TABLE OF CONTENTS

  CHAPTER 1: NOT READY

  CHAPTER 2: QUITTING TIME

  CHAPTER 3: MEET MEIKO

  CHAPTER 4: A BAD STUDENT

  CHAPTER 5: NOT AGAIN

  CHAPTER 6: RIDE THE WIND

  CHAPTER 7: BACK ON BOARD

  CHAPTER 8: ISLAND TOUR

  CHAPTER 9: LAST DAY

  CHAPTER 10: PHOTO OP

  About the Author

  About the Illustrator

  Glossary

  Discussion Questions

  Writing Prompts

  Windsurfing Words You Should Know

  Copyright

  Back Cover

  CHAPTER 1

  NOT READY

  Nick had never been anywhere so beautiful in his whole life. For years, he and his family had wanted to visit Hawaii. Now they were finally there, spending a whole week in Honolulu. The weather was awesome, and Nick was glad to be on vacation, but he wasn’t having a great time.

  The island was perfect, but Nick’s older brother, Eric, didn’t seem impressed.

  “The longer we stand here, the less time we’ll have in the water,” Eric said, picking up his surfboard. “Come on, let’s find the rest of the class.”

  Nick nodded. They were supposed to get a lesson on surfing before tackling the waves. It was free with their surfboard rentals.

  “There they are,” Nick said, pointing. A dozen new surfers were lined up on the beach.

  Eric ran down the wooden steps to the sand, carrying his board. But Nick walked down slowly, afraid he’d slip and fall in front of a bunch of strangers.

  He didn’t know if he’d like surfing, but it was worth a shot. After all, they were on vacation.

  Nick’s dad had wanted to go scuba diving, which sounded like fun to Nick, but the hotel didn’t offer lessons to anyone under fifteen.

  Nick’s mom was happy to listen to music and read by the pool. She wasn’t a fan of sand. The other option was synchronized swimming. No thanks.

  So Nick picked surfing, mostly because Eric had. He only hoped he’d be good at it. Otherwise, it would be a long week with no other activities to try.

  “Let’s go, slowpoke!” Eric called from the beach. He and all of the other surfers watched as Nick carefully walked down the stairs. He knew he was holding up the lesson, so Nick tried to run with his surfboard like Eric had. But he slipped.

  He fell down onto the hot sand, face first. His board fell down on top of him.

  The instructor ran over and helped Nick up. Once Nick was on his feet, the instructor picked up his board.

  “I’m Kenji,” the instructor said. Kenji was tan and wore a shark-tooth necklace around his neck. “I’ll teach you how to surf. Maybe you’ll even learn some balance.”

  Nick said, “I hope so.” He smiled. Kenji seemed nice, even if he was sort of making fun of him.

  Nick brushed the sand off of his swim trunks and face. Then he followed Kenji back to the rest of the group.

  I’m not off to a very good start, Nick thought. I’m not even in the water yet, and already I don’t like this.

  The other surfers were still waiting. All of them seemed at least five years older than Nick.

  “Smooth moves, baby brother,” Eric whispered. “Real smooth.”

  Nick ignored his brother. He set his board down on the sand next to him.

  The lesson went very quickly. They learned about the different parts of the board, including the leash. Nick didn’t think he’d like having a strap tying him to the surfboard, but he also didn’t want to lose the rented board. He knew his dad would be mad if he did.

  Kenji showed them how to paddle out, how to stand up on the board, and the difference between a “regular foot” stance and “goofy foot.”

  Goofy foot meant that the right foot was forward. Every surfer stood one way or the other.

  “Why am I not surprised you’re a goofy foot?” Eric said, pointing at Nick’s feet.

  “Quit teasing me,” Nick said. He tried standing the other way, but it didn’t feel right.

  “I think we’re ready,” Kenji said. “Let’s catch some waves.”

  Everyone seemed ready to hit the ocean. Everyone, that is, except Nick.

  CHAPTER 2

  QUITTING TIME

  Surfing was a disaster. Eric picked it up right away. He was great at it. But Nick wasn’t so lucky.

