1 1 | c o l l a r o y

I SAT IN THE CAR, tapping my foot as I glared out the window. The sky had already lightened, the sun rising over the horizon and slanting over us in warm, golden light.

"Isla," Austin muttered from the driver's seat. "You're going to be late."

"He'll be here," I said quietly, my eyes still focused on the empty spot in front of Clemente House.

Where was he?

I glanced at the clock. It was already ten to six. He was late. And if we waited any longer, I'd be late.

"Isla," Austin said gently. I turned, meeting his eyes and he sent me a pointed look. I sighed.

"Give me one second," I said. Before he could answer, I pushed the passenger door open, jogging towards the front door.

I shoved it open, the air conditioner instantly cooling my exposed skin and causing hairs to rise on the back of my neck. A few people were bustling around the bed and breakfast, reading the morning news or sipping coffee. I spotted Mrs Clemente immediately.

"Isla!" she smiled as I approached her.

"Hi, Mrs Clemente," I greeted, glancing around the room for any sign of Everett. "I was just wondering... Is Everett coming today?"

"Oh!" Mrs Clemente blinked in surprise. "I thought he told you. He's catching up on schoolwork today."

"Schoolwork?" I furrowed my brow. We were barely a week into January. It was summer. What kind of schoolwork did he have?

"Yes, his winter break is over now. He's been doing online school."

I blinked. I'd forgotten the school year worked differently in America.

"Oh," I managed. "Okay. Well..."

"I'm sure he'll come tomorrow."

"Okay," I repeated, stupidly. Why hadn't he told me? We didn't speak the entire way home yesterday – was he angry at me? For asking about him coming to Australia?

I thanked Mrs Clemente; my mind busy with questions as I made my way back to Austin's car. He sent me a worried look as I slammed the passenger door shut.

"What happened?"

"He's not coming," I said finally.

"Why?"

I shrugged dazedly, still overthinking it. "Schoolwork, or something."

But it still sounded wrong to me. Why hadn't he told me about it? He must've still been upset. He must've been lying.

"Man, that sucks," Austin laughed. When I didn't join in, he shot me a look. "Isla, you okay?"

Golden brown eyes settled on me and I blinked, snapping out of my thoughts. "What?"

"I asked if you're okay."

"Oh." I felt my face warm and I nodded quickly, struggling to speak under his stare. "Yeah."

"Alright." He relented, starting the engine and beginning to drive again. He sent me a glance, his eyes darting from the road to me, before hesitating, his fingers tapping anxiously against the steering wheel. "Isla?"

I quirked a brow at him. "Austin."

But there was no joking in his expression. Instead, he chewed on his bottom lip, his eyes dark.

"Can I ask you something?"

I furrowed my brow. That was a strange question for Austin to ask. Why was he so nervous all of a sudden? I blinked, my heart beginning to race with all the possible questions he could ask me.

What if this was a confession?

I shoved the thought from my mind, turning to him with a gentle smile.

"You can ask me anything, Austin," I said, raising a brow teasingly. "You know that."

"Okay," he wavered. "So, yesterday when we went to Isla..."

"Yes?"

"Well, you and Everett got out of the water first and I kind of saw you guys fighting, or something. I was just wondering..." he paused, meeting my eyes. "He's not hurting you, is he?"

My eyes widened. "What?"

"He just seemed so aggressive and – you know, if he's been saying anything to you or doing anything –"

A laugh burst from my mouth. I couldn't help it. Laugh after laugh rolled over my lips and I found myself hunched over, my stomach hurting with laughter. Austin sent me a tentative look.

"What?" he asked, frowning.

"Austin," I sighed, shaking my head. "If anyone's being aggressive, it's me. I'm the one who punched him the day we met." I let out a chuckle at the memory. "He's not hurting me."

"Okay, good," he said, nodding. He pulled to a stop beside the beach and turned, taking my hand between his. I froze at the touch of his palm pressed against mine – warm skin on skin. He laced his fingers through mine, lowering his voice.

"But if he does anything, you'd tell me, right?"

We met eyes and I felt myself melt under his brown eyes. All of a sudden, an eruption of butterflies was released into my stomach, fluttering to my chest and choking my throat for words. I swallowed thickly, shoving them down.

He was worried about me.

Warmth spread through my chest and I nodded at him, smiling gently and squeezing his hand in reassurance.

"Of course, Austin."

"Good." He finally flashed me an iconic Austin grin and released my hand, taking all his warmth with it. "Anyway, I'm meeting Mia for a bit. I'll see you after work?"

And just like that, my mood soured.

"Oh," I muttered. "I didn't realise you and Mia were friends now."

Austin's face tinged pink and he glanced away. A small smile played on his lips and his expression was overcome with something I'd never seen on Austin before.

Did he have a crush?

My heart sank to my stomach, crushing the butterflies in its wake. Instantly, I felt my smile drop into a frown.

Austin had always been popular – he was handsome, he could surf, and he was funny. But he'd never really shown an interest in anyone. Sure, he flirted with the occasional tourist each summer. For a while, I thought he might even like Sky. But it never lasted long – a day or two at most – and then he was always back to his one true love – the water.

Nothing could keep his attention like the pull of the tide and the swell of waves beneath his board.

And with the water, came me. We went to surf club together. We swam together. He gave me tips on my form and dunked me under when I got angsty.

He held my hand and hugged me and brushed his fingers through my hair, like he knew it drove me crazy.

Everett's words rang in my ears. If he hasn't realised by now, then he's stupider than I thought.

It was impossible. Austin wasn't stupid, I just hid it well. Right?

I'd always thought maybe, just maybe, he had some feelings for me. Maybe that was why he never liked girls for more than two days, and always cut his flirting short to come hang out with me.

