellow pickup truck standing out like a sore thumb with all of the white and black vehicles.

Involuntarily I find my grip on Dawsons hand tightening the closer we get until we're parked right in front of my house.

"We'll just go in there and pack you a bag" he says after a moment while getting out of the truck. I was fixated on the front porch until Dawson stood in front of me obstructing my view. "I booked a hotel room in Bucklords Bay. It will get you away from all these distractions and allow you to focus on the competition".

A smile makes its way onto my face as I lean forward and kiss him. Thankfully with me sitting in the truck I was nearly his height.

A moment later he helps me out of the truck as I keep my hand interlocked with his while we make our way up the sidewalk to my house.

We hadn't even made it to the front porch before the front door swings open to reveal my mom standing there flustered, my father right behind her.

"Glad to see you finally decided to come back to your senses and return home".

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Word Count: 2290