Nathan, the life guard

At 24, Nathan had already seen everything life had to offer on the beaches of Los Angeles. He had been a lifeguard for five years, watching over swimmers, families, and surfers who flocked by the thousands to California’s sun-soaked shores. But what truly drove Nathan, what made his heart beat faster with each dawn, was surfing.

Since the age of ten, he had found in the waves an escape, a place where he could lose himself and find himself at the same time. Surfing wasn’t just a sport for him; it was a way of life, a philosophy. Every morning, before the sun even broke the horizon, Nathan was on his board, letting himself be carried by the still-slumbering waves.

That morning, the ocean was calm, almost as if it were holding its breath. Nathan found himself alone offshore, waiting for the perfect wave. He let the water rock him, his eyes closed, focusing on the sounds around him: the distant cry of seagulls, the gentle lapping of the waves, and the constant murmur of the ocean that seemed to speak to him.

As he floated there, Nathan couldn’t help but think of what people often told him: he had a gift. But for him, it wasn’t a gift; it was a passion, an unconditional love for that infinite stretch of water.

The sun had barely risen when Nathan returned to the beach. He stored his board, greeted a few surfers he knew well, and took his post as a lifeguard. He loved these early hours, when the beach was still deserted, just before tourists swarmed the sand.

By noon, the beach was full of life. Nathan watched the swimmers with a hawk’s eye, ready to intervene at any moment. But that day, his attention was captured by someone he had never seen before. A young woman settled not far from his post. Intrigued, Nathan couldn’t help but watch her.