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“Doubtful,” I said just loud enough for him to hear.
“I’ll hold the board,” he said. He reached across, hanging on to both sides. “Lift yourself so your body’s parallel to the board before trying to get on.”
Just knowing this would end in disaster, I held on and kicked my legs and struggled... but Diego held the board steady. Finally, my stomach pressed against the board, but my weight shifted it from side to side, and I crashed under again.
Right as I came up, another wave crashed against us, tossing me under, and I came up sputtering again, panic rising in my veins. I didn’t have panic attacks often—maybe one or two my entire life. But I felt one coming on, my vision growing tunneled.
Diego let go of the board, letting my leash keep it from flying back to shore, and he put his hands on my shoulders, leaving mere inches between us. “Breathe, April.”
My name... He said my name.
“When you get nervous, your body tenses up, but the best thing to do is relax.”
“Relax?” I repeated, my voice shrill. The last thing I could do with these waves hitting us was relax.
Another one came, and I jumped, desperately trying to keep my head above water.
“On the next one, we’re going to swim under it,” he said.
“Under?” He probably thought I was a parrot at this point, squawking panicked words back at him.
He nodded. “It’s calmer down there. So when this wave comes, swim down.”
I wanted to argue, but the water was already rolling toward us. I sucked in a breath and dove down, paddling furiously under the water. I wasn’t sure if the wave was gone yet, but I came up, sucking in a desperate breath.
Diego came up next to me, water gliding down the planes of his face. “Good. Let’s do it again.”
“Again?I barely made it through that one!”
“This time see if you can touch the sand,” he said evenly.
With the next wave coming, I didn’t have time to argue and breathe. So I pulled in a breath and ducked under the water, paddling until my hands grazed the sand underneath. When I came up again, I saw Diego, nodding.
“Good. One more time.”
I took another breath, determined to get better at this. Determined to face this fear. Determined to show Diego that whatever faith he had in me to keep doing this wasn’t completely misplaced.
Another wave came, and I dove down. This time, as the wave rolled over us, I felt a gentle but firm tug on the leash at my ankle.
As I came up, I saw Diego’s smile, just as gentle. Just as real as the pressure on my ankle had been. “Did you feel that?” he asked.
I nodded.
“I’ve got you, April,” he said earnestly, holding my gaze. “I’ve got you.”
Something in my heart twinged. Loosened. Became confused.
Why did those four words mean so much to me, coming from Diego no less?
“Let’s try again,” he said, bringing the board back between us.
Trying not to feel so nervous, I pulled myself up again.
He held the board, like he’d said, and then I was on it, my hands gripping the sides and my toes dangling over the edges to keep me on.
The board wobbled, and Diego said, “Hips to the right.”
I tried to do what he asked, then I wobbled to the side again. “To the left!”