  He paddled out with the rest of the group, but had trouble turning his board around. When a good wave came, it was hard for him to get up on his feet. Every time he finally made it and was standing on his surfboard, he lost his balance and fell off.

  More than a few times, the board smacked Nick on the head. He knew he’d have bruises.

  “How’s it going?” Eric asked as he paddled toward him at the end of the lesson. Nick was busy wiping his hair from his eyes and spitting out water.

  “Fantastic,” Nick said, rolling his eyes. “I’ve never had so much fun.”

  It was the worst time he’d ever had. It was worse than the entire baseball season when he couldn’t get a hit. And it was worse than when he tried out for football but dropped the ball every time he had it.

  “You’re going to quit, aren’t you?” Eric said, shaking his head. “You always quit.”

  Nick scowled. It’s not my fault I’m not as good at stuff as Eric is, he thought.

  “I’m going to keep trying,” Nick insisted.

  “You better,” Eric said. “Dad will be mad if you just quit. He paid for you to surf all week.”

  A week of this? Nick thought. This will be the worst vacation ever.

  * * *

  No one could say Nick didn’t try. Not even Eric.

  He paddled back toward the waves and tried his best, but nothing went right. A giant wave knocked him down. The board hit him on the head again. His eyes felt raw and stung from the salt water.

  Everyone else was having a great time. Eric rode giant waves back to the beach. He never fell more than a few times. Nick’s older brother was a natural.

  Nick only got more upset.

  Finally, he’d had enough. “I’m going back to the beach,” Nick said. He passed Eric, who was paddling back out to catch another wave. “I’ll see you later.”

  “You’re quitting, aren’t you?” Eric asked. He shook his head.

  “Mind your own business,” Nick snapped. “Surfing stinks.”

  * * *

  A little bell on the door of Don’s Surf Shop jingled as Nick pushed it open. It was hot outside, but the air conditioning inside made him shiver. He didn’t care. He just wanted to turn in the surfboard and get it over with.

  The guy who had rented the boards to Nick and Eric the day before wasn’t there.

  Instead, a girl wearing a red wetsuit stood behind the counter.

  “Hi,” said the girl. “Can I help you?”

  “Yeah,” Nick said. “I need to return this surfboard.”

  The girl nodded. She typed something into the computer. It beeped, and she looked at the screen, puzzled. “You’re returning the board early?” she asked.

  You didn’t see me out there, Nick thought. I looked like a complete fool!

  “Yeah,” Nick replied. “I guess I just don’t like surfing.”

  “Got it,” the girl said. “Unfortunately, we have a policy that there aren’t any refunds. I’m sorry.”

  “That’s fine,” Nick said. He shrugged.

  He knew Dad would be mad, but he didn’t feel like being even more embarrassed. “It doesn’t matter,” he added. “I just want to return the dumb thing.”

  “Tell you what,” the girl said. “I’ve got a better idea. Come with me.”

  Nick set the board against the counter and followed the girl into the back room of the surf shop.

  CHAPTER 3

  MEET MEIKO

  Nick stepped into a large room loaded with surfboards, body boards, and some other ocean gear for rent.

  “Wow,” Nick whispered. “This place has a lot of stuff.”

  “I know,” the girl said. “My dad overdid it when he opened this place.”

  Nick shook his head. “I guess you probably like surfing then, right?”

  The girl shrugged. “It’s okay,” she said. “But I like windsurfing better. I bet you will, too.”

  “Is that where you have a parachute on your back and a boat flies you up in the sky?” Nick asked. He shook his head. “Forget that. I’m afraid of heights.”

  “No, that’s parasailing,” the girl said with a laugh. “Windsurfing is completely different.”

  Nick crossed his arms. He was pretty sure he wouldn’t like anything that had to do with any kind of surfing.

  “Just give it a shot,” the girl said, smiling. “I’m Meiko, by the way.”

  She stuck out her hand, and Nick shook it. “I’m Nick,” he told her. “Nice to meet you.”

