her. Fuck that. She doesn’t deserve my attention, and she sure as hell doesn’t get my sympathy. Not when my dad would have done anything for her. For us.
The wind blows through my hair as I pull up to the familiar beach. I slip my wetsuit on and grab my surfboard from the back. Hot sand burns the bottom of my feet as I run across it before diving straight into the water.
I push the nose of the board down to go through the wave rather than over it. As soon as the water cools my heated skin, I start to feel better, but it’s not enough. I paddle out and wait for the next swell, taking out my anger and frustrations the best way I know how—by commanding the water. When I’m out here, it’s like nothing else matters. No stress. No worries. Just me, my board, and the ocean.
Catching the next wave, I stand up on my board and cut through the water. My moves are a little rougher than normal, and if anyone else were here, they’d for sure be able to tell. Thankfully, I have these waves all to myself.
A WHISTLE SOUNDS FROM the shoreline, and I glance back to see Bryce and Jayden paddling toward me. I should’ve known my friends would find me here. Whenever I go off the grid, they know where to look. Hell, it’s probably the most predictable thing about me.
I run my hand through the water, exhausted from the last few hours. I don’t even know how long I’ve been out here, but if the sunset is anything to go by, it’s been a while.
“What’s up, fucker?” Bryce greets me.
“My mom told you to find me, didn’t she?”
Bryce, Jayden, and I have been friends since we were in diapers. When I was twelve, my parents moved us to Hawaii. It was hard being away from them, since they were closer than most of my family to me, but when we all turned sixteen, they came to live with us for a year.
The time the three of us spent there together was unforgettable. We wore our board shorts to school just so we didn’t waste any prime surfing time after school. After learning how to surf together as soon as we knew how to swim, it’s no surprise that we all took advantage of the perfect swells Hawaii had to offer.
Jayden sighs. “She’s worried about you.”
I roll my eyes. “That’s rich. She wasn’t too worried about me when she was out cheating on my dad, was she?”
Both of them wince, and I can tell she neglected to tell them why I’m so pissed off. I take a deep breath and look out at the horizon, loving the way the sun kisses the ocean as it dips below the surface. California surfing doesn’t hold a candle to the island, but the view isn’t so bad.
“So, they’re splitting up,” Bryce says, as if it’s no big deal. “My parents did. It’s not so bad once you get used to the change.”
“I don’t want to get used to it. You should have seen the look on my dad’s face. He was fucking devastated.”
“He didn’t know?” Jayden asks.
I shake my head. “I don’t think he found out until she told him that she’s leaving.”
“That’s rough.”
There are plenty of words I’d use to describe the current status of my home life, but rough pales in comparison. Crumbling. Chaos. A fucking train wreck even. But rough doesn’t do it justice.
“We should’ve never left Hawaii,” I grumble, meaning every word more than ever.
If it were up to me, I would’ve stayed there for the rest of my life. Between the atmosphere, the surfing, and the people—it was perfect. The best place to be all the time. But whoever makes the fucking decisions for my life had other plans. After spending four years living the island life, my dad’s job transferred him back to California.
I tried to look at the bright side. At least living back here, I don’t ever have to be away from Bryce and Jayden again, but I was living my best life when we were all there. Together. Happy. Carefree. I’d give anything to go back to that.
“Any idea who the shithead is?” Bryce questions.
I smile at his choice of words, knowing he’s on my side. They both are. Always.
“No idea. I’m sure I’ll find out eventually though.” I swipe my hand through the water, sending some flying. “Honestly, I’d like to punch him straight