Koda was a bit shaky with her nerves, she would be in the heat with Bodie. The two girls waiting for their turn to catch a wave.

"Here we go, by the end of today, four girls and four boys will be selected for the State team." The announcer said as Bodhi paddled towards the back to where she would be able to catch the waves. It was her and three other girls. The first girl went pulling off a perfect bottom turn.

Ari and Marlon stood towards the side of the wave pool, watching as they surfered. Marlon nudged Ari's ribs. "She's good." Ari commented. Marlon crossing his arms. "Ooh, yeah." The shorter boy agreed. "It's an unforgiving arena. Each competitor only gets two waves. Best score counts." The announcer said, the girl currently surfing, wiped out. "And just like that, a simple mistake will cost you big time."

"Come on Bodhi!" Marlon cheered her on as the next wave would be hers, Ari giving a small clap. Koda was watching from behind as Bodhi paddled forward to catch her wave. "Bit crazy having America back, hey?" Marlon asked with a smile, hitting Ari's arm slightly. "Yeah. Nice and distracting on the biggest day of the year." Ari laughed
"Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Just....shame you got with Wren." He chuckled as he pushed his friend a bit. "Oi!" Ari laughed as he turned and hit his friend back. "Dude. Me and Summer, that never would have worked."

Manu and Poppy walked up towards the two boys. "Ay. This team's gonna be all Shorehaven, baby. Let's go!" Manu cheered with a clap of his hands. "Hey, Poppy said you might be State team coach. Is that rumor or true-mour?" Ari asked the older man with a smile on his face. "Well, selectors are considering it. So, fingers crossed, baby. Fingers crossed." Manu said excitedly high fiving Ari.

"Oi. I hope you get it, bro. Then you can make Poppy captain again." Marlon told Manu with a smile on his face. Poppy pointed towards Marlon. "Ay! Sometimes nepotism is the smart choice." She said making them laugh. Griff and a few others approaching behind them. "I think we all know who's gonna be captain, Pops." Griff said with a smile, making Poppy turn around and look at him. "Keep dreaming, Griffy." She said making Griff smile even more. The sirens blared bringing their attention back to the current heat going on. "Alright, let's go! Let's go, Bodhi!" Manu cheered for the girl.

Bodhi paddled out in front of the wave before popping up to her feet. The girl pulling off practically perfect top turns that would surely wow the judges as the Shorehaven crew cheered her on from the side lines. "And that puts Mercer in second place overall, but still plenty of surfing to come."

Koda took a deep breath as she paddled forward to catch her wave, Koda moved to catch her final wave of this round and she knew she wasn't doing all  that well with how tired she felt. "Come on Kods!" Ari yelled from the side lines. Marlon standing by him, watching her every move to make sure she wouldn't get hurt. "You got this star!" The boy shouted, glancing towrads Poppy who was chewing on her thumb nail.

Koda knew her friends where watching her but she didn't know how intently Baxter watched the girl, he knew more about her then others though he did. He knew what she went through.

Yet Koda pulled off some amazing moves, almost completely a full 360 in the air. Koda was tired and wasn't as sharp as she usally was. She stumbled some, falling from the board.

Marlon stopped moving all together to see her come up, once she finally resurfaced with a cough he felt relief even in a controlled environment some falls can be devastating.

Baxter let out a breath when she came back above the water, he hoped so desperately that she would make Nationals, he knew what this meant to her. It would prove a point.

After the heat Koda walked back into the changing room with a distraught look on her face, she knew that she didn't do her best and that she wasn't going to be good enough for the State team. "Hey Kods." Summer greeted the girl, looking at her. "Hey, I'm sure you did great, don't bum yourself out." She placed her hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eyes. "You are amazing and if they don't take you they are idiots." 

A soft smile crossed Koda's face. 'Thanks Sum. I have to get back out there soon, it's almost time for the first heat for the guys. Gotta go support our boys." She said as she shrugged off her previous disappointment. "Yeah I'm sure you do." Summer laughed with a playful wink making Koda roll her eyes.

It was now for the first boys heat. "We've got a few new faces on the Victorian circuit this year. Hungry for a spot and ready to shake things up. Here goes Bax Radic is green. Show great power and creativity." The announcer praised as the boy got to his feet, pulling off incredible turns. Koda was already out by that time, giving a sharp whistle at Baxter's name being said. "Last year's State reps, like Tommy Ahmed, had better be on their A game."

Summer was following after the one selector, trying to reason with him.  "Come on, did you not watch the clips? I was surfing crappy breaks! Is that not worth a couple bonus points?" Summer asked the man who was doing his best to ignore her.  He finally replied to her. "We saw the clips, alright? Your standard's not good enough. I'm sorry."
"Not good enough? Come on, give me a chance. Let me show you how good I am." She begged him, her voice showing her disbelief. "Decision's made." He told her before turning away back to his job, completely dismissing her. Summer turned away in annoyance, kicking the sign before she continued walking away. She paused looking out at the water, a smirk forming on her face as she had a idea.

