Page 14 of We Thought We Were Invincible
We stopped to grab my board at my place before driving to Callie's house. I stepped into the bathroom and pulled on my trunks, not bothering with a rash guard this time of year. Plus, I didn't even know if we'd be surfing.
Callie met me at the front door, board shorts and rash guard in place. Her hair was pulled up in a high ponytail.
We grabbed her board from the garage, strapped it to the roof, and got in the car.
Callie fidgeted next to me as the beach came into view.
“I promised Kat this year would be different,” she mumbled, picking at the hem of her top.
The year before Callie had gotten in a lot of trouble for skipping school. That was no secret. I'd been around for many of her fights with Kat about it.
Hitting my palm against the steering wheel, I said “Shit, Cal. I should have thought about that.”
“When the waves come to town, you don't miss their visit.”
She was right. Good swells were rare this time of year. And it was even more scarce to have two in one week. After Saturday, I was expecting it to be awhile before I would be riding on top of the water again, and I never thought it'd be with Callie McCoy.
This time of year was notoriously flat, but a storm could change that in a heartbeat. I'd used that to get her here. God, please let there be something surfable.
“You ready?” I asked.
“Let's just get wet.” She pulled her board out and walked by me, swinging it so I had to jump out of the way to keep from being hit.
“I could make so many jokes right now, but I won't.” I chuckled.
“Good, because I'd kill you.”
“Oh California, sweetheart, you'd try.”
This time she actually did hit me with her board, stepping up onto the rocks. When she caught sight of the water, she froze.
“Jamie, where did you hear about the waves?”
“I just saw a storm was coming and…” I stopped as I saw what she saw.
It was flat.
“Nice going,Candy.” The nickname stung as she dropped her board in the sand and stormed down to the water's edge.
“Look,” I said, walking up behind her. “I'm sorry.”
“Kat is so going to kill me.” She sat down in the shallow water. In the distance, we could see the sandbar, but no waves broke on it.
I sat next to her, pushing my hair out of my eyes.
“Have I told you I hate you today?” she said.
“Why?” I asked.
“What?”
“You've never told me why you hate me. I've never been able to figure it out.”
“The list is too long.”
“Well, we're already out of school. I have nowhere to be.” I sat still, waiting.
“First, you're an idiot. You've always been an idiot.”
