Healing my Heart: Book 2 - My Heart Series (25 page)

I hurriedly chase and stand as I ride the enormous wave, flicking and moving my hips once, twice, a third time making a large spray over my head.
I am content with my first manoeuvre.

Keeping my balance I try a Front Side Carving three-sixty. I
’m now at the top of a wave. I ride down the slope; make a U-turn, head back up the wave and U-turn again to come back in. Of course make a complete three-sixty as the name suggests.
Nailed it! Woo hoo!

The wind is increasing speed as I feel the warm tingle against my wet skin, so I finish my heat off with a Backside Air, the wind will help this one along. I fleetingly ride into the surf and launch off the lip on the backhand, twisting and spraying for a smashing conclusion.

Heat one complete. Pretty damn amazing effort, if I do say so myself.

My arms have a sting to them as I paddle back in and carry my board up to await the scores with my squad, coach and family.

“Proud of you Kado, fantastic heat!” coach states to me and places an arm across my shoulder.

“
Great work baby, you looked fantastic out there,” Roxy tells me embracing me tightly as we anxiously await the scores. Ebony and John give me a thumbs up, not wanting to overstep the zone, a wave from dad and I can’t help but notice his large grin.

Is he proud of his surfer son that wouldn
’t amount to anything?

“
the judges have given us the results, here are the scores:

Kai Waits 
                            6.73

Laine Bradley
                            7.12

Troy Slater
                            8.24                           

Kade Thomas
                            8.27

Hamish Flores
                            7.65

Kade Thomas is the winner by 0.3 of a point. that is some close margins. congrats to Kade Thomas from Manl
y, Australia!”

“
Woo hoo, amazing job Kade!” my sister screams out, as the crowd roars for me. I actually have fans screaming my name, congratulating me and asking for my autograph. I kind of feel like a movie star.

“
Well done baby, I knew you would win,” my angel says sweetly to me as she wraps her arms around my neck and pulls me in for an embrace.

“
See you later sexy,” I say to Roxy as I kiss her lips, then head into the tent to get a rub down. I have a few little niggles in my knee that are hopefully nothing and I need to get ready for the next round.

The beach bands are playing their tunes, displays of Vans merchandise is lined along the walkway and countless arrays of different foods and beverages to eat or drink during the thirty minute breaks between heats.

“Up in the Next heat the competitors are:

Ryan O
’Neil                             HAW             

Jordan Alps
                                          USA             

Kade
Thomas                            AUS

Christian Lawrence
                            HAW

Antoine
Lamor                            FRA”

Ryan O
’Neil is the one to beat. He pretty much does a fancy trick every time, which the judges love if you can pull it off successfully. Which he does, he nails a floater and half tube, damn it…

Paddling out hastily for my turn after Jordan, I feel a little more confident that he didn
’t quite nail his floater that he tried to manoeuvre. The Hawaiian sun is burning into me, so harsh and intense, the humidity is twice as high as back home and the sweat beads line my hairline.

Ferociously digging my hands through the water, I paddle hard and rapidly. Numerous waves roll in, five so far. I need to wait for the perfect and attainable wave, but not too long, the timing is crucial.

And then I spot it, its illusive, and possibly the largest for today, and it is mine. I see my name written all over the bastard.

I
’m gone, in pursuit of that essential wave, I successfully stand, knees bent well balanced so I advance and proceed for a Front Side Cutback. Speed is essential for this surfing trick, I utilise the rail of my surfboard and the cutback brings me successfully back to the source of the wave where I spin and twist to cut it back.

Score!

Last up I thrust and guide my board swiftly down the line, gathering maximum speed. The edge of the lip is starting to feather so I execute a quick bottom turn. Flicking the board on its heel side rail, I push my back leg to boost throttle as my body pushes the board out I keep pushing using both hands, crouching down. Using subtle body shifts I get myself back up in a flash.
Fucking exquisite big rail turn!

I retire from the water and glance to coach who is grinning from ear to ear, all this training has paid off when I execute this
moves. “Smashed it Kado,” he states shaking my hand. I see Roxy and Ebony hugging each other with jubilation.

“
Now for the scores, and the best from each heat will be into the final”

Ryan O
’Neil                                           8.36

Jordan Alps
                                          8.17

Christian Lawrence
                            7.63

Kade Thomas
                                          8.26

Antoine Amor
                                          7.78

“
We have the judge’s scores and the winner of Heat number two is Ryan O’Neil. he will be another finalist today along with Kade Thomas and Troy Slater. Come and check out the Hawaiian skate board events during the break of the surfing compition. the final event will start at two o’clock.”

Roxy comes running towards me and I take her into my arms.
“Fucking amazing Kade. You are so talented,” she tells me as we embrace.

“
Kade you are in the finals! This has been our plan all along, all the hours training, vigorous schedules, this is what you have trained for my boy,” coach exclaims to me with optimism and belief.

I down a PowerAde, then get another rub down. I have a muscle pain in my leg that just won
’t leave.

I close my eyes as the trainer massages out the knots that should do the trick getting some much needed focus back in my mind, it needs to be clear for the final.

I quickly change into my Billabong wet suit, disregarding the Quicksilver dampened suit, the more lightweight the better, then I make my way out of the tent.

