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"Are we nearly there yet?" Courtney asks for the fourth time in fifteen minutes, squished in the backseat of Duncan's mom's jeep, looking in the rear view mirror to meet Duncan's gaze. "I should've just stayed with Noah."
"You'd rather deal with that nerd than us? I'm hurt, princess," Duncan teases, hands tapping the steering wheel into the beat of the song that's playing on the radio. Courtney groans, pushing herself further against the window, looking out at the water.
When she was first asked by Duncan to tag along on a road trip to Long Beach, British Columbia, for a surfing competition of all things, Courtney had declined, claiming she had a date with her law textbook. Noah had offered to help her study for her law exam, but when she found out that Alejandro would also be joining them, she had agreed to Duncan's plan. She couldn't bear the thought of third-wheeling the two biggest nerds she knows.
Now, she's cramped in the back row, Gwen sitting the middle of Courtney and Geoff, who was supposed to be the one driving, but had gotten high beforehand. DJ had insisted on the blond boy not driving, and he was a little too big to sit comfortably in the back, so the seating arrangements were made.
"Don't worry, Court, we're almost there," Gwen tells her, pushing her sunglasses up her head so she can properly look at the other girl. "And if it gets too much for you, we can stay in the rental. I burn too easily anyways."
"Yeah, because you're pasty," Duncan retorts, laughing at the middle finger Gwen holds up. "What? it's the truth."
Gwen scoffs, rolling her eyes before looking back at Courtney. "Guys, am I right?" she grins, even as Geoff practically pouts at the back of her head.
Courtney nods in agreement, having had her share of bad experiences with boys. Her and Duncan had dated for two years, splitting up after realizing that they brought the worst out of each other. Then, there was her little fling with Alejandro, which she found out was only to make Noah jealous. The plan hadn't worked, but Courtney had helped them get together anyways.
Scott was a nice guy; a farmer's boy from Alberta who was sweet on Courtney. They had met during their first year of university, until Scott broke things off because he wasn't meant for the city life. After that, Courtney decided that maybe dating wasn't in her cards just yet. After all, her education was more important than a guy.
Though, as she watches Gwen and Geoff playfully argue, and DJ rest his hand on Duncan's knee (when did that happen? She'll have to ask Duncan later), Courtney feels a bit lonely.
They finally arrive at the rental cabin, which is only a ten minute walk from the beach. Courtney immediately slides out of the vehicle, stretching out her legs. Gwen hops out on her side, letting out a groan as her arm pops.
"Woah, this place looks sick!" Geoff says, looking over the cabin before opening the trunk. He grabs a few bags and a cooler, and then walks over to Duncan, who had been waiting for a song to finish before turning the Jeep off. "You remembered the keys, right?"
"I have them!" DJ tells the two, grabbing the keys from the pocket of his shorts. He walks behind the vehicle to grab the rest of the bags, and then makes his way to the front porch of the cabin, unlocking the door. Gwen and Courtney follow the two guys, leaving Duncan outside to lock the Jeep up.
The cabin is oddly cozy, Courtney discovers. Beyond the entryway leads into an open concept room, with a living room on one side, and the kitchen and dining area on the other. The kitchen is spacious, something she's longed for ever since moving into the University of British Columbia dorms.
The living area is fixated around a huge fireplace, one that she knows they won't be using. Beyond the living room are sliding glass doors, that lead out to a huge patio space. As Geoff and Gwen start talking about how they're splitting the bedrooms and DJ is carrying bags over to the dining table, Courtney slides open the patio doors, stepping outside on the wooden deck.
On one side of the patio, a hot tub is snug in a corner, and on the other is a fire pit with some wicker seating. Courtney sees the group spending their nights drinking and laughing out here, which makes her smile slightly.
Heading back inside, Courtney is told that she'll be having a room to herself, and the other two are being split between the four. "Sounds fine to me," she says, shrugging as she grabs her bag.
"Great!" Gwen claps her hands together, leading Courtney to the room she would be sleeping in. It's cozy, fitting a queen sized bed, a dresser, two bookshelves, and a closet. A large pane window lets in natural light, and she's thankful that there's a curtain, because if she wakes up before her seven A.M. alarm, she might just lose it.
"Your bathroom's just across the hall." Gwen points towards the open door, where Courtney sees yet another door that is presumably the bathroom. "Geoff and I have the room just next door, and Duncan and DJ are sharing the loft."
