LAST NIGHT

         “Damn! So what happened at that party last night, I was so wasted I couldn’t remember my own name, Dawg.” Jay rubbed at his bleary eyes, spun his cap back around to shade them from the early morning sun and replaced his dark aviator sunglasses. “So does anyone know what d’fuck happened to T-Dawg last night?”
         “I haven’t seen Teddy since last night, strange of him to miss training though.” Nèkkó yawned as she pulled her shirt neck over her shoulders and undid the tie at the back of her neck, letting the warm sun soak into her cool olive skin.
         “Dude, he was fucked up when I saw him last night,” Scotty said as he sat and fiddled with the cord on his board-shorts. Twisting the cord around his finger turning the end of it a deep blue before letting it return to pink.
         “When did you guys see him last?” David asked tracing the line of manicured stubble on the side of his face down to his chin. The Africa shaped gold ring on his little finger reflecting the light against the café wall.
Nèkkó, David, Scott and Jay were sitting around the table at Otto’s Café. They had just finished a two hour pool session and were eagerly awaiting their breakfast. It was a ritual for the A-Team, as they called themselves, to have breakfast at Otto’s before heading into the Surf Club to set up the morning patrol. The café was a buzz with the usual Saturday morning breakfast crowd. The warm autumn sunlight settling on their skin, the soft sound of the ocean’s waves breaking on the tepid sand, the smell of the last of the frangipani’s lingering in the air combined with the spicy sea breeze and mouth watering aroma of breakfast cooking on the grill.

         Pondering Jay’s question Nèkkó leaned back into her chair and folded her hands behind her head, remembering the night before. David and I were standing in the crowded back yard. The lights were bright and the music was blaring. I looked north along the dark beach looking back towards Surfers seeing the high-rises twinkling in the dark. I pulled my shawl tighter around my shoulders.
         “I can’t believe that T.H. is having a beach party in April its freaking freezing.” I complained. He smiled and wrapped his arm around me, holding me closer to his warm body. I scanned the scene, and spotted Kris across the yard behind the spa. To my surprise I saw Teddy sitting in the spa, he had his arms draped over the shoulders of two blonde chicks I had never seen before and a can of Rum and Coke in his hand. I could see his big baggy board-shorts floating to the surface in the bubbling water. I rolled my eyes. He held out his drink as a greeting. I smiled and held out my big plastic cup. He smiled and we both drank. I put the cup up to my lips and drank the last mouth full of Sprite. David looked down at me, and asked if I wanted another one. I smiled and said yes, so he took the cup and disappeared into house to the bar. I still had my eye on Teddy in the spa with those two chicks. Kris stood behind them, his long sandy blonde ringlets just touching his shoulders. His green eyes caught the light and held my gaze. I tucked a stray strand of long blonde hair behind my ear, and wet my lips as I smiled at him. Kris smiled back still holding my gaze. I started to walk across to him. As I walked past the spa I let out a squeal as something wet and cold wrapped around my ankle. I Jumped back and looking down saw Teddy’s free hand holding me.
         “Dude! You scared me to death!” Nèkkó shrieked.