I am up first this time, so the nerves are running rampant, sweaty palms and heart racing.

“Go out there and make me proud Kade. As long as you give it your best, which is worth more than wining in my book,” my coach says sincerely to me. He has been a role model to me over the years, showed me so much, I feel honoured to have him as my coach.

Roxy throws her arms around me engulfing me with her love. She kisses me deeply and passionately and I almost forget about what lies ahead.
“Whoa Rox that was some kiss. We will be finishing that off later that is for sure,” I say to her as she cheekily pinches my arse, so I smack hers following her lead.
That has helped with the nerves for now.

“
Good luck Kade, I’m proud of you no matter what,” my father calls out to me and it warms my heart.  Sometimes things happen for a reason; maybe the positive in mum leaving is that I’m now closer to my dad.

Time to bring out the big guns and shoot for the stars….

Jogging hastily through the cool ocean water, I place my board into the ripples of the current. I lay face down and scoop the water with my hands swiftly paddling out into the rapid ocean. It’s soothing out here. I can vaguely hear the cheers of the crowds.

My focus is on the enormous swell of the slamming waves. They are rough and nasty, and hopefully they go easy on me.

Then I see it, such a beauty at least eight feet, mountainous, I brazenly paddle into the eye of the wave.

It takes me with velocity, I push up to my feet, as I stand I feel a knot under my knee, damn it, the pain is excruciating, but I will push through it.
This is do or die...

I get my balance, bending my knees riding over the wave. I feel slight vertigo from the steepness. FUCK! It
’s insane and intense but I wouldn’t swap it for the world! I know I won’t last long with this roughness so I gotta get the tricks out now!

First up is the Stale Fish Air Reverse. I grab my heel-side rail with my right
hand, which is the hardest part, then I opt for a largely difficult spin into reverse rotation, my muscles and ligaments are stretched. My fucking knee is burning.

As my turn progresses, I keep my body and board really connected so that it can move with the wave and the reverse spin is expedited with skill and expertise.
One down.

I proceed through the wave, its large and deep forming a barrel. If I can pull off this tube it will be magic and intense. The wave is hollow, I get inside the tube, keep my shoulders parallel and I face the line to hold it. Shaping myself to the barrel I avoid getting the lip to the head… Time stands still.

Only a surfer knows the feeling.

I make a clean exit…

In the words of the legend Aussie singer John Farnham, “Down the barrel of a gun.”

I
’m doing something I love and doing it damn well, winner or not, I can honestly say I am proud of my achievement.

I find myself limping out of the water, my knee hurts like a bitch, and thank god the training is over for a while. The crowd is cheering.
“Love you Kade.” “Awesome waves.” “You rock.”

A large grin forms across my face, this is more than enough, surfing waves like these and having fans love and appreciate me.

My coach and squad are cheering, whistling all hopeful that I will take home the title.

Roxy runs to my side and her dazzling smile warms my heart. No matter what else happens in the world she is all I need…

We embrace like it’s only her and I on the beach. My skin tingles at her touch, my adrenaline spikes more than any eight foot wave could spike it. She is mine and I am hers.

We stay hand in hand, as dad, Ebony, and John approach us and tell me how awesome I surfed and that they are proud and in their eyes I am the best surfer here today.

Ryan is surfing next and he will no doubt smash it out there, then Troy. It will be a close score that I’m sure of.

They both excel in the water, the waves are still intense, and it shows we do have the best in the world here today surfing, not to get dumped by the big ones.

“The judges are tallying up the scores and then we will have the winner of the day.”

Ten minutes later and my heart is about to burst through the walls of my chest. My fingers are trembling and I am sweating like a trouper before they have the results.

Roxy kisses my cheek tenderly, squeezes my hand and tells me the words that make me whole, “I love you Kade, always and forever.”

“
Okay, Ladies and Gentlemen the results are in and we have our selves a winner!

In third place with a total of 8.7 points is Troy Slater a local
,from Hawaii. well done Troy.

In Second place with a total of 8.9 points is Ryan O
’Neil from the USA. Congrats Ryan.

coming in with a total of 9.4 and the winner of the World Cup of Surfing, is the extremely talented, Australian Surfer, Kade Thomas!

what an achievement and what a tournament. A big Congratulations to Kade on being number one in the world!”

I won it. I really fucking won it! I just can
’t believe it, my dream has actually happened. I won!

I feel euphoric as I excitedly jump in the air, I scream throwing my arms up to the sky. My heart is racing. I
’m exhilarated with pride for myself and all that I have accomplished in my surfing career.  My smile beams so wide my cheeks start to sting.

Roxy squeezes my hand, bringing me back to reality where I gaze deeply into her sparkling and gleaming eyes. She kisses me hard and with so much passion that I scoop her up and spin her around like a mad man.
“I did it Roxy, I really did it!” I scream to her as we embrace again.

Then I am tackled by coach and my squad. They gather me into the air as if I was crowd
surfing, and they shout their congratulations, support and well wishes. “Kade, Kade, Kade, Kade,” they chant.

A feeling of warmth spreads through my entire body with satisfaction. My heart is pounding, and I feel more alive than I have ever before. Ever.

.Life doesn’t get any better than this. I’m the fucking winner and I have the best girl in the world on my arm, sensational.