Surf Sisters

by Laurine Croasdale

  Marlee hadn’t thought about that and tucked it into her mental laundry basket of things to deal with later. ‘Um, not sure. Phil, hopefully … probably. He normally takes us.’ She added more confidently, ‘I’m sure he’ll go. No way he’d miss Tilly surfing in that.’

  ‘So Tilly’s going too?’

  Marlee shrugged uncertainly. ‘I think so. I’ll ask her when she gets home but I imagine that Island Breeze would send all the girls they sponsor. I hope so. I need someone to help me train.’

  Fran nodded. ‘Have you seen Pink yet?’ Fran pointed to a large boulder flat enough for them to sit side by side, then pulled a video camera out of her jacket, swinging it along the coast then back at Marlee, zooming in until Marlee put her hand across the lens.

  ‘No, but I can’t wait to tell her about Shipwreck – even though she probably knows already.’ Marlee laughed. ‘I’ve got to get the story on boarding school too. How on earth did she wriggle her way out of that?’

  Fran slowly scanned the horizon with the camera, looking for spurts of water or, best of all, a whale breaching. ‘Same way she does everything. She talked her dad around who talked her mum around.’ Fran laughed. ‘Her mum’s not happy though. She made Pink agree to home schooling so she can monitor her more and she had to get a part-time job to help pay for it.’ She lowered the camera and looked at Marlee, her face sympathetic. ‘The punishment that keeps on giving is what I reckon. Still, she’s determined to stick it out.’

  Marlee smiled. ‘We’ll see. Pink’s talked her way out of tighter corners than that.’

  ‘Well, we’re all different I guess. We’ve been hanging out a bit since she got back. It’s been fun. Let’s organise a sleepover when Tilly gets home. A kind of reunion,’ said Fran, passing the video camera to Marlee. ‘Here, take a look. I bought it last week. How cool is it?’ Fran leaned over to help Marlee adjust the focus. ‘I can film you in the surf if you want. Isn’t that what all the coaches do?’

  Marlee nodded. ‘They do at school but I don’t always get to see the playbacks.’

  ‘So, I can film you and if Phil’s busy I bet Mum would coach you. Think she’d quite like to dabble in pro surfing again.’

  Marlee laughed and handed the camera back. ‘I’m hardly a pro but I’d be up for it if Evelyn had some time.’

  Even though there was little heat in the afternoon sun, Marlee paused at her letterbox, sweaty and puffing after finishing her first pamphlet run since she got back. She lifted the lid of the letterbox, still trying to catch her breath. Inside was an envelope with an Island Breeze logo. Marlee ripped it open and read the one-page letter, the words crammed tight together as though it’d been written in a hurry.

  Hey Marls!

  I miss you! Surf camp’s great this year. I’ve had the best time and met heaps of girls from all over the country. I never knew that Island Breeze sponsored so many girls.

  Yeah, everyone except me, thought Marlee.

  There are girls from Western Australia, Tassie, a stack from Queensland, three Kiwis, a couple from Hawaii, UK, France and even one from Peru and one from Brazil.

  We get up early every morning, check out the waves and then surf for hours with our coaches. They’ve all told me that if I focused more my surfing would improve out of sight but I keep getting distracted by all the other stuff going on – like the food!

  It’s awesome! And they feed us heaps. Practically every two hours there’s an enormous spread of yummy stuff and I reckon I’ve eaten more in the last few days than I have all year. I’ve been writing down all the menus so I can tell Jamie what we ate.

  And every night we play games, watch movies. Mitch and Christie turned up last night for the talent quest and – get this – Christie got up and did the hula. Give me one good reason why!! Lucky Pink wasn’t here or she’d have died of embarrassment.

  There’s s’posed to be a massive announcement happening. And I mean HUGE. It’s all very hush-hush and I haven’t found out what it is yet, just that Fizz Davenport is coming here to tell us. How amazing is that? Remember that cover on Surfing Style with Fizz? She’s been my idol ever since. Just meeting her will be amazing.

  Better go. It’s lights out!

  Miss you lots.

