The beach was empty too. But the water wasn’t. It was dotted with surfers as far as I could see, riding sparkling waves in the morning sun.
I walked towards the surf hut and, as I got closer, my feet warmed by the sand in my sliders, I noticed how Antoine pulled down his sunglasses and looked at me. I swear I saw him raise his eyebrows too.
I stopped a few metres away and glanced into the surf hut where I could see a few others about the same age as Antoine.
‘You are late,’ Antoine said.
I pulled my phone out of my pocket. ‘It’s six twenty-eight. You said six thirty.’
‘For surfing, on time is late.’ Antoine picked up a black T-shirt that was drying in the sun on the back of a plastic chair and chucked it to me.
‘It is a rash vest. It might be a bit big. You can change behind the hut.’ He walked to the rack of surfboards and pulled one out as I walked behind the wooden building.
‘Is this yours?’ I called, after pulling the T-shirt down and realizing it was more like a dress.
‘It does not fit me any more,’ he called back.
I re-emerged wearing it and walked over beside him. ‘Which one can I have?’ I asked, tracing my fingers over a blue board with fiery waves up the side.
‘None. Not yet. Come.’ Antoine grabbed my arm gently and pulled me in the direction of the water. ‘We watch first.’
I dug my bare foot into the sand when we stopped. I hadn’t come here to window-shop. Antoine moved behind me, and instinctively I held my breath, as if breathing was something to be ashamed of.
‘Look at the ocean.’ He pointed over my shoulder at the glittering sea I was already looking at. ‘Alors. Les vagues.Sorry. The waves, they come indes séries. Sets. Come.’ Antoine moved around me, then took my wrist and led me even closer to the water. He let go before I could object, but not before a rush ofsomethingtingled right the way up my spine, forcing me to close my eyes momentarily as it culminated with a thousand sparks fizzing at the back of my neck.
‘OK, look at the horizon. You see?’ He was behind me again, pointing over my shoulder.
I nodded.
‘Watch for the sets.Normalementthere are about seven or ten waves, and thenune accalmie. A lull. And see?Thatis when you paddle out.’
We watched as the surfers paddled to deeper water.
‘And you see where the waves are not breaking? Look, there is a calm bit right there.’ Antoine’s face was right beside mine now, making sure I was looking the right way, so close that if I turned my face, my cheek would scrape against the dark stubble that lined his jaw.
‘I see it.’
‘Bon.That is yourbaïne. Rip current. It can be dangerous. Sometimes people panic and they try to swim against it, but you mustneverpanic. If you get caught, you must swim parallel to the shore. You know parallel?’ Antoine asked. He’d moved back and was looking straight at me as if I was an idiot.
‘Of course Iknowparallel. I’m not stupid.’
Antoine laughed. ‘I did not say you were stupid, but there are many clever people who have been caught in rip currents,Princesse.’ Then his demeanour seemed to change to something colder. ‘The ocean is dangerous. That is why safety is so important.’ He turned and walked back towards the hut.
I followed him and picked up the massive foam board that he’d left propped up against the wooden wall.
‘Wow, where are you going?’
‘Eh? The water?’ I motioned to the sea.
‘Not today,Princesse. First lesson is always on the sand.’
‘Are you serious? I did this yesterday with my sisters. Remember?’
‘I am very serious. Always. Yesterday was only a demonstration. If you want lessons with me, these are my rules. How long will you be here?’ he asked and I dumped the board back down on the sand.
‘Four weeks.’
‘Bon.A lot of time.’