         The waitresses came out, carrying two large bottles of water and glasses for the A-Team’s table. She smiled at David and batted her eyelids at him which amused Nèkkó. Nèkkó and David have been best friends for as long as they could remember; it always amused her how girls would fall over themselves in an effort to flirt with David. Something that she had never felt the need to do. David turned and watched the waitress walk away for a moment, before he poured a glass of water. He put the glass to his lips then pulled it away before he sip. The thought of the night before flashed back into his mind. He held the glass in his hand as he remembered what had happened.
         I came out from getting Nèkkó’s drink. I walked across the deck and ran into Flex, who was on his way to meet some new hot chicky. We talked for a bit before he turned to leave. As he left I stood and watched all the girls turn and watch his arse disappear out of view as I wondered who the next notch on his headboard would be.
         “One Sprite as ordered,” I said as I handed the cup to Nèkkó. “Hey Teddy. Dude! Nice catch, you care to share?” I joked with Teddy as I sat down on the edge of the hot tub next to a striking blonde I handed him another Black-Rat, cracking the top off one for myself. I glanced over at Nèkkó chatting up Kris. Would he make her happy, I wondered. Teddy was leaning back against the tub his eyes starting to close. Wow! He is really pissed I thought as I listened to him slurring his words and tripping over his sentences. We talked about Aussies; we couldn’t believe that Surfers Surf Club had won yet another Aussie Title. And which eighteen year old tourist Flex was trying to nail now. Scott walked passed carrying two black-rats that he had stolen from the esky. I re-stole them, handing one to Teddy, and then told Scott that he would rot his liver by the age of sixteen.
         For a fifteen year old Scott always looked so much older then he really was. He easily passed for seventeen and on a good day even eighteen. It also didn’t take a hell of a lot to get him laid either. While most fifteen year old guys are still dreaming about their first-fuck, Scott was well on his way to becoming a Manwhore.
         I looked down to the dark black waves; I could see a set starting to stand up. There was a cool south-easterly wind blowing, suppose to be a nice day tomorrow too. Good surf in the morning, six to eight feet, nice!. I couldn’t think of a better way to spend a Saturday. Shit! I’ve got a patrol in the morning. But now the night waters looked a little dangerous but tempting. The cool wind kicked up the sand. I love the beach at night it always looks so mysterious, the waves dark with only the hint of moonlight on the crest, the sudden sparkle of silver as they break and roll into shore.
I watched as Scott came back out again, clutching six black-rats to his chest, dodging through the crowd, making sure he didn’t loose this load. One of the blondes got out of the tub and pulled on Teddy’s arm, pulling him out and leading him away on to the beach. Nèkkó’s hand was on my shoulder telling me she was leaving. Teddy struggled to pull up his heavy wet shorts as he staggered on the sand. He broke away and stumbled back to the spa grabbing two of Scott’s Black-rats from the edge of the spa.
         “Dude! You stealing bastard,” Scott yelled.
         “Chill Scott I’ll get some more,” David said.

         The waitress came back with their orders putting them down on the table, knocking over a glass of water sending it flowing over Scott’s lap. The waitress quickly apologised and lent down to dab off the water with some napkins. Scott lent back and let her dry off his lap, a big smile on his face. Suddenly the waitress stood up straight, her face all flushed with embarrassment. She apologised again and disappeared back into the kitchen. Scott reclined in his chair with a big goofy grin still on his face. Nèkkó, David and Jay laughed. Jay lent across the table and gave Scott a high-five. The sound of their hands reverberating off the café walls.
         Scott smiled to himself as he remembered the mischievous face of Teddy’s blonde. I told David and Nèkkó that I would see them later. Teddy grabbed two Rumbos from where I had left them on the edge of the spa. David offered to get me some more.
         “Nah don’t worry about it,” I called back to David as I chased Teddy down onto the dark beach. Tackling him on the sand and rolling around, wrestling. Taking the Rumbos out of his hands I sat back and laughed, “Dude you’re so fucking drunk!” Teddy lay there looking up at me smiling. His eyes looked sleepy as they rolled back into his head and he passed out. I looked up to see a naughty grin on the face of a cute blonde chick. She looked me up and down then winked at me as she leaned over started to undo Teddy’s wet, sand-covered boardies.
         “He’s passed out chicky, why not play with a live one?” I said.
         She turned and looked at me. “From what I’ve heard your jail-bait” she said with a drunken giggle.
         I left the Rumbos in the sand behind Teddy’s head, I thought he was going to need them more then I would.
         I started to walk back up the beach I felt an icy gust of wind slice through me as I heard a huge wave crash hard on the back bank. Sweet, some sick surf in the morning I thought.
As I headed back to the party I could see two people walking towards me. A guy tying-up his boardies as he walked up the beach, it was Jay. With an extremely hot brunette. She brushed off the sand and fixed-up her bikini.
         “Dude! Where you been? And does she have a sister?” Scott asked.
         “Scotty what-up? Me and Simone just got kicked out of some toads’ yard.” Jay laughed.
         “Well dude, Teddy is passed out on the beach with some chick sucking his dick.”

