‘Have I missed the start?’ Pink, puffed and panicked, drew up next to her mother.
Christie caught her arm, holding out her binoculars. ‘Just about to kick off. Want to take a look?’
‘What!’ Pink looked startled. ‘No, I have to go.’
‘Jas!’ Christie called after her. ‘I’ve been thinking. About Marlee.’
‘That’s good.’ Pink scanned the water and spotted Marlee paddling south, looking up at the dunes.
‘I wanted to say that it’d be good to have Marlee with us. I …’
Pink did a little jig, resisting the urge to launch herself at her mother. Her eyes strayed back to Marlee. ‘That’s so great, Mum, thanks. But I really, really have to go. Talk to you later.’ And she was off, running through the soft sand along the dunes. ‘Tell Tilly I’m on the dune over there with Kyle,’ she yelled and kept running.
If Marlee thought that Georgie Starr would be a little dulled by jet lag she was totally off the mark. The world champ blasted out the back and caught a wave right off the bat and Marlee could hear the excitement in the commentator’s voice as she looked for Pink, not allowing herself to listen to what he was saying.
Evelyn had told Marlee to try to get a wave straight up to take the pressure off. If she could get a good score to start, she’d only need two more high-scoring waves to be a contender. She scanned the water, anxious, jumping whenever a bump rose in the water. The heat only went for thirty minutes and five had gone by already without one wave at her bank.
Unnerved, she chased down a wave, hopeful that it’d shape up to be a winner. She angled her board into a turn, limbs stiff, awkward. She nearly lost her grip but hung in as the face of the wave opened up and she pushed down on her board, bouncing, bouncing, bouncing to gather more speed. Her legs were shaking but she forced the board down the face, her light board wobbling. And then she lost her footing and fell flat, the board still moving. The wave curved over her and Marlee, in desperation, stretched her arm out as far as she could, her fingers clawing at the tail of her board, pulling it back under her. Seconds later she emerged, shooting through the surge of white water, as she gained power and cut back up the wave, throwing a well-practised backhander. Cheers erupted from the beach and she grinned, amazed she’d hung in there, pumping the air, laughing.
If she could make it through that she could do anything.
Marlee turned to paddle back to position, the commentator’s excited voice travelling on the wind. ‘Wow, I didn’t think there was any way that Marlee Finn could recover from that but not only did she save it, she got back on and killed it! That’s got everything the judges’ll be looking for: speed, power, grace, variety and technical ability. I’d be surprised if she got anything less than a 9 for that.’
A set wave emerged and Marlee lost no time getting to it. She paddled towards it, decisive, confident. This time her body flowed instinctively with the water. She soared upwards above the lip of the wave, spinning the board downwards, then ducked low as it curled over her back, hanging on, hanging on, hanging on. She was pumped. Nothing could go wrong. With two good scores she was on a roll and Georgie Starr had a fight on her hands if she’d assumed this heat was going to be hers.
Ten minutes had gone now and Georgie Starr was steadily racking up scores on the inconsistent waves further up the beach. She had a 7, 8 and a 4 but Marlee knew it’d only take one decent wave for her to crack another 8 or higher and the win could easily be hers. Even from this distance Marlee could see Pink hopping from leg to leg. And it wasn’t because of an incoming wave. It was because Georgie Starr had switched direction and was paddling directly towards her.
Shot with adrenaline, Marlee jumped on the first wave she could, harnessing a 3 to add to her 9 and 7. Moments later Georgie was alongside, patrolling, looking hungrily for the set wave that’d give her the score she needed. And Marlee, after watching what had happened to Tilly, was determined she wouldn’t get it. They paddled together, not speaking. Marlee turned her board, weaving around. And Georgie Starr did too. Marlee changed direction. The other girl was right there, close enough to touch. And she wasn’t backing off.
Marlee panted a little as she moved first one way then another in an endless game of cat and mouse, all the time staying in line with Pink on the dune. The champ laughed. ‘I can play this game all day if I have to. You’ll get tired before me.’
Even if she’d wanted to, Marlee was too breathless to respond. She pushed air deep into her lungs, ignoring the sharp pain in her right side, relieved to see that her opponent was also looking tired in spite of what she’d said. Marlee smiled at her. It was an instinctive thing to do but it caught the other girl by surprise, causing a momentary blip in her rhythm, enough for Marlee to strike out towards the small rise of swell she’d seen over Georgie’s shoulder. This was her chance.
