them into a box. There's definitely a neater way to do this, but I don't want to be doing it in the first place. Why'd she have to go and ruin everything? Why couldn't she just talk to my dad and tell him what was making her so unhappy? They could have worked it out. No one can tell me that my dad wouldn't have done what it takes. He's spent the last twenty years putting her and our family first. He would have done anything.
This past week was probably the most awkward time of my life. My mom hasn't spent too much of her free time at home, claiming she's getting the rooms for Molly and me ready at the new house. Honestly, I think she just can't bring herself to be around my dad. Not when she knows that she's to blame for this. Our perfect family is in shambles, and it’s all because of her.
Taking my surfing trophies down from the shelf, I wrap each of them up tightly and lay them inside a box. I write FRAGILE all over it, because if these get ruined, I very well might hurt someone. Surfing is the best thing in my life. My outlet. My favorite hobby. My lifeline. It's the one thing I can always count on, no matter what.
Fighting at home? Surf.
Life in shambles? Surf.
World burning down around me? Surf.
I'm just placing the last trophy inside the box when my bedroom door bursts open and Bryce throws himself onto my bed. He groans in pain, pulling a block of wax from under his back. I roll my eyes and snatch it away from him.
“That's what you get for not looking first.”
He frowns. “Well, who would have thought you'd have a random block of wax in your bed?”
I say nothing, instead just looking at him until he chuckles. Anyone who knows me would expect exactly that.
“Okay, touché.”
Jayden comes in next with a whole damn sandwich and a can of soda. My brows furrow as he takes a massive bite.
“What?” he asks with his mouth full. “Your mom made it for me.”
To be honest, I didn't even know she was here. Then again, I shouldn't be surprised. My dad is at work, meaning there’s no reason for her to be avoiding this place. I'm sure she'll leave before he gets home, because God forbid she actually faces the person she broke.
“Anyway—” I shake myself from my thoughts. “What are you guys doing here?”
Bryce gets up, as if he remembers the purpose for them being here. “Oh, right. We're taking you out.”
My brows raise, and I look around the room. “Uh, do you not see that I'm packing? We're moving into Casa de Satan tomorrow.”
“You've been packing all week,” Jayden retorts.
“I have a lot of stuff.”
It's not exactly a lie, but I haven't been up for company lately. I've spent most of my time going to a different beach to surf so I could be alone. It's not that I don't love my friends. They're practically my brothers. It's just—sometimes I don't want to talk or fake a smile. Pretending I'm all right gets exhausting, and I haven't had the energy to do it lately.
“Well, we don't care,” Bryce tells me. “You're coming, even if we need to drag your ass out by your hair.”
They've both got looks on their faces that dare me to go against them. I consider it for a second, but then realize the last time Bryce was this determined, he threw me in a pool—fully clothed, with my cellphone in my pocket. If I try to tell them no, they really will drag me out of here, and there's two of them. I run my fingers through my hair and sigh.
“Fine. What'd you have in mind?”
The two of them smirk, and I immediately wonder what I've gotten myself into.
THE LARGE BONFIRE SITS in the middle of the large crowd. It's easily over seven feet tall, and there has to be more than fifty people here. Everyone is drinking beer and having a good time. My friends were right—this is exactly what I needed. Then again, it also reminds me that I'm being forced to leave all this soon. It may only be a twenty-minute drive to North Haven, but the people there suck compared to the people here.
I grab my board and head for the water, seeing the perfect swells starting to roll in. It may not be the smartest thing to do—go surfing at