  “Over here,” Meiko said. She led him over to the back part of the room, past long boards and short boards. There, she pointed at different-looking surfboards and small sails.

  “These are windsurfing boards,” she said. “It’s almost like riding a mini sailboat.”

  “It looks pretty cool,” Nick said. “I’m just not sure I’d be any good at it.”

  “I’ll teach you,” she said.

  Meiko pulled a blue windsurfing board off the wall. Then she lifted a sail from a metal rack.

  Nick sighed. He didn’t want to do any more surfing of any kind. With or without a sail. As far as he was concerned, he’d never be a surfer.

  “I have to meet my family for lunch,” Nick said. It sounded like a lie, but it was the truth. Mom and Dad wanted them to check in from time to time, and they had lunch plans.

  “Perfect,” Meiko said. “I get off at one. Stop by when you’re done eating.”

  * * *

  Nick walked back to the hotel. The whole time, he tried to figure out how he was going to get out of going back to the surf shop. It was nice of Meiko to offer lessons, but he wasn’t interested. I’m not meant to surf, he thought.

  Mom and Dad were waiting with Eric on the patio when Nick reached the restaurant. Shaded with a grass roof, the dining area overlooked the ocean.

  Nick took a seat so that his back faced the blue waters. He didn’t want to see the waves anymore.

  “How did the morning go, boys?” Dad asked. He was still wearing his wetsuit and had goggle marks around his eyes.

  “Awesome,” Eric said right away. His hair was wet and his nose was red. “Wasn’t it, Nick?”

  Nick shrugged and looked down at the menu. “It was okay,” he said.

  Mom looked around. “You didn’t leave your surfboard at the beach, did you, honey? Someone might walk off with it,” she said. “That cost us a lot of money to rent.”

  “Yeah, Nick,” Eric said. He laughed. “Where is your board?”

  Nick sipped his water. “It’s at the surf shop,” he said. “I’m trading it for a different one.”

  “How come?” Dad asked. He looked at the beach. Nick could tell his dad was excited to get back into the ocean.

  “His surfboard was broken,” Eric joked. “It kept making him fall off!”

  Mom swatted Eric with her napkin and said, “Be nice.”

  “I just needed something different,” Nick said. “My first surfboard wasn’t a good fit.”

  Everyone else ordered lunch, talking excitedly about what they’d done that morning. As he watched his parents and brother laugh and talk, Nick wondered how he’d keep busy for the rest of the week. His island vacation was off to a bad start.

  CHAPTER 4

  A BAD STUDENT

  After lunch, Mom, Dad, and Eric took off. Nick wandered around the town. He didn’t mean to, but at about 1:15, he found himself standing in front of Don’s Surf Shop.

  “Hey, Nick!” a girl’s voice called. He turned and saw Meiko walking out of the shop. She smiled and waved, and added, “How was lunch?”

  “It was okay,” Nick said.

  Meiko looked around. “Want to get started?” she asked.

  Nick felt his stomach sink. He didn’t want to get started. But was there a way to tell her that without hurting her feelings?

  “About the windsurfing,” Nick began. “I’m not sure . . .”

  But then he noticed the pile of equipment next to her. Two boards. Two sails. And a bunch of other stuff.

  “My dad said we could switch the surfboard rental for the windsurfing rig,” Meiko said. “So I brought it all for you.” She pointed to the gear on the ground.

  Nick looked at the different parts and pieces. There were ropes, a board, foot straps, and a life vest. It seemed way more complicated than regular surfing.

  It’s not like I have anything better to do, Nick thought. “What is all this stuff?” he asked.

  “You should learn the different parts and pieces of the rig,” Meiko said. She started lifting up the different pieces of equipment and telling him about each one. Nick listened as she explained everything. “Okay, now we can put it all together!” Meiko told him. “Pick up the mast.”

  “That’s this long pipe thing, right?” Nick asked.

  Meiko grinned. “You were paying attention!” she teased. “Yes, that one.”