She paddled away in the opposite direction, calculating the time she’d need to retrace her strokes but the champ was behind her again and catching up. At the last possible moment Marlee swung her board around, dug her arms in deep, and sprinted back towards the wave. Her arms ached but Marlee kept going, her eyes never leaving that bump of swell as it filled out, taking shape. She moved ahead slightly, the other surfer still on her tail, pulling out every reserve of energy she had and some she didn’t.
But it wasn’t enough. Once Georgie Starr had seen it she outpaced Marlee, taking the wave from under her. Marlee smashed her hand against the water in frustration, watching as her opponent left her behind – but instead of fulfilling its promise, the wave lost its power and Georgie Starr sank slowly, her head already turned back to see what else was coming through. Seconds later she was sprinting back towards Marlee, a determined look on her face.
Marlee forced herself to turn away and spotted another wave powering in. She paused, watching it hollow out, a wide face of green water opening up. Marlee grinned. Finally. It was her gift from the Surf Gods. And there was no way she’d let Georgie Starr take it from her.
The wave was bearing down on them as the judges counted to the end of the heat. Marlee pushed her body hard onto her board, her arms grew an extra length and she paddled with all the speed she could, every muscle in her body screaming at her to stop. Georgie Starr was there too but this time Marlee stayed slightly ahead, angling her board to push her out. Their boards clashed as Marlee forced her board onto the wave, her hands leaving the rail seconds before the hooter blew.
Marlee had a millisecond at the peak to see the sweep of beach before she crouched low, toes of her left foot splayed for balance, right knee touching the deck. She sprang forward like a shot out of a pistol, screaming down the wave, hand skimming the water, clear and glassy right to the bottom.
She adjusted her weight, lining up her turns for the next section, her light weight allowing her to make turns that Georgie Starr’s slightly heavier frame could no longer manage. It was a relief to let her legs do some of the work and she pushed them down like springs, releasing them into a big splashy turn, leaving a C of foam in the water behind her, then she continued slashing and burning her way along the wave that, like her, didn’t want to stop.
When the wave began to drop she swept upwards to the lip, soaring into the sky, then dropped underwater, lingering there as long as she could, loosening her shoulders, relaxing, her body buzzing, her mind racing, sure that she’d done it. When she resurfaced it was confirmed.
She’d beaten the world champ and the place was going off. The Island Breeze girls were cheering and flying the flag, the cameraman zoomed in for a close up and Marlee took it all in, turning finally to Pink, Kyle and Tilly yelling and screaming as they raced down the beach towards her. Marlee began to shake, grinning, until the enamel on her teeth was ready to crack.
She heard the excitement in the commentator’s voice. ‘There’s only one sticker on Marlee Finn’s board. It’s hard to believe that she hasn’t been picked up by a major sponsor. This girl has a huge future in surfing.’
Marlee p
ulled her board towards her, climbing back to ride the incoming victory wave to the beach. It was the biggest wave she’d seen at Shipwreck yet. It sucked up off the reef with a growling sound, cupping over her head, its power massive, its behaviour fickle. Normally Marlee’s cautious nature would have held her back until she could assess it properly first but this was her moment and, filled with reckless confidence, she was ready to rip it up and flash Jordie’s sticker to the world.
She paddled into the wave, distracted by the chaos brewing on the beach, catapulted down the face, barely reining her board into a turn, the board’s full speed unleashed as she soared upwards, drunk with excitement. But had she focused more on the wave, she’d have noticed the powerful lip already beginning to curl over. And by the time she’d realised her timing was out, she was trapped inside the thick wedge of water as the wave crashed down, pinning her and her board below the surface as the water boiled along the reef.
As the wave tossed her over and over Marlee tried to stay calm but something didn’t feel right. Her right leg wouldn’t move. She watched the bubbles fizzing around her, looking for the ones shot with sunlight so she could follow them to the surface, but the wave kept spinning her over and over and no matter how hard she grappled to break free, she was spun again and again by the massive surge.
