Page 39 of Below the Barrel

Finally, she speaks, “I think it scares me.”

That wasn’t what I was expecting, but I stay calm, leaning in a little closer. “Why?”

She shifts in her seat, looking more nervous now. “Because we were supposed to be over. But now…it feels like we never really were.”

I move closer, my knee brushing against hers, just enough to let her know I’m right there, not backing down. “We weren’t,” I tell her softly. “You know that.”

She looks down, and for a second, I think she might shut me out again, but then I see her shoulders relax, just a little. I’m not letting her hide this time.

“We can’t just pick up where we left off,” she whispers.

“Who says we’re picking up?” I ask, my voice low. My hand finds her knee, my fingers brushing the soft skin there. “Maybe we’re starting something new.”

She looks at me then, really looks at me, and for the first time today, I can see the walls she’s been putting up starting to crack. I know I’m pushing her, but I have to. I can’t keep pretending like this tension between us isn’t driving me insane.

Her breath hitches as my fingers trail up her thigh, slow, deliberate. The air between us is thick now, like we’re standing on the edge of something we can’t back away from. My hand moves up to her face, cupping her cheek gently, and she leans into my touch.

“Tell me you don’t feel it, too,” I whisper, my thumb grazing her bottom lip. Her eyes flicker to mine and I see her pulse quicken in the hollow of her throat. She’s fighting it, just like she always does, but I know the truth.

She feels it.

She leans forward but stops just short of kissing me, her breath mingling with mine.

“I—” she starts, but the words get caught somewhere between her heart and her throat.

I lean in just a fraction closer, my lips barely brushing hers. “I can wait,” I murmur, my voice rough with restraint, “but don’t lie to me, Maliah. You feel it. Just like I do.”

Her resolve crumbles, and before I can think, she’s kissing me. It’s soft at first, hesitant, but when my hand slips around her waist and pulls her against me, she kisses me harder, deeper. I can feel the urgency in the way her fingers tangle in my hair, the way she presses herself into me like she’s been holding back for too long.

It’s like the world stops. Every thought, every doubt I’ve been carrying, fades away, replaced by the feel of her lips on mine. Months of pent-up tension finally finds release in this single moment. I’ve kissed her before, a thousand times, even back in Australia, but this feels different. This feels like the first time allover again, like she’s handing me a piece of herself that I thought I’d lost forever.

It's not just physical; it’s emotional, raw, and real in a way that hits me right in the chest.

I’m about to deepen the kiss, but just as fast as it started, she pulls back, her eyes wide, breathless.

“We can't,” she whispers, shaking her head. “I need to figure out my feelings first.”

The warmth that had flooded through me begins to fade and my heart drops a little, knowing that whatever this moment was, it’s not enough to fix everything—not yet.

“Alright,” I say softly, pulling back a little but keeping my hand on her waist, not ready to let her go just yet. “But this isn’t over. Not by a long shot.”

She nods, her breathing still a little shaky. “I know.”

The energyof competition day crackles around me like static in the air, fuelling the adrenaline that’s already pumping through my veins. The moment my feet hit the sand, everything sharpens—my focus, my breathing, my senses. The cameras, the crowd, the pressure—it all fades into the background. The only thing that matters now is the surf. Cloudbreak is roaring, the waves as massive and menacing as I expected, but that’s exactly what we wanted.

I glance at Maliah beside me. Going forward on the tour, we’ll all be going into the waters with our partners instead of splitting up the men and women’s heats. She’s adjusting her leash, her face a little tense, her brows furrowed in that way they do whenshe’s trying to psych herself up. I can tell she’s nervous, and hell, so am I, but I also know that once we’re out there, the fear will burn away, leaving only instinct and adrenaline.

The camera crews are already in place, capturing every second of us as we prepare. I shove them out of my mind, focusing only on the surf ahead. Cloudbreak looks insane today—walls of water just waiting to crush anyone who dares take them on. Perfect.

I run a hand through my damp hair, glancing at the horizon. The wave of the day is forming out there, rising slowly, a beast waiting to strike. My heart pounds in anticipation. This is what I live for.

I look over at Maliah. “Ready?”

She nods, her eyes fierce, the nerves replaced by something else now. Determination. She’s locking in, and I know she’s going to kill it.

We paddle out together, side by side, slicing through the water with long, powerful strokes. The current’s strong, but we’ve faced worse. The Point is where we’re going to make our mark today, I feel it in my bones.

A massive set starts to build in the distance. I spot the perfect wave, a monster, and glance at Maliah. We lock eyes and I give her a quick nod. This one’s hers.

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