But the bonfire party had been almost a week ago now, and he was still thinking about Mia.

I was an idiot.

"Well," I cleared my throat before I could let this sudden revelation shake me any further. "I'll see you then."

Austin barely looked up, sending me a lazy wave as I turned and left him behind.

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Everett never ended up coming.

Not that I really expected him to. I mean, what had I thought? That we were friends? Not likely.

We'd had, maybe, two decent conversations. It didn't mean we would suddenly become best friends.

I leaned against the Shack counter, tapping against the weathered wood. Blue paint chipped off the grooves and I picked at it, staring out at the beach.

I'd finished work ten minutes ago. Wednesdays were always slow, so I had a short shift with no breaks.

I shifted on my feet, looking anxiously out at the ocean, imagining the push and pull of waves  beneath my board and the spray of saltwater in my face.

Slow days always had me itching to get out onto the ocean – to feel the thrill of something more for just a few hours before returning to my boring, small-town routine of work, sleep, repeat. Some days, all I wanted to do was get on my board and stay there.

But Austin was late.

I frowned, pulling out my phone to check the time. He hadn't even texted me. Where was he?

With Mia, an annoying part of me whispered.

Shut up, I whispered back.

I frowned, opening my texts to send him a message.

To Austin: Where are you?

A minute passed and he still hadn't read my text. I was beginning to grow anxious.

Austin was my ride home. He'd driven me to work today, so I hadn't brought my bike. And my house was almost an hour's walk from the beach, considering most of it was uphill.

I waited longer, shifting my weight between my hips and leaning against the counter until I'd picked a neat little patch of paint clear off the wood. He was over twenty minutes late now.

Austin was never late.

What was he doing that was taking him so long?

Probably making out with Mia. Running his hands over her waist like he used to do to you. Pushing his fingers through her hair like he used to do to you. Except with her, the kisses aren't on the cheek.

I huffed, shoving those thoughts deep, deep down and leaping over the counter. I was sick of waiting. All my desire to swim or surf had disappeared.

Now, I was angry.

How dare he?

How dare he hook up with Mia of all people? The girl who'd hated me since primary school. How dare he have the nerve to hold my hand and hold me close just to leave me and make out with someone else? Just to forget about me?

Every. Single. Time.

I stormed across the sands, tears beginning to well up behind glossy eyes.

How dare he ditch me and make me walk an hour home so that he could get his dick wet on Mia?

This was supposed to be our day. He was supposed to always come back to me.

I clenched my teeth, willing my tears not to spill. But of course, hot, salty tears began to drip down my cheeks and into my mouth.

I hated myself for being so weak. For crying over a boy who only ever saw me as a friend.

I was delusional for thinking it could've been something more.

I was halfway across the beach when I heard a familiar voice.

"Girls, please," he said, his accent thick and deep.

His American accent.

I paused, snapping my eyes up to see Everett sitting on the sand. So, he had been lying after all. I scoffed, my annoyance only growing.

A group of girls surrounded him, Charlotte being one of them. I couldn't help myself from scanning their faces, hoping, praying, Mia was there too and not with Austin.

But of course, she wasn't to be found.

I frowned, turning to walk away when Everett's eyes met mine. He furrowed his brow, studying my face for a moment and I felt my face flush in humiliation beneath his gaze.

I sniffled, wiping my tears away and spinning to leave, embarrassment quickly replacing my sadness. Everett didn't need to see me like this. He'd probably just make fun of me again.

Second choice.

And he was right, wasn't he? That was why it had pissed me off so badly. Not because it was rude, but because it was the truth.

My bottom lip trembled, but I sucked in a deep breath, steadying myself. I began walking again, trying to take large, quick steps to get away as fast as possible, but before I could reach the footpath, a hand wrapped around my wrist.

So familiar, like the day we'd met, when he'd wrenched my wrists into his hands – yet so different. No, this time, he was gentle, catching my wrist like a delicate object he didn't want to crush.

I turned, meeting Everett's eyes, hazel in the sunlight.

He studied me with a worried look, his fingers loose around my wrist.

"Isla?" he asked, his voice quiet and concerned. "What's wrong?"

And with that, I fell apart.

I stumbled forward, tears beginning to flow freely. I was keenly aware of the beach around us. It was still early, so it wasn't crowded, but it was still mortifying to be seen crying in public.

Everett, noticing too, stepped towards me, pressing a hand against the back of my neck and pulling me into his chest.

Immediately, I wrapped my arms around him, letting silent sobs wrack through me, shaking my shoulders and tearing gasping breaths from my trembling lips. My chest ached so painfully, like a clawed hand had reached through my rib cage and dug its nails into my heart.

We fit like puzzle pieces. He held me, hiding my face from the rest of the beach, like we were just two lovers, hugging on a summer's day.

He stroked my hair, so alike the way Austin would, yet so different, because this was Everett, not Austin. His fingers were more calloused, combing through my hair rather than lightly stroking it. His chest was broader, his arms tighter around me.

I was still annoyed at him. He'd stormed off yesterday and lied to me this morning. He'd left me just to hang out with some girls instead.

But I felt so alone. And he was there.

"It's okay," he muttered, holding me tight. His voice was uncertain, but it was what I needed to hear, and he knew that. Somehow, he knew that. "You're okay."

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A U T H O R ' S N O T E

So, Austin bailed on Isla. Any guesses what will happen in the next chapter? I'll give you a hint: deep convos and we learn a bit more about Isla and Everett. Let me know your thoughts!

Thank you so much for 8k reads! That's insane, how did that happen so quick??? And your comments and votes are always appreciated! 💕💕 See you tomorrow, hopefully!