  Til xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

  Freshly showered, Marlee returned to Tilly’s letter, a notebook spread across her lap. Now she knew Tilly was going to Shipwreck – that must be Mitch and Christie’s big announcement – she could make a few plans. A plan for the next few months that covered work, school, training and the contest. Even though she had seven months the time would go really fast and she had to be ready. In addition to her surfing, her half-yearly school marks had to be good and her assignments up to date, and in between that she needed to work on her turns and earn enough money to live on while she was away. Nothing could be left to chance. And this time nothing, not even Kyle, would distract her.

  Ever since he’d turned up at her house last summer and kissed her long and slow before he’d flown off to Hawaii, he’d left a tiny microchip under her skin. She only had to open her eyes to activate it and she was yet to find the off switch. He’d even made Marlee’s Wall of Fame. And not for his surfing. That was just the public display. Her thoughts were far more creative than that.

  She couldn’t wait until he got home. First it was March, then April, and now he’d delayed his flight until May. The memory of that first kiss was beginning to fade and she wondered if the next kiss would be worth the wait. Marlee wanted to go surfing with him, to the movies, catch the bus to school, watch the waves with his arms around her, chin on her shoulder. Her thoughts about being with Kyle ran in tandem with the plans of what she needed to achieve before October and today, as she set out her list on paper, her stomach filled with quick-setting cement, a sensation of doom that was all-consuming. If she was thinking about him all the time when he wasn’t here, how would she manage when he was here? Would she be able to do everything she needed – train, earn money, prep up, work out the travel – and have Kyle in her life?

  She made a list in her notebook:

  Kyle Parker

  Good things:

  Gorgeous

  He’d help

  Got me a board sponsor

  Nice person

  Bad things:

  Gorgeous

  Distracting

  Moody

  Did I mention gorgeous?

  But with the unravelling of the Kyle carpet also came thoughts of the club contest last summer. Even though she tried not to dwell on it, she still believed he’d cheated her out of that win. It was like a tiny splinter she could never dig out. Without him she wouldn’t have surfed as well as she did. Without him she wouldn’t have given up that wave. Without him she wouldn’t have got Jordie to sponsor her with boards. But, ultimately, without him she wouldn’t have lost that contest.

  Could she afford to make the same mistake twice? The stakes were much higher this time. Would he distract her? YES. Would he understand? PROBABLY. Would he do the same thing? MOST DEFINITELY.

  Marlee sighed. The commitment had to start now. She doodled a flower in the top corner then started a fresh list.

  Surf every morning with Tilly and twice on the weekends

  Train with Evelyn three times a week

  School work

  Get another pamphlet run for extra money and running

  Talk to teacher about diet

  Save, save, save

  How am I going to get there?

  Where will I stay?

  Tell Mum

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Tilly pushed the front door open.

  ‘I’m home.’

  Silence.

  ‘Well don’t rush me.’

  ‘Coming,’ Phil’s muffled voice sounded from the bedroom.

  Tilly dumped her bag on the vacuumed floor, noting that the coffee table was polished, the dining table also shone, and the sofas weren’t draped with towels – not even dry ones. It didn’t feel like home –
more like a before-and-after commercial where the big duster had swished across a dirty room leaving a trail of sparkling stars in its wake. But there were no stars, just a sickening aura of lovey-dovey. It clung to everything, thick and suffocating like peanut butter, the smooth oily type Tilly particularly disliked.

  She circled the furniture, eyeing it off like traitors who’d agreed to be spruced up and live a clean life the minute she’d turned her back. And she knew who was responsible for this, whether she’d lifted the cleaning cloth or not. It was Barb Cook. The thought soured in Tilly’s gut and she threw herself onto the sofa, her sandy feet resting on the arm.

  ‘Ah. The surfer returns. How was camp?’ Phil leaned over the sofa and kissed her.

  ‘Bad. Good. Annoying.’ Tilly rubbed her feet, the sand sifting onto the cushions.

  ‘Hmmm,’ said Phil, moving her feet and sitting next to her. ‘The usual then. Are you going to elaborate?’

  ‘Well, good because Island Breeze is running a major new contest. And I’m going to be in it! It’s going to be massive, all the top surfers are going, even Fizz Davenport! And Dad, I’ll have my L’s so I can do some driving.’

  ‘When is this contest?’

  ‘October school holidays, so I won’t miss any school.’

