Bondi Rescue

Tryouts

At the start of a new season, old lifeguards and possible trainees all gather together for their physical tests. And despite the warm temperature surrounding the indoor pool, Jamie finds herself wrapping her arms around herself. It's not that she's cold, she merely feels out of place.

"Hey, kid," Turning to the voice, Jamie smiles at Hoppo and relaxes a little when he gives her shoulder a comforting squeeze. "You alright?"

"Yeah," She nods with a slightly forced smile. "Maybe just a little nervous." She admits.

"You'll do great," He tells her before waving someone across the room over. "I want you to meet Nicola. Nicola, this is Jamie, a possible new trainee."

"Nice to meet you Jamie," The tall blonde smiles at the younger girl who shakes her hand. "It'll be good to have you around, I'm rooting for you."

"Thanks," Jamie smiles as she feels a little more comfortable. "I'll definitely be trying my best."

"You surf?"

"Since before I could walk," Jamie nods, her muscles easing by the second.

"You compete?"

"A little," She shrugs modestly and Hoppo chuckles.

"A bit more than a little. And did her first open water swim marathon when she was only twelve," He adds while scanning the others in the room. "She'll do just fine."

"Yeah," Nicola agrees. "She'll fit right in." Patting her arm, the older woman turns to the pool lane beside the teenagers as they prepare for their eight hundred meter swim.

Finishing with two minutes to spare, the best time of the day, Jamie is much more confident and comfortable as they make their way down to the beach. The lifeguards who've worked the longest race first before the newer ones take their turn. Jamie falls in second on the board part of the race but wins the swim.

Jesse shakes his head once they're all on the said and approaches her. "No, no, I demand a rematch." He says and Jamie can't help the chuckle that escapes her.

"Drug test," Jethro puts in while Nicola makes her way over to the girl.

"Is that jealousy I sense in your tone?" She questions while putting her arm over Jamie's shoulders.

"Nobody likes a sore loser," Maxi laughs at the others but Jesse scoffs.

"She beat you too, mate," He reminds the other man who only shakes his head, smile still firmly in place. "She even beat your best time in the eight-hundred too."

"And I congratulate her," Maxi says as he offers Jamie a nod that she returns. Sixteen-year-old Maxi's pride might've been a little hurt at being beat. But now in his twenties and many years of lifeguarding under his belt, he knows being the best isn't what it's all about. "I do want to know though, Hoppo, where'd you find this one?"

"She just washed up on the beach one day," The man jokes and everyone shares a laugh. Jesse offers a truce by ruffling the girl's hair. In truth, Jamie's known Hoppo for as long as she can remember. He was friends with her father and even after his passing when she was only seven, Hoppo stuck around, helping her and her mother out whenever they needed it.

"You did great," Hoppe tells her at the end of the day before seeing her off. Now, she just has to wait to learn if she'll be joining the Bondi Beach lifeguards as their newest trainee. 

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I've got more if anyone wants to read