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I push away the pang of hurt and pay for a postcard and stamp at the counter and scribble out a quick note and address it. I know the street and village, but not the postcode, so I hope it will make it. Maybe she needs me to make the first move after the way I upped and left.
Maybe it was all just a stupid romance, and she had already forgotten about me.
Either way, I send the postcard.
My hair is nearly white from the sun and salt, and my skin is tanned and more ripped than I thought possible. It’s been a little over six weeks, and now we’re leaving. We’ll arrive in California right at the changing of the season and hope that the swell is on our side.
According to Finnan, Mavericks is where we need to be. Most of the places he talks about I’ve never heard of, but I’m happy to follow his lead and the training plan he’s got in store. California isn’t Bali, though, and our time there will be limited. I thought we’d be bumming around catching waves, but he has a plan.
And as long as I get to surf, I’m good with it.
Maybe I’ll be able to put Zennor behind me there.
CHAPTER14
ZENNOR
Then
The summer season for Tregethworth arrives, and no matter how brightly the sun shines, how warm the sand feels between my toes, all I feel is blue. My heart feels blue—all cold and hard inside, like all it can do is pump cold blood around my body, and the sun can’t warm me no matter how hot it burns. And it’s all because of Jayce.
He took a piece of my heart with him; that’s what I had feared. But the way he left, it’s like he stole the sun from my life, casting me to the shadows and shade ever since.
But that doesn’t mean I’m going to just stop living. One foot in front of the other, head up, smile on. He was a holiday romance. The boy I fell for—the boy who stole my heart. Everyone has a story, right? And in a few years, I’ll look back at this as a badge of honour.
I’ll stop imagining a future of us together.
Stop remembering his arms around me.
Stop wishing for him to come back.
The memories haunted me and made me feel weak for wanting them back.
I wipe down the outside tables, clear the last remnants from the lunch crowd at Molly’s, and stack the trays before heading back inside. I’ve begged Molly to give me as many shifts as she can to keep me from going insane, and luckily, it’s been busy enough for her to oblige, although working all these hours is taking it out of me. I’d love to lie out on the sand and bake in the afternoon sun, even if I know it won’t warm up my shattered heart, and I’ll only dwell on Jayce.
Customers have thinned out, and just as I’m about to take my break, a group of girls from school walk in. Just my luck, Elise is with them.
“Where’s your boyfriend, Zennor?”
“He’s not here right now,” I answer, not wanting to give them the satisfaction of saying he’s left.
“Oh, what a shame. Well, we’ll just have four strawberry milkshakes to go, please.”
I start fixing their order but can’t help but overhear their conversation as they linger at the counter. None of it’s flattering, but what do I expect from a bunch of bitches.
“He’s just using her, you’ll see. Somebody like that could never be with her for long. I mean, why would he even bother in the first place?”
“Ahh-hum,” I interrupt their girly chuckle at my expense and place her order on the counter.
“It’s a shame you won’t have that boyfriend at college, Zennor.” Elise smiles at me before she leaves with her pack, giggling to themselves like they can say and do anything they like and get away with it.
“Ignore them, love. You’re too good for them,” Molly interrupts.
“I know. But it doesn’t help being reminded of the facts about Jayce.” He did leave.
“Have you heard from him?”
“I meant to get an email account and contact him. He left me his so I could contact him.” I chew on my bottom lip.
