Chapter Four

❝Every rose has its thorns. 

People just had to find the one that they're willing to bleed for.❞

He was in trouble.

     He knew, because Lenny was not convinced. Whatever he had exposed to her couldn't be erased from her mind — so there was only one thing he could do. 

     Avoid the hell out of her.

     It was easier said than done. Since Lenny was one of the sponsors of the Championships, she was always up and about in Bond Beach. And Theo couldn't not be there either; he had to support Zach, and not only for gratitude but as his best friend. Skirting around the coast for hiding spots would also raise a few red flags, and Theo didn't want Zach to know that that night unsettled him more than he'd let on.

     Being as careful as he was, it didn't stop the almost run-ins. Whichever business she was working with — he remembered something about a shack — was popular enough to keep her running back and forth. More times than he'd like, he'd catch her fleeting smile and bright laughter that trailed her footsteps. It was like he knew when she was coming before he even saw her.

     One day, it was getting more crowded than usual. Orientations were over and the real rounds had begun. Knowing his friend was used to this kind of attention, Theo tapped his shoulder.

    "I'm going to head out for a while!" he shouted.

    "Go ahead, it's getting crazy here!" Zach yelled back, eyes pinging around the beach. "Hey, to save your lonely ass, why don't you hang out with that Lenny chick? Her place is probably right around the corner!"

     Yeah, I've been there. "Don't have an appetite!"

    "I'm just saying you can find a good spot to sit or something!"

    "Comforting, but I'll have to pass!"

     Zach peered at his best friend, suspicious. "Am I just overthinking or am I getting the sense that you don't like this girl?!"

    "I don't!" he let out. "I mean, I don't don't like this girl, but — it's complicated!"

     The blond bursted into laughter. "And for what reason? She's nice, smiles a lot, and easy on the eyes. It's a nice change from hanging out with you!" He glared. "But you do think she's cute, right?"

    "Doesn't matter!" he responded too quickly. "That's completely irrelevant. I'm not here for that, remember? I'm not looking for love!"

    "Then don't look for love!" he quipped with a wink, before jogging away at the coach's whistles.

     Theo rolled his eyes.

     He made his way out of the mass, going to the opposite direction of the crowd. It wasn't that he hated small spaces — the crazy adventures he and Zach had endured in many club-hopping crusades proved otherwise. But when he was sober, when a lot of his thoughts weren't buzzed down, he needed a little peace and quiet. 

     And suddenly he found himself standing in front of a small shack. With the logo of an anchor on the top of it. He halted his steps.

     The familiarity of it was so strong it left him speechless.

     This was where it happened, he thought. This was where he'd laid his skin bare to the girl with brown eyes and curiosity on the tip of her tongue.

     Someone cleared his throat.

    "Um," a boy stared at Theo. "Do you want to sit? Um, sir?"

     Theo raised an eyebrow. He masked his surprise as he saw how young this employee looked — which was a bit ironic, since he dyed his hair a shocking bright colour, almost stark white. He was probably his little brother's age. 

     Did Lenny have a habit of hiring anyone under twenty or what?

     He saw no sign of her, however, and because he was close to dying of thirst, dropped on the closest stool in front of him. It was only after he laid his bag on top of the counter did a thought occur to him. Was this the same stool he sat on, while she listened to him, bare and vulnerable?

    "What would you like, sir?"

     He blinked. "I'll take a Blue Lagoon," he said, knowing he could at least handle the amount of vodka in the drink to avoid past mistakes. 

     Plus, he really loved lemonade.

    "Right on it, sir."

     Five minutes later, he was gripping a glass of the blue liquid, feeling better than before. Alcohol may be the perfect remedy for almost anything. Almost.

     Then he heard her voice. 

    "Jeff! We need another fruit bowl, pronto!"

     In an instant, Theo crouched down and ducked his head below the counter, about the same time Lenny appeared in the shack from the other side. From the way her footsteps abruptly stopped, he could tell she was standing right next to the young employee.

     "Uh — " he blinked, trying to figure out what the hell happened. "Right on it, boss!"

