Page 36 of Under the Waves
Making fun of me.
I would too if I saw me in the street—I was a laughingstock, a joke. I knew it was all I would ever amount to, my own mothertold me that enough. She’d curse me and that school I dreamed about getting into, muttering about thespoiled rich cuntsandhow my whore-self would fit right in with those bitches.I liked it better when she ignored me. It was easier to pretend she didn’t exist that way.
The little boy gave Jasper a detailed high five that consisted of about seven different movements and then took off like lightning speed out the back gate and down to the beach where all the other junior surfers were waiting.
I watched as Jasper stood, turning to me with a cold gaze.
He folded his arms over his chest and opened his mouth to shout at me again when Daniel came out, having probably heard us from the school. His heavily pregnant wife padded out the doors behind him, but unlike him, she stopped at the decking, leaning against the wooden railing, watching us all from afar.
“Ah, I’m glad to see you’ve already met!” he exclaimed, clapping his hands together. “Saves me from having to do those awkward 20 question introductions.” He let out a nervous exhale.
“Why is she here?” Jasper demanded, facing him.
He was ignoring me completely.Asshole.
“Me?” I defended, crossing my own arms over my chest. “What about him!”
They both turned to stare at me, and I wanted to crawl into a shell and hide. My fingers itched to scratch something.
“Well…” Daniel sighed. “Look, you two are the best surfers here and there is no one I would trust more than you two to lead these surf classes.”
I’d be lying if I said that didn’t make me feel a little bit better. I just wished he’d said I was better than Jasper—because I was.I looked up his current scores when I got back, and they wereseriouslydropping. There would be no way he’d make the Prosorbe crowned state champion with those kind of scores. Though, he could kiss the sponsors asses and I’m sure they’d throw their money at him anyway.
Jasper was doing better than me—Hell, I hadn’t even been on my board inyears. Ever since Oliver…I shook my head. I wouldn’t go there. Not now whilst they were here. I’d rather chop my limbs off and feed them to lemon sharks than to let them see me cry.Wow.I really needed to get back out there on the waves if I had any chance of surfing in the Pros, but it wasjust toohard.My dad would’ve slapped me unconscious if he saw me like this.
I was his greatest disappointment.
Holding my board on the sand and being in the ocean without it was fine, I had no problem doing that, butsurfing? Nope. Not happening. It was ironic, I knew, taking a job teaching kids to surf when I couldn’t even surf myself anymore. I thought maybe this would help but now it just felt like a huge mistake. I couldn’t work there if he was here—I already put up with the abuse at home, at school and even down the fucking street. This was supposed to be an escape from it all. A few hours where I could escape the judgment of others and justlive.
A shaky exhale left my lips as I focused my gaze back on them. Jasper’s fists were clenched as he gestured angrily between me and him. His face looked so punchable right now.
“—was here first. You know how much this means to me and how much effort I’ve put into this. You can’t do this to me.”
Each word felt like a knife to my stomach.
“It’s okay,” I muttered quietly. “I can go.”
Jasper’s shoulders relaxed as soon as I said the words, his brows loosening and gaze softening from its usual strain. Daniel, however, looked at me with a worried gaze, sadness shining his pupils.
“Poppy, you don’t have to. I promise,” Daniel winced.
“I don’t want to be here if he’s going to treat me like I’m a fucking serial killer going to mass murder a bunch of kids.”Shit.That sounded a bit harsh.
Daniel gaped at me, but the corner of Jasper’s mouth twitched. Now he waslaughingat me? I made Jasper Ridge laugh.God,I could rip his throat out right now if it meant that sound would stop—not because I hated it,God no, but that was preciselywhyit had to go. It made it so much harder to hate him when he looked at me and laughed likethat.
I shook my head, glaring at him, hoping if I did it hard enough it would make him combust into flames.
“I think he’s made it pretty clear I’m not welcome here.” I shrugged dismissively, and when his jaw clicked and his gaze turned pained, I mentally congratulated myself.There, Ridge. Taste what your own words feel like.
“No.”
Me and Daniel both looked at each other in confusion before our gazes slid over to where Jasper was standing.
“No?” Daniel prodded, brows scrunched.
“Noas innoyou don’t have to leave. We’re grownups, right Wellsy?”
I nodded in complete and utter shock because I knew no words would come out if I opened my mouth.