Page 80 of Below the Barrel

Curious, I take the box from her, pulling off the ribbon and lifting the lid. Inside is a handmade bracelet, black beads with a couple of white ones spelling out M and K. I glance at her, confused for a second, until she holds out her wrist, showing me she’s wearing a matching bracelet, except hers is pink instead of black.

“M and K?” I ask, feeling my heart swell.

“Maliah and Koa,” she says softly, her voice filled with so much love. “Just, Maliah and Koa.”

A huge smile spreads across my face, and I know this is the best gift I’ve ever gotten in my life. I slide the bracelet onto my wrist, feeling the weight of it, not just physically but emotionally too. I pull her into my arms, pressing a kiss to her lips, and of course my younger cousins immediately start making gagging sounds.

“Ewww,” one of them says loudly, earning a smack in the back of the head by Kelani, which only makes Maliah laugh as she kisses me again, softer this time.

This is perfect. This moment, this night—it’s everything.

THIRTY-TWO

MALIAH | OAHU, HAWAII

The wavesat Pipeline are massive today, bigger than I’ve ever seen. Each one is a towering wall of water, crashing down with the power that makes the ground tremble beneath my feet. Even Koa, who usually looks calm and collected no matter what, has a hint of worry in his eyes. I glance over at him as he preps his board, watching him steady his breath. He gives me a small, encouraging smile.

He goes first, paddling out with smooth, powerful strokes. My heart is pounding as I watch him navigate the monster waves, catching a perfect one and riding it with the kind of grace and skill that only Koa has. He maneuvers through the barrel, coming out the other side as the crowd roars with excitement. He scores enough points to put us in pending first place, but it’s not over yet.

It's my turn now, and everything is on me. If I nail this, we’ll lock in first place. If I mess up…we could lose it all.

I take a deep breath, reminding myself that I’ve worked too hard for this, forus. I can’t let fear win. I think back to all the encouragement Koa has given me over the past few months, the way he pushed me to be better, to trust myself. Gabriel too, withhis tough love and no-nonsense attitude, always knowing just what to say to get me fired up.

And now…Koa’s family is here, on the beach, watching. Cheering me on. His mom, his dad, even his cousins. I can hear Kelani’s voice in my head, telling me how he surfed Pipeline, how he owned it, and Makoa’s words of advice on how to handle these massive waves. I think about how it felt when I first surfed here, the thrill, the fear, and how I overcame it.

I’m ready.

I grab my board and start paddling out, my muscles burning with each stroke, but I push through it. The ocean feels different today—angrier, more chaotic. But I focus on my breathing, staying calm, remembering everything I’ve learned.

As I sit out there, waiting for the right wave, I can feel the energy in the water. The power of the ocean, the roar of the crowd, the pressure of the competition—it’s all crashing into me at once. But then, I see it. The perfect wave. It’s massive, and it’s coming right for me.

That’s it.

I start paddling with everything I’ve got, my heart racing as I feel the pull of the wave behind me. And then I’m up. I’m on the wave, riding it, feeling the board under me feels like an extension of myself. I drop down the face of it, speeding through the water, the wind whipping through my hair.

The wave barrels, and I crouch low, tucking into it. The water curls over me, and for a second, everything goes silent. It’s just me and the wave, the world fading away, and I’m completely in the moment. I can hear Koa’s voice in my head, telling me I’ve got this, and I hold on tight as I shoot out of the barrel, the wave crashing behind me.

The roar of the crowd hits me like a wall, but all I can feel is the rush of adrenaline, the sheer joy of knowing I did it. I ride thewave all the way in, my heart pounding in my chest, and when I finally reach the shore, I’m grinning like crazy.

I turn back to Koa on the beach, and he’s standing there, arms raised in triumph, the biggest smile on his face.

I did it.

We did it.

We’re first.

The tensionin the air is thick, electric even, as we stand side by side, our hands locked together. My heart feels like it’s about to leap out of my chest, and I know Koa must feel the same. We’re both waiting, praying, for our names to be called. The crowd’s energy is buzzing all around us, but I can barely hear it over the pounding of my own heartbeat.

I glance at Koa, and he’s watching the stage, his jaw set in determination, though I can see that excitement in his eyes. Time seems to slow as the announcer builds the suspense, stretching out each second, making my nerves ricochet with every drawn-out pause.

Breathe, Maliah. Breathe.

“Our 2024 World Champions…Koa and Maliah!”

The sound of the crowd explodes, but it feels like the world narrows in on just us.

We did it.

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