         The waitress came back and cleared the plates from the table and took the orders for coffee. She stood behind Jay holding David’s gaze as she wrote in her note book. Jay kicked him in the shin under the table sending another glass of water tumbling over, spilling on the floor. They all laughed as Jay lent over to help the waitress mop up the mess. Then he leaned back in his seat. Cutlery clattering as Jay’s knee hit the underside of the table, as his leg jerked away from David’s swift kick in the shin. Sending Nèkkó, David and Scott into another fit of giggles. Scott almost choking on a mouthful of water. Nèkkó reached out to hold the other glasses, to stop them tipping over.
         “Damn! Dawg that stings yo!” Jay rubbed his shin, his heel resting on the edge of his chair, the red mark starting to show on his freshly waxed legs. The soft breeze wafting the sweet aroma of frangipanni, reminding him of Simone’s perfume from the night before, as they lay between the sand dunes in the moonlight. Jay smiled as he remembered the angry face of T.H.’s neighbour.
         We were in his yard behind the sand dunes, Simone was lying under me as we kissed and I played with the knot in the back of her bikini. Suddenly there was a bright light and an angry man standing over us. He threatened to call the Fuzz if we didn’t get off his property. Simone pulled her bikini back on and I stood up and told him to chill, and we would leave, no cops needed.
         Simone and I walked back to the party when I saw Scott walking towards us. The breeze was starting to blow harder and I could hear the dark waves starting to pound the back bank, rumbling as the reached the shore. Scott pointed down to the beach where he’d left Teddy with his gurl.
         “Damn Dawg, me thinks I’ll have to investigate”
         I held Simone’s hand as we walked down the beach, her long dark hair blowing in the breeze. Just as Scott had said there was Teddy lying flat on his back with the blonde on top of him. I heard Simone giggle “Oh my God” as we got closer. I turned and asked Simone if she wanted to watch, I felt her hand on my crotch as she said “I prefer to do.”
         I threw her over my shoulder and carried her into the sand dunes. She was so hot I’d let her do what ever she wanted to me. Up in the dunes where no one could see us she stripped off. Her body was so damn fine I couldn’t get my shorts off fast enough. I maybe a player but I don’t kiss and tell, yo!
         When me and Simone came down from the dunes Teddy was sitting up holding a can of Bundy and Coke. His little nymphet was nude down at the waters edge kicking up the white water.
         “Yo T-Dawg nice piece of ass, you have there. Looks like you have your hands full”
         “Just as long as I don’t have to get wet”

*****

         The waitress came out with the tray of hot drinks and left the bill on the table. As was their usual routine they placed their money on the little bill plate, making sure that there was enough left as a tip for their bad behaviour. Nèkkó played with the foam of her white hot chocolate. David rolled his eyes at her; some habits die hard he thought. He sipped at his short black savouring its woody bitterness on his tongue. Scott dunked his extra marshmallows into his hot chocolate, he may act all grown-up, but he’s still a kid at heart, Jay rested the hot cup on his knee, when he took a mouthful of his latte he burnt his tongue. David held his cup in his hands asked “So what happened to Teddy?” They all sat there thinking, Nèkkó held her cup in both hands holding it below her lips and smiled as she thought about Kris, Scott shrugged and dug a soggy marshmallow out of his cup eating it and sucking the spoon, Jay turned his cap backwards again more out of habit then necessity.
         “Dunno Dawg Dunno”

         Flex walked up to the A-Team and dropped the Bulletin onto the table with a heavy thud.
         “So have you guys heard what happened last night?” The look on Flex’s face was grim. He was usually the eternal child trapped in the body of a twenty-five year old, with a birth certificate that said he was thirty-two. He unfolded the newspaper; there was a collective gasp as they all read the headline Lifeguard Drowned. Flex cleared his throat and began to read the article.
         “This morning fishermen found the body of Edward Brown, or Teddy as he is known in the Life Saving community, washed ashore on Wavebreak Island. The facts surrounding his death are still unclear. It is unconfirmed that he had consumed a large quantity of alcohol before entering the water. His female companion, still unidentified, had been swept out to sea off Mermaid Beach in the early hours of the morning. Brown’s companion is still missing.”