Cut Back by Todd Strasser Read Free Book Online Page A

See ya.” Booger kicked into the wave.
    Kai waited outside. A guy who had brown dreadlocks last year could have bleached them blond, or gold, this year. Could have sold the old BMW and gotten a Jeep too. Shauna got back out and sat up on her board next to him.
    â€œDid you see?” she said. “It’s always the same. I catch the wave, but all I can ever do is ride it straight in.”
    â€œThere are some things you could do differently,” Kai said.
    â€œLike what?”
    â€œWell, first of all, you should be looking over your shoulder as you paddle, so you can position yourself for the wave. It would help a lot if, instead of lying flat on the board, you arched your back. That makes it easier to look behind you. And at your stage you don’t really want to catch the wave at the peak. You’re better off on the shoulder. And since these waves aren’t very big or fast, you could take off on an angle so that you’re already a little bit turned into the wave. And you’re not really popping up. You’re just getting to your knees and waiting, then standing up. That’s a bad habit. You’re better off learning to pop right up.”
    â€œIs that all?” Shauna pouted.
    â€œHey, you asked,” Kai said.
    â€œOkay,” she said. “Arch back, look behind, take off on the shoulder on an angle, pop right up. No knees. Piece of cake.”
    â€œGive it a shot,” Kai said.
    A small wave was coming. Shauna started paddling and looked over her shoulder to position herself. She angled the board, caught the wave, and promptly rolled over sideways.
    A moment later her head popped out of the suds. She grabbed her board and gave her head a shake, sending a spray in the air, climbed on and started to paddle back. Meanwhile Kai looked at the shore. That strange, twitchy guy from the other morning was back, standing at the water’s edge, looking out at them. Even from a hundred yards out in the water, Kai could see him hopping up and down, his head rolling and snapping, his hands fluttering as if he couldn’t control them.
    Shauna paddled out beside him.
    â€œYou ever see that guy before?” Kai asked her.
    â€œNo, but I’m pretty new around here,” she said. “What’s wrong with him?”
    â€œI don’t know,” Kai said. “He came up to me the other day on the beach acting really strange. It was like he was trying to talk, but all he could do was make these weird sounds.”
    â€œMaybe he’s, like, got something wrong with him,” Shauna said.
    â€œThat’s what I was thinking,” Kai said.“Makes you wonder if he should be alone on the beach.”
    They were both quiet for a moment. Then Shauna said, “So what did I do wrong that time?”
    â€œA little too much angle on your takeoff,” Kai said. “Try for a little less next time.”
    They waited for the next half decent wave to come in. Kai swung his head back and forth, looking for a wave, then looking at the strange guy on the beach. A wave came and this time Shauna caught the shoulder with a little less of an angle. It looked like she was about to pop up when she lost her balance and fell.
    Back in the soup again.
    But this time when her head popped up, she had a big grin. Kai waited while she got on her board and paddled back out.
    â€œI felt it!” she said excitedly. “I really did! Like for a second I was actually going sideways in the curl! It was so cool!”
    â€œWhat happened?”
    â€œI tried to get up and the water just ripped my hand off the rail and I fell.”
    â€œYou gotta keep your hands off the rail,” Kai said. “Try planting them flat on the deck whenyou pop up. Kind of like doing a push up.”
    By now Bean and Booger had come back out.
    â€œGuys, watch this!” Shauna said eagerly. Another wave was coming and she started to paddle into position.
    â€œHow’s it