  Phil stood up and tucked in his shirt. ‘Sounds great, but let’s work out the logistics later. I have to go out soon.’

  Tilly twisted around on the sofa to face her father. ‘But I haven’t finished,’ she continued while Phil brushed his hair, checked his teeth in the mirror. ‘It was bad because Christie made us do boring media stuff when the surf was great.’

  Phil gathered the stack of papers into a neat pile on the coffee table then tended to the magazines, aligning their spines. Tilly watched with a growing sense of unease.

  ‘And annoying,’ she continued, ‘because I swear there’s a person living in the back of my hair.’

  Phil felt under the surface of Tilly’s hair. The knot hidden beneath the top layer was the size of his hand. He pulled it away, shaking his head. ‘Now that is what I call the mother of all knots.’

  Tilly closed her eyes and sagged against the cushions. ‘I know. It is so frustrating. My arms feel like they’re falling off before I even get near it.’ She glanced at her father. ‘Can you try please, Dad?’

  ‘Maybe later.’ He checked his watch and rolled down his sleeves. ‘Don’t leave that there, will you?’ he said, nudging her bag.

  ‘Why? Are the royals dropping in?’ she teased. Phil grinned but said nothing. ‘Okay, I’ll move it.’ Tilly looked around the room again. ‘You certainly did a big clean-up.’ She ran her fingers across the floor. ‘You even got the sand out of the carpet.’

  ‘Yep. Blue moon crossed overhead while you were gone. I cleaned everything I could find and then some.’ He sighed. ‘Very satisfying it was, too.’ He sized up the ceiling and walls. ‘I’m on a roll now. I’m even thinking about doing a few renovations.’ He glanced at his watch for the second time in as many minutes, then collected his car keys. ‘Good to have you home. I’ll have to hear the rest later. Barb and I are going to a movie and Sam’s out too. There’s leftovers in the fridge if you’re hungry.’

  ‘Hey!’ Tilly sat up sharply. ‘What sort of welcome is that? You asked me to elaborate and I’m just warming up. Dad! Your only daughter’s just got home. You can’t leave me here by myself.’

  Phil laughed. ‘Well what about me? I’ve been on my own while you’ve been at camp having fun.’

  Tilly sulked. ‘I bet you haven’t been on your own.’

  Phil bent down, hands on knees and eyeballed Tilly. ‘Sorry, pet, but I really do have to go. We’ll catch up later tonight or tomorrow. You can tell me all about it then. I’m glad you enjoyed camp. And Matilda –’ he kissed her nose, pointing at her, ‘don’t forget to move that bag.’

  Tilly leaned forward to give Phil a hug but he’d already moved towards the door. ‘Nice shirt,’ she called. ‘And hey, what’s with the trousers? Did your jeans fall apart?’

  Phil grinned. ‘Been shopping.’

  ‘You look good, Dad,’ she said amused, watching him check himself out in the window’s reflection.

  ‘Thanks, love. Even had a haircut.’ He grinned, running his hands through his hair. ‘Don’t wait up.’ He closed the door behind him.

  The house fell quiet. Tilly pulled out her sandy towels and trailed them out to the veranda. Her heart thudded quickly at the sound of a familiar bark and she scanned the boardwalk, spotting Marnie, tongue lolling, sniffing a bin. Jamie strolled casually behind, his thin lanky frame bobbing in time to music, his favourite green beanie pulled low, hands dug deep into his jeans. Tilly bit her lip, heart bashing her chest.

  She’d thought about Jamie so much while she was away but now, seeing him just across the road, she felt shy. It was like she’d shed her old Tilly skin and discovered a different one underneath with new feelings she hadn’t quite worked out. One day he was her best friend and the next she felt awkward whenever she thought about him. One day they hung out, walking around side-by-side, and the next she wanted to climb inside his body and zip herself in so she could be closer. If he were a magnet, he’d become her true north; wherever she was, she gravitated towards him.

  Her throat felt dry as she waited for him to look her way, give a casual nod, his long fringe flicking upwards. At that moment Jamie raised his head, his face animated, warm. Tilly followed his gaze to Pink and laughed. She hitched herself up on the railing, ready to whistle them both over, but by the time she’d climbed up Pink had turned her back to her and started impersonating someone. She was in some kind of uniform, her pants hoiked up as high as they’d go, elbows out at angles, knees jutting sideways, bobbing up and down like an ancient puppet.