She walked towrads Koda, catching her arm. "I need your help with something." She said as she started walking. Koda just following after her. "Ok?" The girl said with a questioning laugh, amused by her friend.

Ari was in the boys locker room doing some breathing exercises, squeezing the stress balls in his hnads, eyes closed. Summer being the type of girl she was didn't care it was the boys locker room, walking in with full confidence. She pulled a rather flustered looking Koda behind her. But Koda relaxed seeing it was only Ari.

"Okay, real talk. I need your help." Summer said as she spotter Ari. The boy quickly turning to look at her before smiling some. Summer looked down at his hands. "Oh. Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt your ball squeezing." She said with a amused smile making Ari laugh and put them back into his bag. The wording made Koda bite her lip to keep a straight face. "No, it's just some exercise from the therapist."
"Cool, you're still seeing him? You look really good, by the way. I mean, you, um..you seem good." She told him, covering up her tracks. "I am." Ari replied before they both laughed some.

The two looked at each other for a bit. "You needed help with something." Ari said after a bit with a small laugh. "Right. Sorry." Summer said as she got her thoughts back on track. "Smooth." Koda whispered, earning a small elbow from the other girl.

"So, the dumb-dumb selector rejected my application. So I'm thinking, if you could distract the official for, like, ten seconds, I could sneak down to the take-off during a heat, jump in the pool, and, boom, take my shot." Summer said surely. Ari's smile faltering slightly as she spoke. "No." Ari said slowly. Summer's smile faded. "No?"

Just then Baxter walked in, his face sorta flustered from the sun and excursion of surfing. Ari turned to him with a wide smile on his face, glad to have some sort of distraction. "Mate, how'd you go?" He asked Baxter Radic, the pink haired surfer. "Yeah.." was all Baxter said as he walked past, ready to get out of his wetsuit. That's when Baxter glanced over and noticed Koda, a small smile filling his face.

Ari turned his gaze back towards Summer. "Listen,  just so we're clear, you're asking me to risk disqualification to get you in the water?" He asked, stepping closer and lowering his voice to a whisper. "I broke the rules for you. A year ago I got you on hat ferry and you made your final. Help a girl out." She stated out with disbelief in her voice but by the end she had a smile and was doing her best to use her charm to get Ari to agree.

Koda knew if she was Ari she would melt and do whatever Summer asked of her, but maybe that was because Koda's easy to get when it comes to her friends and loved ones.  "Summer, it's so cool that you're still surfing. Really it is. But this is the last year that we can go to Nationals. It's the big leagues and I'm an actual chance. I'm really glad you're back." Ari grabbed her upper arms before letting go and walking out.

Summer looked defeated as she glanced after him, Baxter looking over at the girls. "I'll help." He told her with the slightest smile crossing his face, his pure blue eyes drifting towrads Koda. Summer smiled at the offer from the boy, noticing how his eyes went to Koda as he spoke, she would definitely be asking questions later.

It was Marlon's turn on the waves. "Marlon Sousa on form here. His style well suited to this fast-moving wave." The crowd cheering as he did a flip. "You got this." Bodhi cheered him on. Poppy clapping. "Come on, Marz!" Poppy shouted. Marlon went to attempt another maneuver but wiped out. "Oh! But fails to complete! So close to a great score, that's gotta hurt." The announcer said with some pity in his voice. Griff was on the wave after Marlon, the boy doing rather great. "The judges are loving it!" The announcer said.

"Let's go Ari!" Manu shouted from the crowd as Ari paddled forward for the wave. "Second and final wave for these blokes now. Gibson only a 4.6 for his first. It's all on the line."
"Come on Ari, let's go!" Bodhi shouted towrads him after hearing the announcer with his score. "Come on, Ari! You got it, you got it!" Manu yelled. Ari caught the wave doing a top turn. "Keeps his cool, a tonne of grunt in that turn! Gibson puts himself in contention!" The announcer said as he finished his wave with the crowd cheering for him loudly. "Let's go, brother!" Manu said proudly.

Ari got changed and dressed, walking towards where Bodhi and Marlon where. "That was sick, Ari." Bodhi said with a smile, hugging the boy. "Thanks. You did so good, Bodes. You're in for sure."
"Don't say that. You'll jinx us." Bodhi said, pointing at him, lightly scolding him. "Hey. Brother." Marlon smiled at him.

"And we're on the home stretch. Final round of the girls under 18's" The announcer said  Manu looking towrads the water, walking back towrads the edge. "We're on! Let's go, let's go, let's go." Manu said excitedly. "Big match up here. Poppy Tetanui, one of our State reps from last year up against former Queenslander, and next big thing, Wren Radic."