When her head broke the surface of the water Marlee gasped for air. She looked around her, the water was stained red, her leg now throbbing as blood pumped steadily out. She screamed but the wind swept it away and as she looked around in panic another wall of white water dropped on top of her, grinding her down again.
When she surfaced a jet ski closed in quickly, strong arms hauled her onto the stretcher and she was on her way to the beach, her fingers holding together the deep fin cut in her thigh. People ran into the shallows to help, stepping back slightly as Marlee vomited into the water, then carried her through the crowds to the first-aid tent.
Someone shoved a mic under her mouth. ‘Hey, Marlee, y’okay? How’s it feel to knock off the world champ?’
Marlee grinned, then winced. ‘Fantastic.’
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Two men carried Marlee up the steps of the competitors’ tent and through to the medic’s area at the back. Marlee eased back onto the bed, shivering in spite of the heaters around the room. The doctor covered her with a warm blanket, then pulled out some scissors and cut off Marlee’s wetsuit. She smiled reassuringly as she assessed the wound. ‘You’ll need quite a few stitches and it’s going to be sore, but you’ll be fine.’ She turned away, collecting things into a metal dish. ‘But that’s it for the contest, I’m afraid.’
Marlee, who’d run through her body’s reserves of adrenaline, now felt weary and fragile, her emotions raw and close to the surface.
‘I’m such an idiot.’ She rubbed her eyes with the heels of her hands, tears of disappointment easing the sting of the salt. ‘If I hadn’t been showing off, I’d still be in the contest.’ Marlee lifted herself onto her elbows to look at her leg. There was a deep cut in the middle of her thigh shaped like a smile. A scar wouldn’t be all bad; it’d remind her of this day when she was old and had kids.
The doctor chuckled. ‘You wouldn’t be the first person I’ve stitched up for doing something dumb. Looks like you have visitors.’
Kyle hovered in the doorway, Tilly peering around from behind him. Marlee dropped her head back onto the makeshift bed and raised her arm in greeting.
Kyle squeezed her hand, his face anxious. ‘You okay?’
She smiled to reassure them. ‘I’m fine.’ Tilly’s face was chalk white, her eyes, still red from the saltwater, were fixed on the needle. ‘Tilly, are you all right?’
The doctor paused, assessing Tilly, then addressed Kyle. ‘Why don’t you take your friend outside? Come back in half an hour.’ She then turned to Marlee. ‘Okay, this is going to sting a little.’ She plunged the needle into Marlee’s thigh and Marlee closed her eyes, gritting her teeth.
‘So, are you one of the girls who travels the world with the circuit?’ the doctor asked, threading her needle.
‘No. I’d like to. Maybe one day.’ Marlee turned her head away, trying to distract herself from the needle, the thoughts of the last few days now returning. Without a sponsor there’d be no circuit but now at least she had lots of interest. All the major brands had offered her financial support and the prestige of a global brand. It was everything she’d ever hoped for. It’d not only make a difference to her life but also to her mother and sisters. But there was also Pink’s offer, and even though Pink had more than proved her loyalty and support, as well as a savvy and resourcefulness that couldn’t be underestimated, she didn’t have any financial backing. She knew she had to choose wisely, with her head and not her heart.
A hand squeezed hers and Marlee squeezed it back, glad of the contact. She lifted her head and saw Christie sitting next to her, hair loose, wearing a crushed faded beach dress with no makeup, matching jewellery or bag. She looked younger, less remote. Christie smiled gently. ‘Hi, Marlee. How are you feeling?’
‘I’ve felt better,’ Marlee said honestly, laughing a little.
‘I’m sure you have. I’ve called your mother to let her know you’re okay. She’d been watching online and was worried sick, so I’m glad I called.’
‘She was?’ Marlee beamed. She didn’t know that her mother would be watching. ‘Thanks, Christie. I appreciate you calling her.’
Christie was still holding Marlee’s hand. She leaned a little closer and Marlee could smell her expensive perfume. ‘You were fearless out there today. Congratulations – you surfed really well.’
Marlee, uncomfortable with Christie’s praise and overwhelmed by the elation of winning and losing in the space of one heat, struggled to answer. ‘Thanks,’ she said, her voice thick. She brushed away fresh tears.
