Stairways | A Surviving Summer FanFiction

Part 75 - Team

The day of training, you're out the front door on time for once. You and Marlon grab your bikes and head down to the club - Manu's offered to drive you all to Anchor Cove for the first training session, and you're thankful that you can all go together.

When you reach Poppy's house, you lean your bike against the skate ramp and head over to where Poppy, Summer, Ari and Bodhi are waiting by the van for Manu. Poppy smiles warmly, but Bodhi barely acknowledges you.

"Hey!" Poppy says, grinning. "You ready to go? Manu's just packing up the van."

"Yeah," you say, slightly breathless from your ride here, and you grab your bag and drop it to your feet for now. "How's Manu?" you ask, knowing he had his fingers crossed that he might be selected as the State Team coach, but there was word the other day that a new coach had been brought in from Queesland.

"He's a bit disappointed," she says. "It's so unfair. There's no way the new coach will be better."

"Yeah, I mean, do we even know who they are yet?" I ask.

"Nope," Poppy replies as you follow the group towards the van and jump in the back seat. "Although someone rumoured it was a coach who'd already won National titles, so..." she shrugs casually. "Could be handy."

Eventually, the van pulls up outside the Anchor Cove training facility and you all head out into the fresh air, a cool breeze whipping your skin as you push open the door of the van.

"In here team!" you hear Wren call, and turn to see her waving at the group from the doorway of the back entrance to the facility. Bodhi, Marlon and Poppy all start heading towards their captain.

"Go on, run to her." Summer mutters to Ari, and you're not sure if it was intended for Ari to hear, but he does all the same.

"Is there a problem?" he asks, turning to you both with a perplexed look on his face.

"Wren called her an entitled brat. To her face." you say without thinking, and Ari gives you a weird look.

"What, she actually said that?" Ari raises one eyebrow incredulously.

Summer shrugs. "Pretty much. Right after the announcements. It was intense."

"Well, I'm sure she didn't mean it." he says dismissively.

"She definitely did," you say. "I heard everything." You're not sure if it's the right time or place to admit to this, but Ari will definitely not believe Summer alone. He won't hear a word against his new girlfriend.

"Yeah, I mean, give me your interpretation." Summer asks smugly.

Ari hesitates, thinking deeply. "She was just surprised! None of us made the State Team after our first year of surfing."

"So what, she's intimidated by my crazy natural talent?" Summer smiles, and Ari scoffs.

"So American." he mutters as you all start strolling aimlessly towards the door.

"Just tell her to drop the jealous girlfriend act. It's basic, even for Shorehaven." Summer says.

You hold open the door for both of them, and let it fall shut once you're all inside. The training facility is huge, expensive gym equipment littered everywhere, and in the middle, a young woman, whom you suspect to be your new coach.

You see Poppy close up a locker on one of the walls, and follow her lead. You shove your bag inside one of the lockers and change your shoes.

"Hey," someone whispers in your ear. "I'm sorry about Wren." Ari says, taking the locker next to you. You keep looking straight ahead.