  Nick slipped the long pipe, called the mast, into the sail’s sleeve. After that, he attached it to the middle of the board.

  “Perfect,” Meiko said. “So far so good.”

  Nick nodded. Sure, he thought. Until I have to get this thing in the water.

  “Okay,” Meiko continued. “See those black foot straps on the board? You slip your feet in there, and they help you stay on.”

  There were three foot straps, two in the middle and one at the nose of the board. They had a foam-like rubber covering.

  “Hop on,” Meiko said. “Let’s see if we need to adjust anything.”

  Nick put his feet through the straps. They were actually pretty comfortable. “Nice,” he said. “I couldn’t stay on the regular surfboard. I kept slipping off.”

  Meiko laughed. “I had the same problem,” she said. “I also like holding on to something.”

  “What do you hold on to when you’re windsurfing?” Nick asked.

  Meiko bent over. She pointed to a curved piece attached to the sail. It had a clip on one end.

  “This is the boom,” she said. “You use this to steer the sail. You raise the sail rig with a line called the uphaul,” she went on. “The mast bends at the base, so if the sail falls, the board doesn’t tip over.”

  “Cool!” Nick said. “That sounds perfect for me.”

  “Try raising the sail up,” Meiko suggested. “Grab the uphaul, and pull it toward you.”

  Little by little, Nick pulled the sail off of the sand. When the sail was upright, he grabbed the boom.

  “Excellent,” Meiko said. She clapped. “You’re on your way!”

  Just then, a strong gust of wind picked up from behind them. It hit the sail and jerked Nick right off of the board. The sail went down, knocking Nick to the sand.

  “Maybe that’s enough for today,” Meiko said as she helped him up. “Come back tomorrow morning, and we’ll do more.”

  I can’t even stay up on the beach, Nick thought. He spit out sand and brushed himself off. How can I do this on the water?

  CHAPTER 5

  NOT AGAIN

  The next morning, Nick made a decision. He wouldn’t embarrass himself and try windsurfing anymore. It was too hard, and he didn’t want to waste Meiko’s time.

  “Should we meet again for lunch?” Dad asked at breakfast. He was drinking a glass of orange juice and looking at a map on the table. “I should be done with my next dive by then.”

  “Sounds good,” Nick said as he pulled on a shirt.

  Eric came out of the bathroom, brushing his teeth. “Did you switch surfboards?” he asked. “I haven’t seen your new one yet.”

  “I’m picking it up this morning,” Nick said. That was sort of true. He gave Eric a dirty look. “They found a shorter one for me to use.”

  “That’s weird,” Eric said, pretending to be confused. “I thought only experienced surfers used shorter boards.”

  “Quiet, Eric,” Nick whispered.

  Dad mumbled something as Mom fiddled with the television remote, trying to find the weather channel. “Just be careful out there,” she said. “Don’t get eaten by a shark!”

  Everyone laughed. Nick laughed too, but he was already wishing the day was over.

  * * *

  “Just admit it. You quit,” Eric said as he and Nick headed to the beach. Eric’s surfboard was waxed and ready to go.

  Nick groaned. “I didn’t quit, okay?” he said. “I’m trying something else.”

  “Like what? Chess? You’d probably quit that, too,” Eric said. “You quit everything you start.”

  “Whatever,” Nick replied. He turned around and headed back toward the hotel, leaving his brother on the sidewalk.

  I don’t need to listen to him, he thought. But as he reached the entrance to the hotel, he felt guilty.

  Meiko was waiting for him. She was probably waiting alone near the surf shop, the windsurf rig set up, wondering if Nick would come back.

  He looked out at the beach. Everyone else was swimming, surfing, and having fun. You didn’t even try this time, Nick reminded himself. You fell once and decided to quit.

  Nick had quit lots of other things in the past. He’d joined the tennis team and quit. He’d tried out for a play and quit. He’d quit the science club after one day. He didn’t want his vacation to be another example. Not this time, he thought.

  He touched the bruises on his head from the surfboard. Then he turned and headed back out to the beach.

 

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