‘I know I’ve been a bit hard on you in the past, Marlee, but you’ve more than proved me wrong. You’ve matured over these last few months and it shows in your surfing.’
Hearing Christie’s admission gave Marlee courage and she decided to take a punt. ‘Christie, can I ask you something?’
Christie frowned slightly, a few creases knitting her perfect brow. ‘Of course.’
‘Has Pink told you about the sponsor offers?’ Christie nodded. ‘If you were me right now, what would you do? How do you decide what’s best?’
Christie sat back for a moment, thinking, then said, ‘I’d go for a company who believes in you and wants to help you develop your talent. If someone’s genuine, they’ll listen to what you’re after rather than tell you what they want. You’re a smart girl. I’m sure you can work out who’ll do the best thing by you.’
Marlee nodded. She’d have preferred a definitive answer, the name of a company she could go straight to, but perhaps Christie was right – it was something she had to decide on her own. ‘Thanks.’
‘And if it doesn’t work,’ Christie added, ‘don’t be afraid to change it. Don’t live with regrets.’ Christie smiled at Marlee. ‘Does that help you decide?’ Marlee nodded, realising that Christie had in fact given her something more than a suggestion – she was giving her a peace token and she bit her bottom lip as she struggled with all the conflicting emotions that today’s events had brought to the surface.
Kyle and Tilly were sitting on the deck of the competitors’ tent watching the next heat when Marlee limped towards them. Kyle jumped up immediately, putting his arm around her waist to help her to the chair. She sat down heavily, her body trembling. ‘I don’t think I can walk home. I’m so sore and so tired!’ said Marlee, resting her head on her arms.
Kyle whispered in her ear, ‘You beat the world champion! How does that feel?’
‘Pretty darned good,’ Marlee murmured, smiling. ‘Yep, there’s no better feeling.’
‘You were so good today.’ Tilly gathered Marlee’s gear and stuffed it into her bag. ‘It’s just a pity about that last wave or you’d be out there again
tomorrow.’
Marlee smacked her hand against her forehead. ‘I know,’ she groaned. ‘I can’t believe I did that. I felt so relieved that it was all over and I think I just – well I just wasn’t thinking is the truth of it.’ She grinned. ‘That was a lesson well learned. I won’t be making that mistake again. Oh, my leg is so sore!’ She slid her arm across the table, hooking her fingers around Tilly’s hand. ‘I’m sorry your heat ended up how it did.’
Tilly nodded. ‘I know. I shouldn’t have let her get to me.’
‘You had her worried after your first wave or she wouldn’t have had to do all that stuff.’
‘You okay?’ Marlee looked up to see Georgie Starr standing across the table. ‘I was a bit worried about you.’
‘I’m fine, thanks,’ said Marlee, taken aback to see her there.
‘I’m sorry you’re out – now I don’t get a chance to redeem myself! There’s nothing like being beaten by someone almost half your age to get the attention of the world press,’ she joked good-naturedly, coming around the table to give Marlee a kiss on the cheek. ‘You deserved that win. Congratulations. I’m sure we’ll meet up again.’ She patted Marlee on the back, then made her way over to the lunch table.
When Georgie Starr was out of earshot, Marlee’s eyes met Tilly’s. She raised her eyebrow and said, ‘Game on, Georgie Starr. It’s not over yet. Not by a long shot.’
‘Or for Tia Marzo,’ Tilly laughed. ‘Not that I hold a grudge!’ She checked her watch. ‘Hey, we have to go. Pink’s got a surprise.’
‘Where is Pink?’
‘You’ll see.’ Kyle turned her chair around. ‘Let’s go. I’ll give you a piggyback.’
The music kicked in on the walkway and got louder and louder the closer they came to their campsite. Pink had wrapped the Surf Sisters banner around the tent, turning it into a mass of colour and squiggly lines, and was dancing around the fire to reggae music while Mitch sat on a log calmly drinking hot chocolate. When she saw them Pink threw her arms up and ran towards Marlee, screaming. ‘Marlee, you superstar! You legend! Are you all right?’ She walked alongside Kyle as he carried Marlee the last few metres, easing her onto a seat Pink had found. ‘Let’s eat, then you can listen to my plan, Marls – it is so great.’
Surf Sisters Page 17
