Turn of the Tide | ONC 2023

[4] A Quick Spin

    "Take your pick," Flick said, giggling as panic lit up Sally's eyes. "Just kidding! Chill, our ride's over there by the middle dock."

    Sally's hands clammed up. Sea spray splashed over her shoes, and the occasional creaks of the old wooden walkway seemed more lamenting than usual. "What do you mean, 'our ride'?"

    A thin black rope wrapped itself around Flick's free hand, a small key dangling from it. "What do you think Auntie Pol and I argued about?" They came to a stop by the bright white yacht beside Sally's father's vessel, and Sally flinched from the glaring green paint around the tin boat's front. "I asked to borrow that Martin guy's yacht, and she said no and told me to get lost. Little did she know that I'd already nabbed the key before I said anything!"

    "Flick! We can't go joyriding in Mr Rowe's boat! He's the local councillor, we'll get in a heap of trouble!"

    "Only if he finds out, and I'm sure as heck keeping my mouth shut about this." Drifting to the side of the yacht, Flick locked her fingers with Sally's and fixed her eyes on her friend's face. "Just a quick spin, Sal. The guy never uses it! Nobody's going to know."

    Over Flick's shoulder, the sea rested in calm blue ripples, occasional pairs of waves playing between the rocks in the coves. Salt stung Sally's nostrils, yet the scent's familiarity made it comforting rather than off-putting. "They'd best not," she said, passing Flick's side to hop onto the yacht. "Do you even know how to handle a vessel like this?"

    Following behind, Flick beamed and laid her arm across Sally's shoulders. "Beats me, bud. I was banking on my favourite navigator knowing a thing or two." Sally rolled her eyes, and Flick pulled her into a warm, tight hug. "Don't be like that! Point me where you need me, and let's get this show on the road!"

    Sally resisted the urge to point back at dry land and refuse to cooperate with Flick's scheme. Martin's vessel was a simple pleasure cruiser designed to paddle around shallow bays and calm waters, so the odds of them going near anywhere risky and scratching the sides were almost zero. Plus, since her father and Ronan started fishing more often for longer, Sally could not remember the last time she sailed for fun. With Flick, she at least knew she would not be hauling in fish when they returned.

    Leaving the docks unnoticed was easier than Sally anticipated. No other hands worked on their vessels, and the surrounding streets lay quiet save for fresh laundry flapping from washing lines and the rustle of scattered oak leaves. As the yacht's motor kicked into life, Sally steered them through the bustle of the bay, looking back at her father's fishing boat with a sad smile.

    "Hey, hey! Way to go, sailor Sal!" Flick cried as she climbed the white metal steps to the helm, Miri's bag in her hands. Glancing up from their course, Sally saw the glee that sparkled in her friend's eyes, and she found herself smiling with her. "We'll be sailing our way around the world in no time!"

    Laughing, Sally rocked the vessel towards the stretch of coves just beyond the village's strip of coastline. "Let's stick to the village bay for now, alright?"

    The yacht rode over a hurtling wave, and Flick yelped as she lost her balance. Running on instinct, Sally leapt from the helm to seize Flick by her shoulders and guide her away from the stairs. They fell together on the railing, Sally's arms around Flick's neck, her gaze fixed on the girl's flashing hazel eyes. "Are you okay?" she asked, only realising as she spoke how close her face was to Flick's. Not a sliver of cool sea air passed between them, and Sally wondered if Flick had always filled the space around her with such sweet red berry notes, or whether that was a special touch for today.

    Her friend cracked a smile and patted the bag at her side. "Me and Miri are both still in one piece," Flick whispered, sliding her hands inside Sally's coat to rest on her waist. Her nails marked Sally's hips with slow, looping circles. "You're a natural at this seafaring gig."