Page 64 of Below the Barrel

Griffin steps forward next, towering over us but wearing that same calm, confident expression I remember. “Good to see you, Malipop,” he says with a nod and smirk, his voice steady and reassuring. “Heard you and Koa had a rough time in Tahiti.”

My smile falters for just a second, the guilt about Koa’s injury creeping back in, but I force it away and nod. “Yeah, but we’re glad you’re here. We need the boost if we want to stay in first place.”

I glance at Griffin, the legend, the guy who came back from an injury that could’ve ended his career. Having him on the team feels like a second chance.

As we head to the car, Elian’s arm loops through mine, and I feel lighter, like maybe things will start looking up again with them here.

As we drive back to the house, the hum of the engine fills the silence between our conversations. Eliana is leaning against the window in the passenger's seat next to me, soaking in the views of Peniche’s coastline, while Griffin sits quietly in the back, his presence calm but commanding. I glance in the rearview mirror, catching his eye before turning my attention back to the road.

“So…about Koa’s injury,” I start, my voice softer than I intend. “He’s putting on a brave face, but he’s in a lot of pain. It’s really hard to watch.”

Griffin leans forward a little, his brows knitting together with concern. “What happened?”

I sigh, gripping the steering wheel a little tighter. “He went to the Southern peak at Teahupo’o to make up for the points I lost. He wiped out and landed right on the dry reef.” I pause, the image of Koa’s leg covered in cuts, his leg pouring out blood, flashes in my mind. “His leg’s a mess. They stitched him up, but he’s really been pushing through the pain.”

I can feel Griffin watching me closely, his gaze heavy. “And how are you holding up with all this?” he asks, his tone gentle but direct.

I hesitate, trying to keep my voice steady. “I feel like it’s my fault. If I hadn’t screwed up that wave…he wouldn’t have felt the need to take the risk.”

Griffin shakes his head, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “Mal, you can’t think like that. Koa’s always been the daredevil type when it comes to surfing. Even if you hadn’t made a mistake, he’d still push the limits because that’s who he is.”

I glance at him through the rearview mirror, my heat squeezing at his words. Griffin’s calm reassurance feels like a lifeline, but the guilt still clings to me like a shadow.

“We’re in first place,” I continue, trying to shift the focus. “But there’s only a one-point difference between us and second.We need a solid performance in this upcoming competition to hold our lead.”

Griffin leans back, crossing his arms. “Then that’s what we’ll focus on. Don’t carry the weight of something that’s out of your control, Maliah. Koa’s made a career out of taking risks—this won’t be the thing that brings him down.”

His words linger in the air, and I try to absorb them, but it’s hard. Seeing Koa hurt because of me, because of a mistake I made, makes it impossible not to carry the blame. But maybe Griffin’s right. Maybe Koa would’ve taken the risk regardless. That’s who he is after all.

Eliana looks over at me and nudges my arm with a smile. “You’ve got this. Both of you do.”

I offer a small smile in return, grateful for the support. As we pull up to the house, the weight in my chest feels a little lighter, and I take a deep breath, hoping that with Griffin and Eliana here, things will start to feel a little less overwhelming.

TWENTY-FIVE

KOA | PENICHE, PORTUGAL

It’sthe day after Griffin and Eliana arrived, to my surprise, and we’re out on a dolphin boat safari, cruising along the turquoise waters off the coast of Peniche. The sun’s beating down, but the breeze off the ocean cools things just enough to make it bearable.

I sit on the edge of the deck, my bandaged leg stretched out in front of me. The salt air burns a little as it brushes over my skin, reminding me of the countless cuts beneath the gauze. I glance down at my leg. It’s still a mess, no doubt red, raw, and swollen. The tour medics came to check on me at the house today and said it’s healing, but every step I take feels like someone’s dragging a serrated knife across my skin.

I grit my teeth, trying to ignore the pulsing pain. This isn’t how I wanted the tour to go. And if I’m honest, I feel like I let Mal down. First place means nothing if I can’t even get back in the water to keep us there.

I let out a slow breath, shifting my gaze away from my leg to the water, where she and Eliana are swimming with dolphins. They’re both laughing, splashing around as the dolphin’s dart around them. The single cameraman that joined us on this tour captures everything, of course—always. Maliah’s hair floatsaround her like a dark halo, her smile wide and carefree, and for a moment, all I can think about is her.

She moves effortlessly through the water, as if she’s meant to be there. I can see this is her element, and as I watch her, a twinge of regret stirs within me. I should be out there with her, not stuck on this boat feeling like a useless idiot.

Griffin’s next to me, lounging with a casual ease that only someone like him could pull off. His leg bounced back from injury like it was nothing, but I know he worked his ass off to get back to this point. Part of me wonders if I’ve got that same strength in me or if this is the beginning of the end.

“You alright, man?” Griffin asks, his voice low enough that only I can hear over the sound of the waves and the girls.

I nod, though it’s a lie. “Yeah, just watching Mal.” He follows my gaze, a small grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.

He lifts his sunglasses to the top of his head, making sure our eyes meet. “I’ve been wondering,” he says, his tone casual but with a hint of curiosity. “What exactly happened that night you called me and Colton and then abruptly hung up?”

I feel my face heat up, and I look away for a second, trying to play it cool. There’s no way in hell I’m about to tell him what happened between Maliah and me that night…or the next. My eyes drift to her again. She’s swimming with a dolphin that plants a kiss on her cheek, and she explodes in giggles, her laughter carrying over the water.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I mutter, my voice flat.

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