Poppy caught the first wave between the two. She did a very solid top turn. "Poppy Tetanui ripping here. Very solid start!" Very friends and family cheering her along loudly and happily. Wren was next. "And Radic answers! This young import could be a huge asset to Team Victoria!"

Baxter and Koda were now working on being the distraction. "No, no, you don't want a mullet, that's a horrible idea. Cause when you see three year olds in prams with mullets, it's over. You know, it's, uh..it's uh, its." He trailed some as he glanced towrads where summer was ducking under the rope, flashing her a smile. "See here's the thing mate, ladies aren't that into the mullets. Some guys can pull off longer hair yeah but a mullet is difficult to pull off." Koda told the man as she stood by Bax, his arm loosely over her shoulders.

"Both girls in solid contention here, but, still, anything could happen." The announcer said. Ari was bouncing on his feet with a big smile on his face. "Let's go, Wren!" He cheered like a supportive boyfriend. Manu hitting him over the back of the head without looking over at him. Ari turned towrads him. "Sorry, Coach, I'm going for both of them." He told Manu.

Summer walked up to the edge of the wave pool with a pleased smile on her face. She jumped into the water. "Summer!' Wren shouted as she did so. "What are you doing?!" The blonde demanded. "Could that idiot please clear the pool? I repeat, could the pool invader get out of the comp zone?!" The announcer said. Ari looked out shocked. "No,no, no, no." He said with disbelief. Manu looked out, not expecting to see Summer. "Who invited her back?" Manu asked.

From where Baxter and Koda was they could hear the announcer, a small laugh leaving Koda's lips as she could only imagine everyone's faces. At the sound of her laugh, Baxter looked towrads her, a dorky smile on his face. "I'm going to give watch, come on." She hooked her fingers through Baxter's, pulling him along with her.

Baxter went along with Koda happily, she could drag him through hell for all he cares but if he got to hold her hand he would follow without a moment of hesitation. "Your friend's pretty cool, Cub." He told her as they got out into the open. Marlon seeing the two, already assuming that Koda had something to do with Summer managing to sneak through. "I know, she's pretty amazing.' Koda said with a smile on her face.

"Oh, my God. She just took my wave." Wren complained as Summer moved forward to catch this one. She did tight turns and even a top turn pretty flawlessly. "Whoo! Go Summer!" Koda cheered excitedly as she finally got to where the others were.. Bodhi hit Marlon's arm with a stunned smile. "What?" She asked in disbelief. Even Manu looked impressed and shocked. "Whoo! Yes, Summer!" Bodhi cheered. Once she finished the wave, Summer held her hands up in victory with a smile on her face.

While they were watching Baxter had his arms circled around Koda's waist, his thumbs through the belt loops of her jeans. "Little bear it's hot out, why are you wearing jeans and what was with that wetsuit?" He asked with a small smile. Her wetsuit covered her legs fully and normally she wore on that still had her legs showing.

"What you miss seeing my legs?" She joked, hearing him laugh right by her ear sent a shiver through her. "Well you know what, yeah I do. It's just...this isn't what you normally wear. So...is something wrong?" He knew that her step father Micheal could get physically if he was upset. "I'll show you later, promise." She said as she leaned into his hold. "You'll show me?" His hold on her tightened. "Don't be a perv Strawberry-shortcake. It's just the upper part of me leg, nothing you haven't seen before."

Baxter tsked slightly. "That's disappointing, well I'll see you tonight little bear, I have to go do something first," He said, pressing a kiss to the top of her head before letting her go and walking through the crowd.  Koda whining softly at the sudden lack of him being behind her, holding her.

The girls were walking out of the water, the crowd clapping for them acts they did so. Wren looking over at Summer unhappily. She couldn't believe Summer would drop in on her wave like that. Wren moved towards Ari, who was  walking  closer to the edge. "I'm so sorry about that." He apologized on Summer's behalf. "Why are you sorry? I mean, it's not like you were the one that bombed the pool in the middle of my heat." Wren said looking towards where Poppy and Summer where, Ari's eyes following.

"Well, at least you caught a wave." Poppy said as she walked with her friend. "Yeah, better than New York." Summer said with a grin bit Poppy didn't look all that impressed with her stunt. "Seriously, why would you do that?"
"Really, Poppy, what other option did I have? Come on, you know it was good." Summer said as the two started walking.

Koda ran over to the two girls, practically jumping in Summer's arms, the American girl catching her easily. "You did amazing!

"Anyway, don't worry, you ripped. You're fine. It's just...crazy how much better she is." Ari said as he glanced towards where Summer and Poppy walked away. Wren's smile faltering slightly at that. Wren glanced over as well before looking back at Ari who was still looking the other direction. "After a day of highs, lows and at least one really weird moment, the selectors are tallying the scores and putting their heads together. In a few short hours we'll know who's on the team and headed to the biggest junior comp of the year, the Nationals." The announcer said as families started filing out with nothing left to do but wait to see who made it.