Stand-In Bride

Ten: Will you still consider it fate?

When Gian and Carter arrived at the beach, Ian was already there, shirtless. Two boards beside him.

That part of the beach was not crowded, although apart from the waves, they can still hear fading music from a distance.

"Hey! Thought you'd never come." Ian said with a laugh

"We can't do that you." Carter answer laughing as well

"Gian, surely can."

Gian glared at Ian. "Call me Mina."

Ian just shrugged, "I have both the boards," he paused "Wait, I forgot something, oh shit! Michel will kill me. You can start, Carter. I'll be right back." He said, his face unreadable, almost like puking, before running away.

"Gian, huh?" Carter said pulling a board from the sand "Is that your real name or like a nickname?"

Gian found a spot to sit, "Why do you want to know?"

He shrugged, "Because I married you." He said "Even if I don't exactly have any idea who you really are, at least I know my spouse's name. Real name."

Gian didn't answer, feeling something warm in her chest— unknown feeling. Comforting. Shrugging the feeling off, she stood up and took off her dress.

Carter stood frozen on his feet. His eyes focused on Gian, stupefied.

"Beat me to the first wave and maybe I'll give you an answer." Gian said taking the other board and heard towards the ocean

Carter blinked doubting if she heard her right. The thoughts of her in her red bikini was pushed back in his mind.

"What do you mean—" he tried to ask but she was now in the water, started paddling away. "Do you know how to surf?" He wondered as if Gian could hear him and followed with his board

He started paddling towards her, but stopped when she looked back at him and smiled smugly. That's when Carter noticed a wave was coming her way, and she's catching it. Carter literally didn't move an inch and watched as she stood firmly on her board riding the wave smoothly. She was aggressive with her moves, as if she's having an argument with the ocean itself. Although her face has a little smile that couldn't be wipe, she seems to be lost alone with herself in her own playground. Enjoying herself. He gasped at every move he didn't expect she can do, purely amazed.

She looked natural. Professional.

Carter didn't know how long he was watching her, but he didn't mind at all until someone clapped behind him. It was Ian on another board. "I told you, I know someone who can do better."

Carter looked at him, confused. "You mean, her?"

"Absolutely." Ian nodded "I grew up not really thinking she's my sister since she's always out— in the ocean— that in the house— like me. When our parents died, I thought she'll start hanging out with me, but she's rarely home more that ever. She's always in the ocean, surfing. All day and all night. Until one day, out of anger I tried to go to her, tell her she suck as a sister." He chuckled "I didn't know, that day, she was competing on regional championship. I didn't know she was working hard to win. I didn't know that's her way of coping with loss. I was amazed at her that day, of how great she is. She won, of course. Qualified for nationals, but we moved to Australia from Hawaii, from then on I bugged her to teach me."

Carter fell silent. Embarrassed that he even offered to teach her the basics of surfing. Why didn't she tell him?

"She doesn't really like talking about herself." Ian said reading Carter's thoughts, "Most people around her doesn't know."