Sunset Cove. Rookie School

Prologue

For fourteen years of a person’s life they continuously to through a revolving door. In the fall, winter, and even some of the spring months they attend school. Summer comes around they get to enjoy a three month break then it starts its next round.

Now you are a senior listening to the speaker giving his final advice. Looking at a long stage that you are about to walk across shake hands with these people, that are lined up waiting to shake yours, accept a high school diploma, and that chapter of all of our lives will come to a close. Some will go off to college, others will marry (start a family of their own), but one thing is for sure our lives were about to take a new direction.

As Shawna looked around at her fellow classmates she couldn’t help but wonder (Will I ever see some of these faces again? Kids I have grown up with my whole life and looked forward to seeing every fall).

It took her only a moment to realize she was terrified and not too sure what was next for her. As she smiled and shook hands with the schools superintendent and accepted her diploma with pride. In the background she could hear her family clapping and shouting out her name.

“Way to go Shawna you did it!” her brother whistled.

She could feel her face beginning to flush as she made her decent, down the stairs, in high heels, and her whole body shaking with excitement. All she was thinking was, don’t let me fall and really embarrass myself.

please

Once she reached her seat she looked up at the sky and said a silent thank you.

She did it! She really did it! Goosebumps ran all down her body. Shawna had worked so hard but she still wasn’t sure which way her road was going to take her. She was really surprised when the swim coach crouched down by her chair whispering his “Congrats” and asking her to meet him by the pool as soon as graduation was over. He whispered, “I have an offer for you that I don’t think you’ll pass up. However it is time sensitive. I’ll need to give him an answer by tonight. He specifically asked for you. Shawna please don’t forget. This is something that rarely comes along. So when it does you need to reach out and grab it. I guarantee it will change your life.

“Okay I’ll see you there when it’s over I promise.” Shawna replied thinking to herself it sounded like something really big. That was just what she needed. She knew if the coach was coming to her personally it had to be something huge! She had watched him help so many others make an awesome life for themselves. They all come back to see him at least once a year. Coach Dennison is a wonderful, well respected, man that loves to see his students make something special out of their lives. He tries to help us in any way possible.

Finally the speeches were over and this part of her life was over. She switched the tassel on her graduation cap to the other side, and then joined in with her friends on the last tradition of their senior year. The caps went flying into the air. She still wasn’t sure if it was a happy day or a sad one. When she looked around everyone was hugging each other. Some were laughing and other’s crying. It was definitely a sight and a feeling she would never forget. Then she left to meet the coach.

Graduation was over Friday night. Saturday she was packing and saying good bye to friends and family. By Sunday she was on a plane and on the way to her dream job. A lifeguard on an island called Sunset Cove.

She stepped off the plane, took a deep breath, and let her new life wash over her.