For Marlee, my favorite little surfer.

    In the bright blue water of Hawaii, there was a shark named Bug. Bug loved to swim, dance, and play with her best friend Gully.     However, what she loved to do most of all was surf. Whenever Bug got the chance to go up to the beach and surf, she would. Every morning before the sun rose, and every night after sunset. Bug would go to the surface with Gully and surf till she could not anymore. 

One night while surfing there were large gusts of wind throwing the waves and everything in sight all around. Bug tried her hardest to stay up on her board, but the weather was not on her side. Just before paddling back out to catch one more wave, a big flash of pink slammed right into Bug's eyes. Startled and confused, Bug ripped the big pink thing off her nose and read " 23rd Annual Maui Costume Surf Competition". Bug had always watched the surf competitions from a distance, and always dreamed of actually being in one but never thought it was possible.

23rd Annual Maui Costume Surf Competition!

 As quick and she could Bug tipped her board down and headed home as fast as she could, leaving Gully stranded above the water all by herself.

Racing through the water, Bug flew through the door full of excitement. Before her dad could even ask why she was so out of breath, she blurted out, "Can I do this surf competition next weekend?!"

"Well, hello to you too, Bug," Bug's father said. 

As this awkwardly fast conversation took place, Bug's brother, Fin, looked over in disapproval. He had never thought Bugs obsession with surfing was good, but he went with it just so he would not have to hear about it.

"Why would you wanna do that?" asked Fin.

 "Why not? This may be my only chance to do one," said Bug. 

After arguing back and forth for what seemed like forever, Bug's father agreed to let her enter into the competition. Bursting with excitement Bug swam laps around the house screaming with joy!

 For the next week everyday whenever Bug could, she would go past the break, and train with Gully to prepare for the competition. One day while on their way past the break, Bug ran into some fish from school. In a harsh tone the one fish said, "Hey Bug, what are you doing past the break?"

 "I am going to work on my paddling for the surf competition this weekend," she replied. The fish laughed at her response. 

"Sharks don't surf, everyone knows that," said June.

 Both Bug and Gully stood there in shock from what June had said. Not knowing how to respond, Bug stood there in silence as they all swam away. ,

Every time Bug practiced after that she could always hear June in the back of her head. Finally, after two long weeks of working, it was about time for the competition. Nervously awaiting when she had to leave, Bug paced around for over an hour. 

"Stop worrying so much Bug, you have nothing to worry about," said Gully.

 This did not help to calm Bug's nerves at all as she continued to pace up and down her house until it was time to leave.

Eventually it was time for Bug to head to the competition. Right before she left everyone wished her luck, making her feel a little better. Once she arrived at the competition, though, all the nerves came back. Looking at all the other talented surfers did not make her feel any better. Trying to calm her nerves, Bug went to practice some more before her surfing debut. 

While getting her final waves of the set she messed up her footing and fell off her board. Recovering from her fall she thought to herself, "Is surfing really for sharks?"

 Feeling even more nervous and anxious than before, Bug took her board to go get tagged. There was a long line, so she dropped it off and went to swim. While she was gone June and her friends slipped onto the shore and grabbed Bug's board. Dragging it into the water with them the fish rushed down to the bottom of the ocean in hopes to hide Bug's board. 

Board Drop

 However, while on the way to the surface for the competition, Bug's father passed by the fish. He noticed they were holding something much bigger than them. Making sure the fish were not in some sort of trouble, he followed them as they tried to discard Bug's board. As the little fish swam away Bug's father realized it was Bug's board that they had been carrying. The board that was supposed to be at the surf competition. The board that was supposed to be with Bug.