Page 6 of Below the Barrel

“Well, you better learn because it’s only going to get worse from here.”

He’s always been the blunt, tell it how it is, type of guy and I respect him for it. Maliah rolls her eyes before glancing at me.

“You’re awfully quiet.”

“Is that satire?” I smirk as I look down at her.

“Quieter than normal,” she corrects.

I hold her gaze as my smirk fades away. I wish I could tell her how seeing her put into situations where she has no choice but to speak to people who make her uncomfortable makes me angry. It’s one of the reasons I fought so hard last season to make sure I’d be here with her.

But I don’t tell her that. I don’t, because I know it’ll just push her further away from me. We broke up because I’m not good enough for her. I can’t drag her back in, she deserves someone better. Someone who makes her happier than I ever could. Someone who can take care of her better than I ever would.

Maliah deserves the best, but that isn’t me.

I tear my gaze from her eyes and watch as the other surfers, who are leaving their introduction filming, begin introducing themselves to one another.

“I think we should go say hi,” I say.

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“I don’t believe you asked a question, Maliah.”

I begin walking towards the slowly growing group of surfers, leaving her standing in the sand behind me. The last thing I want to do is leave her side, but I don’t want to lie to her either, the worst thing I could do for us both is telling her how much I still love her.

“Well, look-y here. If it isn’t the famous Koa Foster,” a blond guy around my age says. “My name is Charles.”

He holds his hand out for me to shake and I begrudgingly do, forcing a smile to rival his own.

“Nice to meet you, Charles. Is that a French accent you’ve got?”

“Oui,” he replies, his lips curling into a smirk.

“Koa, I saw your qualifying surf, and man, I was so impressed,” a slim, dark-haired guy with an Australian accent says from beside Charles. “I’m Reese.”

“Nice to meet you, Reese,” I say, shaking his hand, “and thanks.”

He smiles kindly before his eyes catch on something, or someone, behind me. I let go of his hand and glance over my shoulder only to find Maliah approaching the group.

“Back in my country, we’d call her amagnifique femme,” Charles says breathlessly.

I don’t blame him. Maliah has this special charm about her that attracts everybody. It’s not just her looks, though her blue eyes and golden hair are breathtaking, it’s how she carries herself too. Her elegance and confidence exude from her, andanyone within a twenty-foot radius of her can’t help but watch in awe.

Me included.

“Hi,” she says with a quick wave as she studies each person here.

“Bonjour,” Charles says, pushing past me until he comes to a stop in front of her and begins to lower his lips to the back of her hand.

It takes one look at her uncomfortable smile for my resolve to break. I take a step so that I’m standing next to Charles and causing Maliah to look up at me.

“Hey, babe,” I say in a dangerously low voice.

Charles freezes with his lips inches from her skin before rearing back as if she slapped him. He looks between me and her as I pick up the hand he dropped and bring it to my lips, placing a gentle kiss on her soft skin as I stare into her eyes.

The rich blue colour reminds me of the ocean and the blue sky. Deep and endless. The flecks of light and dark shades of blue add depth to her eyes and completely captivate me. Her eyes have always had a way of drawing me in, making me feel like I’m the only person in the world under her gaze, like it doesn’t matter where I come from or who my parents are.

Staring into her eyes makes me feel like I’m enough.

---