  Tilly giggled, entertained, and as Pink continued her routine, her gaze shifted back to Jamie. His attention was totally fixed on Pink. He looked enraptured, eyes warm, laughing, and even from this distance Tilly could see the affection there. Her heart sank. All the time she’d been away that was the one expression of Jamie’s she’d most longed to have lavished on her.

  She curled her arm around the railing, unnoticed, disappointed and confused. Jamie still liked Pink, that much was clear. And Pink was her friend and there was no way Tilly’d hurt Pink by telling Jamie her feelings. Who was she to interfere if they liked each other? She’d left it too late.

  Tilly went inside, kicking the bag on the lounge room floor, frustrated that Pink could captivate Jamie’s attention so effortlessly. She’d done it before and now it was happening again. She turned on the shower, watching her reflection until the mirror steamed up and she disappeared.

  The sun had almost set when she returned to the veranda. Jamie was slouched in her big armchair, fingertips tickling Marnie’s ear. Tilly hung back but Jamie scooped her up in a big hug, laughing as the soft bristles on his chin brushed against her face. She laughed too, caught off guard, pleased that he was glad to see her at least, and dipped her head into the soft curve of his neck. She closed her eyes, breathing in his smell of soap and ocean, then reluctantly pushed herself away. ‘Well hello to you too! When did you get here?’

  Jamie glanced at his watch. ‘About half an hour ago. I knocked.’

  ‘Oh. I was in the shower, didn’t hear you.’ She patted Marnie, unable to look at Jamie.

  ‘So, did you have a good trip? Get my messages?’ He fell back into the armchair and Tilly longed to climb in with him, ignoring his invitation to sit on the wide arm of the chair. ‘How’d the contest go? It’s been pretty quiet around here, just me and Sam. Until Pink showed up!’

  Ignoring his grin, Tilly rubbed the towel through her hair and threw it over the railing, a lump in her throat. She knelt down, running her index finger back and forth across Marnie’s paw to buy herself a little time. ‘Well I’m glad someone missed me,’ she said. Marnie growled happily and dipped her face onto her paws, looking up adoringly at Tilly who, in spite of the co
nflicting emotions running through her, relaxed, rubbing the back of Marnie’s head.

  Jamie laughed. ‘And Marnie missed you. I swear she’ll leave me for you one day. So tell me about the camp.’

  Tilly put her arms up behind, springing lightly onto the railing. ‘It was so great. Guess who turned up? Fizz Davenport! And I went surfing with her. That was the most exciting thing in my whole life.’ She spread her arms wide to indicate the sheer enormity of the moment. ‘Not only did I meet an ex-world champion but I got to surf with her too. And guess what else? She’s coming to Diamond Beach to help me train for a new contest in October.’

  ‘Is that the Island Breeze one?’ Tilly nodded. ‘Pink mentioned it. Sounds massive.’ Tilly nodded again, falling silent, but Jamie didn’t seem to notice. ‘So. What’d you eat? It’s been boring not cooking with you, and Marnie’s only into dog food, so she’s not much inspiration either.’

  ‘You would have loved the food. I’ve written all the menus down.’ The awkward moment with Jamie past, Tilly slid off the railing, ran inside, tipped the contents of her bag onto the floor and returned with a sheet of paper. She sat on the arm of the chair, toes tucked under Jamie’s legs. ‘We had tacos, lasagne, a barbie – you know, all the usual stuff – but we also had some really great salads and one night Chong made this thing called a Steamboat where you roll all these little wontons. You cook them in water and it turns into soup. It was so much fun. We sat around the table together and everyone made them. Do you want to do them one night? He gave me the recipe.’

  ‘Yeah sure, sounds great.’ Jamie checked his watch, then reluctantly climbed out of the chair.

  Tilly scowled. ‘What is it with watches tonight? Whenever I start talking people look at their watches.’ She could feel herself pouting. ‘Stay for dinner. I can show you my photos.’

  Jamie patted her arm gently and smiled. ‘Sorry, can’t. How about I come by first thing and we can go for a surf?’