    "What is that?" He could practically hear Lenny's horror. "Is that a Blue Lagoon? Jeff, what are you doing drinking that? You're fifteen!"

    "Um, I can — " Jeff panicked. "It was — I didn't — oof!" Theo kicked the boy's leg from under the table. "I, uh, wanted a little sip. Just curious. I'm sorry. I won't do it again, Len."

     A sigh. "If you wanted to try, you could've just asked. You know I trust you. Tell me next time, okay?"

     There was silence, a few other murmurs. Then she left.

     Theo slowly came out of his hiding spot.

     Jeff glared at him, although it looked more as if he was constipated. "Thanks a lot."

    "I'll pay extra," he said naturally.

    "I don't want your money," he muttered, but Theo saw the interest in his eyes. Yeah, he was definitely going to slip him a few more bills. "Why did you hide from her? Do you know Lenny?"

    "Sort of."

    "And was it a bad first impression?"

    "Am I obliged to answer your question?"

     He blinked. "I guess not."

    "Great."

     Theo continued sipping his drink.

     Jeff wasn't so easy to dismiss. He lingered for a while, looking from Theo to the Blue Lagoon in his hands, then back at his face, which had a permanent scowl. Then a lightbulb clicked in his head as he squinted at him. "You're not the drunk stranger from last night, are you?"

    "What?" Anger filled his voice. "Who told you that? Did she tell you? Who else did she blabber to in this godforsaken beach?"

    "No one!" Jeff raised his hands up. "She told no one! Well, she kind of told me, but no details, I swear!"

     Theo glared at the kid, just for safety measure. He shrunk back.

    "Guess we know who left a bad first impression," Jeff muttered.

    "What did you say?"

    "Nothing!" He ran back to the shack.

     Theo finished his last sip. "I thought so."

     It wasn't that he hated her. In fact, he was starting to hate himself more. She didn't do anything wrong and yet he was being a complete asshole, and in effect, to others around her. But that was the only way he knew how to make sure they kept their distance.

     Curiosity was a double-edged sword, and if Lenny pried too far...

     He shook his head. He came here for a fresh start, and he certainly didn't need her to carry the ghosts from his past with her.

***

     Okay, now Theo knew he definitely fucked up.

     He frantically searched for it, in his bag, then his room, then the living room. He trashed every place he could touch and find because there was no chance he'd lost it. He couldn't. 

     The bathroom door opened and Zach came out fresh of the shower, a towel still around his hips and a smaller one he held against his hair. "Dude, what the hell are you doing?"

    "Have you seen it?" Theo asked in a frenzy.

    "Seen what?"

    "My sketchbook."

     Zach's eyes widened, realising the severity of the situation. "No, man, I haven't seen it since the Championships started. Maybe you dropped it there?"

    "Where could I have dropped it?" he snapped. "It's a huge fucking beach, for all I know it's buried in the sand."

    "Hey. Don't come lashing out your frustration on me," Zach retorted, dropping his hand towel on the couch. "I'm just trying to help." He sighed, knowing that he often panicked in situations regarding the damn book. "Take a deep breath, okay?"

    "I bring it everywhere," he breathed, "which means it could be anywhere that I've been."

     Theo wanted to scream. He needed that sketchbook. He didn't care that people made fun of him for it; he almost needed it to breathe. It helped him calm down and put his thoughts in order. And now it felt like his oxygen had been taken away and he was grasping for air.

     His phone rang.

     The two looked at the phone suspiciously, with Theo frowning and Zach raising his eyebrows. Both knew that the former never received calls ever since he changed his phone number, and no one else knew about it. No one should be calling.

     Cautiously, Theo held the phone to his face. Unknown number.

    "Hello?"

    "Theo?" A voice said quietly.

     His body froze. Suddenly everything came crashing down, and he had to grip a shaking hand on the counter table. He hadn't heard that voice in months. He didn't think he'd ever, after everything that happened. 

    "Who is it?" Zach whispered.

     A ghost from his past, he wanted to say. But that was a lie. They were a ghost from his present. And they're back.

A/N:

Uh oh. If this sounds terribly confusing, don't worry, more will be explained!