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I sprinted after Heidi, hoping with everything I had that she would stop. Because the direction she was running?
Yeah. It was right toward Diego’s house.
Fifty-Six
Diego
I carrieda surfboard to the beach for my lesson with Sadie, even though flashes of my lesson with April kept running through my mind. I tried to focus on today, because this lesson would be different with my arm still in a cast. At least I only had a couple more weeks before it came off.
Mom had helped me wrap it in plastic so no water could get in. Back when I first got injured, I told her I’d fallen down the stairs after homecoming when April broke up with me, but I doubted she believed me. She was way too good at seeing through me, but at least she didn’t ask any questions.
My elbows rested on my knees, and I looked at my cast under the plastic wrap. Half our senior class had signed it. Kenzie had written her name the biggest, of course. But there was a name missing.
I wondered if I’d ever stop missing her, even if I’d accepted we wouldn’t have a relationship.
If missing her would get easier when I didn’t have to see her in first period every day.
Maybe the pain would be like the shoreline—always there but shifting every day. Sometimes big and wide and others covered by the waters of my life.
I looked up from my cast, trying to forget that her name wasn’t there, and took a deep breath of the salty air. By the time I was surfing again, it would be winter. The water would be really cold, even with a wet suit.
But I already knew I’d get back out there. Because that’s what I did.
When faced with a challenge, I rose up.
I heard panting and turned just quickly enough to see a golden ball of fur bounding up to me.
“Stop!” I said, hoping to protect my arm.
Heidi skidded to a halt, spraying sand and slobber all over me.
“Great,” I said, wiping sand off my arms and trying to stay annoyed. I couldn’t with her panting so happily at me. “What are you doing here?” I asked as I scratched her, and I looked up just in time to see April and Sadie jogging my way.
Seeing April in her loose sweater and leggings sent pain slicing through my chest. Strands of her dark hair had escaped from her ponytail and were wrapping around her face in the wind. Her hips swayed as she walked through the sand. And her eyes landed on me. But only for a moment.
I pushed myself up, taking hold of Heidi’s leash, and walked toward the two.
Sadie mumbled something about forgetting something in her car, and I swear I saw her smile before she turned away.
Sadie didn’t want to learn how to surf.
She was giving me a moment. A chance.
And I was going to make the most of it.
April reached for the leash. “Sorry, she saw a seagull.”
Our hands brushed as she took the leash, sending a jolt to my heart. My body knew I couldn’t let this girl go.
I wracked my mind for something, any hint of something that could convince her to give us another chance. “April...”
She looked up at me, her eyes as tumultuous as the ocean.
I steeled my chest, my heart. Because every wave had a calm spot—if you just dove deep enough.
“What are we doing?” I asked finally.
She looked from Heidi to me. “I’m sorry, I just walked too far this way. It won’t happen again.” She turned to walk away, but I reached for her hand.
