A Lifeguard's Loyalty (Bondi Rescue)
Third Person POV
Once a member of the notorious Bra Boys, Jesse had finally decided to turn his back on the gang and start a new life. Little did he know that leaving the Bra Boys would come at a high cost.
It was a sunny afternoon at Bondi Beach, with the waves crashing against the shore and the moon turning the sand silver. It was five in the morning, and Jesse was opening. Jesse, now a full-time lifeguard, was about to start his shift at the lifeguard tower. As he approached the tower door, he sensed an eerie presence behind him.
Before he could react, three angry Bra Boys surrounded him, their faces contorted with rage. One was Koby Abberton's brother, Jai. Another was a kid named Andrew, and the other a 23 year old kid named Jordan. Jesse's heart raced as he realized the consequences of his decision. The gang members unleashed their fury upon him, leaving him beaten and bloodied right in front of the lifeguard tower door. They didn't stop until his blood was pooling over the cement, his eyesight fading, and his breath rattling in his chest, and they fled, not looking back and laughing, "That's what blood traitors get!"
As Jesse lay on the ground, struggling to regain his composure, it was Singlets, his fellow lifeguard and friend, who discovered him. Singlets gasped in shock, his worry for Jesse evident in his eyes. Without hesitation, he scooped Jesse up and rushed him to the nearest emergency room. "Shit, shit, shit," He kept repeating, scrambling for the phone as he took a sharp turn, hearing Jesse whine. "Hello?" Hoppo asked. "Emergency, Jesse's out, someone attacked him. I'm taking him to the ER." "What? Shit, I'll gave Reidy and Mouse open, then, and meet you there." Hoppo hung up.
Time Skip...
Singlets' heart pounded with fear as he watched the medical team attend to Jesse's injuries. He couldn't bear to see his young team member in such a state. Thoughts of revenge against the Bra Boys (because really, who else would it be? Everyone loved Jesse) filled his mind, but he knew that Jesse's well-being was the priority.
Hours passed, and the medical team worked tirelessly to mend Jesse's wounds. Singlets never left his side (when allowed to stay, anyway), providing comfort and support throughout the ordeal. As the night wore on, Jesse slowly regained consciousness, his battered body a testament to the price he had paid for leaving the Bra Boys.
The first time he woke up, it was only six=thirty and still dark outside. Hoppo was at his bedside, reading a thick book, and Jesse felt safe enough to drift off. When he woke up again, it was around noon, he guessed, and Harrison and Maxi were sitting in chairs, facing each other with a tiny table between them, playing cards. "Shit." Harrison sighed, making Maxi giggle.
The third and final time Jesse woke up, he saw Mouse in the hall, talking to the doctor, and Jethro and Joel on the small couch, fast asleep. Or, he thought they were, until Joel glanced up, dark eyes shining in the minimal light, and smiled, gently easing from under Jethro's legs and sitting beside Jesse. "Hey, how you feel?" He asked, and Jesse didn't reply, just grabbed his hand, eyes fluttering shut. He heard Joel whisper, "Okay, I'll stay right here."
In that moment, Jesse realized the true value of loyalty and friendship. Singlets' unwavering dedication had saved him from a fate worse than he could have imagined. Maxi and Harrison had come to visit, knowing Jesse didn't really like hospitals. Hoppo cared, Mouse cared. The team cared.
Plus, Joel let Jesse hold his hand. That was an upside for sure.
From that day forward, Jesse vowed to leave his past behind and embrace the new family he had found among the lifeguards of Bondi Beach.
