- surfing feelings ⛅️ | ari gibson | a surviving summer fanfiction

part 15 - griff temple

My face dropped the model facade seeing Marlon run to the diving board. He made a cannonball into the water and surely splashing Nikki or the other girl. I took my foot and splashed water at his face when he bubbled up into the surface. He smiled at me before turning to Bodhi. "Hi, I'm Marlon Sousa. Huge fan." Bodhi had the worst look of shock on her face. If I were her, I'd break up with him on the spot. But I wasn't her, so I hoped she didn't break up with him.

"What are you doing? Leave." Bodhi hissed. She glanced between Molly and Marlon and edged her head to give him the cue to swim away. He finally took it and left.

Molly looked ready to pull Marlon up from the water like a mom cat with her kitten by the neck. It was so embarrassing. Summer didn't do much, but added with Marlon being an idiot and totally cutting into the shoot was the worst. The photographer took a few more shots before wrapping up. I looked at myself in the mirror and scrunched the remaining water out of my hair that the hairdresser put in meticulously for a wet look. Ari came into the view of the mirror behind me. He was smiling. "What?" I said, turning.

"Nothing. Marlon kind of screwed things up, though."

"That's a nice way to put it." I walked to where Marlon, Bodhi, and Summer were on the boardwalk leading to the parking lot. Ari followed behind. Molly told us that the crew van would take them home. I saw Bodhi running up to Molly. I followed her while the other model and Nikki were waiting up ahead for Molly.

"I'm so sorry about my boyfriend, Molly. It won't happen again." Bodhi said. She looked at me for backup.

"It was a freak accident." I added.

"Well, it won't happen again, that's for sure." Molly replied and looked at me. "We're going to an after party with the models that we're at the other shoot across the bay. It's that taco truck near where the trials were. Are you coming?"

I realized that Molly was only looking at me and not both of us. Bodhi and I. Was she mad at Bodhi for bringing along Summer and Marlon? Molly failed to realize they were also my friends, too. I turned to Bodhi to see what she thought about the offer. All she did was shrug.

Her shrug made me take it as she didn't care. Or was too mad at Summer and Marlon to care. I accepted Molly's offer and went with her, Nikki, and the other model, who's name turned out to be Liv. Liv was pretty and tall with blonde hair. Nikki and her could look related if I didn't know any better. I talked to her when I found out she used to live in Melbourne an hour away from Shorehaven. Apparently she just moved to Shorehaven and joined the Anchor Cove Club. Even if Liv were part of Anchor Cove, I didn't feel any contempt for her despite the other AC members being total jerks.

Molly put her arms around us as we walked to the second crew van. I turned and waved goodbye to the rest of them. The ride was spacious and smooth for twenty minutes and we reached the Australia Supreme taco truck. I wished Poppy could have joined us, but she was busy with Manu looking over her video from the heat earlier today. He really wanted Poppy to be in tip-top shape for tomorrow. This was important to make the state team. I still haven't made up my mind if I wanted to take surfing up seriously and join the state team. I'd only have a few months to figure it out.

I got out of the car. I was able to change quickly before leaving the shoot into my original clothes. It was just a black crop tank, denim shorts, and baggy cardigan. A whistle came behind me and I spun around when putting my cardigan back on to see someone from Anchor Cove. He was talking to Liv before his eyes came to me. I scoffed because it was Griff Temple. I had a grudge with him.

It was middle school. He was 14, I was 13 and we were in the same surfing summer camp that was in upper Victoria (A/N: Australian state where Shorehaven is based in). It was an overnight camp for a month and he pestered me every day and night. In the middle of a lesson, there was a current that the instructor told us not to go far out to. Griff dared me to go to the current with him or else I was a coward. When we both reached the current, he pushed me off the board which sucked me down into the water near the reef. I barely made it out of there thanks to the board tied on my foot to hold onto despite getting a gash on my leg. It's still there today but smaller. You couldn't even notice it. But never got punished since he said he was saving me and the instructor favorited Anchor Cove members. They funded the summer camp. It was when I started hating the Anchor Cove Club.

"Oh, it's you. What's your name again? All I can remember is you're small fry from that cheap surfing club." He smirked and I had to restrain myself from punching him clean into his stupid jaw.

"If I'm so cheap, then what barber are you going to? Looks like a kid cut it." I spat and shoved his shoulder walking past. What was he even doing here? Not going to get between me and a good time, that's for sure. I looked behind me quickly and he was still smiling and staring at my back. Weirdo. He still looked stupid as ever with that haircut.

━━༺❀༻━━

When we got to the table, there were a guy there and two girls. I recognized Lily Tran who I beat at Jackson Bay. And Sheridan. She was the one who ran over Summer's skateboard. I'm so glad Summer broke her surfboard in return. They aren't cheap, that's for sure. When I heard someone slide into the empty seat next to me, it was Griff Temple. Just great.

I gave him a bitter smile which he responded with one sweet as candy. Gross. Of course he's used to being two-faced. It was in his blood. The guy who was part of the other group at the table introduced himself as Noah. I didn't get a good look at his face, but when he smiled, he had the best row of teeth I've ever seen. Also a really, really cute smile. I sensed Griff smirking at me. I guess I stared too much at Noah. "What?"

"Nothing. You just look better not in a wetsuit. I saw the pictures from today. Didn't expect some Shorehaven princess to make it on the big pages." He moved his hand and it touched my elbow. I wanted to gag. Was he flirting with me?

"Why are you calling me Shorehaven princess?"

"You're representing to the big leagues now. The face of Shorehaven Boardriders." I ignored him and turned to the two tacos I ordered with veggies. Eating beans and meat before my heat the next day isn't a good idea. I don't need gas bubbles in the middle of the ocean tomorrow. Besides, Griff was trying to mess with my head and call me some big shot to screw with me. After that summer camp incident, I knew his psych-out tricks by now.

By the time the afterparty ended, it wasn't even sunset yet. There was still time to make it for the last few heats at the trials for the day.

I was about to walk to the van where Molly would drop me off back at the bay. I was stopped at the restroom by Griff. "Hey."

"What?" I was confused. He kept playing with his necklace.

"I just wanted to say sorry. For everything. Y'know. That happened in middle school and just the whole Anchor Cove business."

"Why are you telling me this?" I crossed my arms and flinched my head back. Of course I'd ask that. It's out of the blue. Every competition there was always some altercation between our clubs. There's no reason to be saying this now especially before Subtropix 360. It was the biggest event of the year.

"I dunno. I saw you today and you looked... cute."

"That's stupid. And cringey. Don't ever say that. Especially after throwing me into a current." I said.

"Ok, I won't. Us Anchor Cove folks are going to a bonfire later tonight up in Stairway. If you feel you're up for it, you should come." He winked and wrote a text to my number and my phone pinged.

Shorehaven princess? What a jerk.