Stairways | A Surviving Summer FanFiction

Part 76 - Lunch

The whole team ends up heading into town for lunch - ten of you, sauntering along the road together, but divided at the same time. Ari, Marlon and Baxter lead at the front, Wren and Bodhi are together, Griff and Ahmed are chatting about something that happened at Anchor Cove, whilst you, Poppy and Summer hang back behind everyone. Although, you notice Griff keeps sparing glances at Poppy every now and then.

"So, where are we off to?" Wren calls back. "You guys know this place better than me."

"Might be nice to find a burger place." Baxter wonders aloud.

"Bax, are you for real?" Wren asks. "We've got training again in an hour. Let's just go to a cafe or something," she says. "Ari - you know anywhere?"

"Yeah, yeah," Ari jogs up to the front next to his girlfriend. Like a puppy being called to its owner. "There's a place down by the seafront-"

"It's so pathetic." you think to yourself, before realising you said it out loud. Poppy and Summer turn to you, an incredulous smile settling on Summer's face.

"Careful, Y/n. Don't want loverboy to hear you." she says, and Poppy laughs.

"I'm sorry, but Wren's really possessive, it's weird," you say. "And Ari just drops everything for her."

"Maybe it's called being a good boyfriend?" Poppy offers, but even she doesn't look convinced.

"Please don't tell me you believe that," Summer says loudly, then lowers her voice when she realises the others are still close in front. "Ari has totally changed since last year."

"Since Wren arrived." you add. Ari seemed perfectly fine for ages before the Radics came into town. He seemed...normal.

You eventually reach the promenade along the seafront. It's warm today, but the breeze coming off the sea makes you shiver slightly. When the paved walkway ends and becomes a hard concrete road, the group turns left into town. The café Ari was talking about is on the corner: you've been here before a few times with the others, and it's quiet today. There's even a couple of tables free which the boys push together.

Even when you're sitting down, you still feel the divides within the team. Wren is so close to Ari she's practically sat on his lap, and Griff has somehow pushed his way between you and Poppy, and Summer is on the other side of you.

There's silence for a while as the group checks the menu – you find yourself staring at it without reading anything. You'll probably just order a sandwich and a drink or something. You notice Baxter points out something to Wren on the menu, which you're guessing is a burger. Wren scowls and gives him a shove on his arm.

"So..." Ari tries to break the silence. "This is nice."

"Yes, it really feels like we're a team guys." Griff smiles sarcastically, and tries to put his arm around Poppy, who doesn't shake it off for some reason.

"Well, I'm thinking tonight: team bonding at mine?" Summer suggests. "I can finally put that house to use."

"And when you say 'team bonding', what does that mean exactly?" Bodhi asks with a slight smile, probably imagining Summer's version of team bonding to be a full-on party, which probably isn't a far-off interpretation.

"I don't know," she says. "We could have a barbecue? You guys like that sort of thing down here, right?"

"Sure," Baxter shrugs. "I could be down with a party tonight."

"Team Bonding," Summer corrects. "My mom will never agree to anything else," she leans round to Wren and Ari. "You guys in?"

Ari looks expectantly at Wren, and when she simply shrugs, he nods. "Sure, we'll be there."

Wren doesn't exactly look pleased, but she doesn't voice any objections.

"Is everyone here invited to this party?" Griff asks, a smirk sneaking onto his face.

"Uh, yeah, why?" Summer asks.

"Because not everyone here is actually on the team." he says, nodding to Marlon, who glares at Griff, but keeps his mouth shut, thank god. Elo said at training that if anyone throws a punch, they'll be off the team.

"Shut up, Griff." Ari says, and your brother stays quiet, although he has a look which suggests he wants to punch Griff in the face right about now.

"Are you saying that Bodhi's not invited either?" you ask, meaning it to be in defence of both of them, but Bodhi cocks her head at you in surprise.

"Woah, woah, woah, guys," Baxter pipes up, tossing his menu on the table and leaning back in his chair casually. "I'm starting to think you guys need to do some team bonding." he jokes, cracking a smile, but it's not returned by anyone.

"I'm going to go order." Marlon says unemotionally, standing up.

"I'll come with you." Poppy offers, already making to go with him and shaking off Griff's arm from around her shoulder. Griff doesn't look happy.

"So, what's the deal with Elo being the coach then?" Summer asks, propping her chin up with her fists as she leans forward, elbows resting on the table. "If she was winning all those titles for Queensland, why'd they let her leave?"

"We had to leave because of Baxter," Wren replies quickly. "Although, it's not really anyone's business." she smiles sweetly - fakely. And you know by 'someone' she really means a certain Summer Torres.

"Chill, sis," Baxter says, then turns to Summer. "We just had to leave cos I got dropped." he admits casually, although you can't pretend you don't know about Baxter's history at Queensland.

"Couldn't Elo have stayed as the coach though? Why'd you have to move states?" you ask.

Bax shrugs. "She thought we could all do with a fresh start."

"Elo likes a challenge." Wren adds, and you can't ignore her subtle euphemism that Victorian surfers are a 'challenge'. But then again, Victoria hasn't won a national title for years.

"But I kind of like it here," Baxter says. "It's a bit more exciting than Queensland."

"How?" you ask, and when you speak his eyes burn into yours. You can't look away.

"Well, why'd you move here?" he asks, responding to your question with another question - something you normally hate.

You're slightly taken aback. You shrug. "I didn't really have much choice where we went." you say, hoping that your explanation will be good enough. You don't really want to get into it now.

Baxter narrows his eyes at you, then shrugs, probably sensing your reluctance. "Well, I just think it's nicer down here. "Better people." he adds, with a nonchalant shrug.

After everyone has ordered food, it's arrived, and it's gone in about ten minutes. The training session this morning made you hungry, and in another half hour or so you'll be in the water, training again.

When everyone's finished, the group stands up, the atmosphere still cold from earlier. Your conversation with Baxter and Wren did nothing to diffuse the tension - maybe Summer's Team Bonding is just what you need, you think.