Your hands hit the rock beneath you as you wake up to the sound of the crashing waves below. You try to gain your bearings as you glance around, eventually remembering the disastrous night with Ari. You must have fallen asleep after he left. There's a mark where your hands connected with the rock when you woke with a start, and the wind has left you completely dishevelled, not helped by the streaks on your face left by absent tears from what you suppose was a couple of hours ago now.
I hope she finds this funny, you think as you remember the reason you're out here at all. Your mum better let you back into the house after this. Especially when she finds out that you've been outside nearly all night.
You stumble back into the trees behind Stairway, sauntering aimlessly down the path, debating whether it would just be easier to stay at Stairway and try and forget about everything: Ari, the team, Boardriders, Marlon and Anchor Cove. Things seem incredibly complicated recently.
As you finally reach the road, your steps become more purposeful. The road into town isn't a busy one, but you realise that you must look a sight to any of the passing cars, so you tuck your head down, hoping no one you know goes past. But obviously luck is not on your side today.
In a Anchor Cove van on the passenger's side, Griff poked his head out the window as the van slowed to a walking pace to match your steps. The driver must be an older guy from Anchor Cove, you think - he seems agitated that he's been made to stop; his fingers tap impatiently on the steering wheel as he's forced to listen to the childish nonsense that's about to fall from Griff's mouth. But Griff seems calmer and more dignified as he speaks.
"You need a ride, Y/n? Or a phone to call your folks?" he asks, kindly.
You increase your pace slightly as you reply. "No thanks." You're nearing town now. From there it's not far to the club or your house, where you can at least pick up a change of clothes.
"Seriously, Y/n. Where have you been? Have you been out all night?" he presses; annoyingly, his tone seems concerned, rather than patronising like you would expect.
His worried tone just makes you more and more irritated. This is the same guy who's team is everything Shorehaven Boardriders aren't, and the guy who you know will hold the fact that he saw you and Ari together in that board shop over you forever. (why would Marlon ever want to join them?)
"Listen, I meant to confess to you that...well, I kind of saw you outside Anchor Cove yesterday, and I just wanted to say...I understand you not wanting to join our club, I do. And, to be honest, I'm not sure if Marlon's going to get in either."
"Doesn't matter. If anyone finds out he tried to join - and tried to rope me into it - they'll probably kick us out of the club or something." you mutter, hoping the conversation will eand there, and he'll leave you alone.
"No way. They'd be stupid to do that."
"Manu already hates me." you reply. "I'm not even officially in the club at the moment."
"So you're not doing Boardriders?"
"That's what I'm on my way to ask."
Griff hesitates, then all of a sudden grabs the door from the inside and swings it open, tilting his head to indicate you should get inside. When you don't, he sighs. "C'mon, Y/n. We're mature enough to help each other out when we need it. We can't let this rivalry control our lives."
Begrudgingly, you realise he's right. Besides, if you refuse now it looks like you're doing exactly what he's saying - letting the rivalry control you, like a child. You climb in next to him, trying not to make eye contact.
There's still this weird tension hanging over you, despite Griff's dubious attempts at acting civil, which could just be an act to get in your head before Boardriders. God, this whole thing is making me crazy, you think.
He drops you off just outside the surf club; Poppy is taking out a beginner group, but you don't think she sees you, thank goodness. You try to imagine the chaos that would ensue if she told anyone you got a ride from the enemy.
You're about to step inside when a horrible thought emerges: what if Ari had already told Manu what you and Marlon were planning to do? Surfing Stairway is probably at the top of Manu's list of reckless behaviour, and yet here you are about to try and convince him to let you back in the team after being banned for being too irresponsible.
You're about to step inside when you stop short in the doorway, seeing Ari in front of you. He's talking to Manu, but he's just out of earshot, and all you can see is Ari trying to explain something to the coach, moving his arms around to try and convey his point further. It's hard to read Manu's expression, but he's standing there, listening with his arms crossed, occasionally nodding along but you can't tell if it's fake.
Maybe you're just paranoid, but you swear his lips say your name, and you walk further into the room, your footsteps disrupting the discussion. Both Manu and Ari's heads turn to you, and based on their sudden halting of the conversation it's clear what the topic was.
"Y/n. Good to see you." Manu says, putting down some papers he was holding and turning to face you. Ari scurries out the room without a second glance in your direction, and you don't bother following.
"Manu, I...wanted to talk to you." you say nervously, edging closer.
"Oh yeah? What about?" he replies nonchalantly.
"It's just...it's Boadriders in three days, and technically you need five surfers plus an under-40s surfer, so-"
"I've got Summer." he replies curtly.
"Yeah, but don't you want someone more...experienced?"
"Y/n, this shouldn't be a 'you need someone to help you win and I can help' situation. It should be you coming to me asking for your place on the team back. You're not doing me the favour."
"Yeah, yeah, I'm sorry." you reply. Wow, you've screwed this up already, Y/n, you think.
"Y/n, it's not long until Stairway's pumping again. The last thing I need is for you to be doing anything reckless. You know what happened last year."
"Manu, I don't know what Ari's told you but I would never, ever try and surf Stairway." you say adamantly, as truthfully as you can as Manu eyes you suspiciously. You suddenly realise that the outburst probably seemed incredibly out of the blue and suspicious, but you decide not to try and explain, or push it further.
He hesitates. "Good to know." he says, but his eyes narrow at your sudden response. "What I was going to say is that if I let you surf at Boardriders, I need to know that I can trust you, that you're one hundred percent committed to the team."
You nod quickly, avoiding eye contact. "I am."
"Okay. Then you're officially back on the team. For now."
"So I can surf at Boardriders?!" you exclaim, and Manu nods, a slight smile playing at his lips.
You feel elated as you leave the club - no one knows that you and Marlon are planning to surf Stairway, and you're back on the team, as long as you stay committed to it, which shouldn't be a problem...as long as Griff and Marlon don't tell anyone about the Anchor Cove situation.