The sun spilled gold over the horizon, the ocean stretching endlessly ahead. The rhythmic crash of waves set the tempo of the morning, salty air brushing against your skin. That’s when Crystal Reed handed you a surfboard with a mischievous grin.

“Don’t worry,” she said, tucking a strand of wet hair behind her ear. “If you fall, the ocean will catch you. And if it doesn’t… I will.”

You tried to hide your nerves, adjusting the board under your arm. “Easy for you to say. You look like you’ve been doing this your whole life.”

Crystal laughed, her voice carrying easily over the roar of the surf. “Maybe I have. But everyone starts with the same thing—fear. And then you learn to turn fear into thrill.”

She waded into the water first, the waves curling around her like they belonged to her. You followed, clumsy against the pull of the tide, until she steadied you with a hand on your arm. “Hey,” she said softly, eyes shining under the sunlight. “Breathe. The ocean isn’t your enemy. It’s your dance partner.”