"Are they..?" Courtney leaves the rest of her question quiet, tilting her head as she tries to silently imply what she's talking about. "You know…"
The goth girl shrugs, a hand on her hip as she looks out the open door and towards the living room. "No idea. They've been weird since Duncan helped DJ move into his new place. Geoff thinks they might have hooked up."
"Huh." Courtney isn't mad, not at all! She's glad Duncan is moving on, even if it is with a guy like DJ. Sweet, mama's boy DJ, who was in school to be a veterinarian. Maybe he could rub off of Duncan and keep him out of prison. "Good for them," she settles on saying, a tight smile on her lips.
Great. Instead of being a third wheel to insufferable nerds, she's now a fifth wheel to the two strangest couples she has ever seen, and she was around to witness Izzy and Owen date.
Courtney hopes the surfing competition is worth it.
After eating a simple lunch that DJ makes for them, the group walks alongside the road, heading towards the beach. The boys lead the way, laughing all the while and smacking each other on the back, while Courtney and Gwen trail behind, also talking among themselves, though they are noticeably quieter.
"Do they know anybody who's competing?" Courtney asks, sliding her tote bag further up her shoulder. She had packed extra sunscreen, an extra pair of sunglasses, her mini first-aid kit, a swimsuit cover-up, as well as a few extra drinks and snacks, because while Geoff did bring a cooler, she knew it was mostly filled with cheap beer and popsicles.
"One of Geoff's friends from high school is," Gwen answers, adjusting her sunhat just slightly. "Her name's Bridgette. Apparently, she has the competition in the bag."
Courtney raises an eyebrow, glancing sideways over at the other girl. "Is she a professional?"
Gwen shakes her head, a cheeky smile on her face. "She could be if she wanted to, but she's busy with university. Hey, I think she goes to UBC too."
Courtney gets an earful about this Bridgette, who Gwen has met several times. According to the latter, the surfer girl is calm and kind, and is almost as big of an animal lover as DJ is. She's studying marine biology at UBC, and already has an internship lined up at a marine mammal rehabilitation center.
"She sounds nice," is all the brunette can say, wondering if Bridgette really was all that. The only person that nice she has ever met would have to be either DJ or Zoey, her old dorm mate that was basically good at everything.
The group finally makes it to the beach, where there is already a large group of people gathered. From what Duncan had said on the way here, the competition isn't anything professional, just being held for fun. "For the love of the game," he had claimed.
A fair amount of people greet them, and Geoff returns the welcoming energy with enthusiasm as if his own, exchanging high-fives and introducing the other four to people. Eventually, a blonde girl with the prettiest green eyes Courtney has ever seen comes up to them, surfboard under her arm.
"Geoff! You guys came!" she greets with a smile, and the blond boy lets out a "whoop!" of excitement before scooping up the blonde in his arms, hugging her close.
When he puts her back down, Geoff grins widely, and Courtney quickly puts two and two together before he replies, "of course we did, Bridge! We wouldn't miss it for the world!"
So this was Bridgette. Courtney glances over her quickly, taking in the sight of the girl; blonde hair is pulled back into a ponytail, a few strands escaping, and a wetsuit clings to her body, though before she can stare, the brunette looks away. She's pretty, in a calming way, Courtney thinks.
DJ gives Bridgette a quick hug, and Duncan fist bumps her, while Gwen pulls the blonde into a hug. "We seriously need to hang out more," the shorter girl wishes wistfully, before turning to look at Courtney. "Oh, Bridgette, this is Courtney. Courtney, Bridgette."
Courtney plasters on a polite smile, stepping forward to hold her hand out. "It's nice to meet you. Gwen spoke highly of you, if you'd believe it."
Gwen lets out a snort, letting Bridgette go so she can shake Courtney's hand. Her hands are warm, and Courtney can feel grains of sand clinging onto sun-kissed skin.
"It's nice to meet you too, Courtney. Duncan's told me a lot about you," Bridgette claims, looking over at Duncan, who rolls his eyes in response. She laughs, turning back to Courtney with a soft smile that does something weird to the brunette's insides. "Do you know a lot about surfing?"
Courtney shakes her head, hand letting go of Bridgette's in favor of putting it on her own hip. "Geoff's taught me about the basics, but I don't know much more than that. I've never really surfed before."
Bridgette looks surprised, olive green eyes widening the slightest bit, and then a smile spreads across her lips. "Maybe after the competition, I could teach you? I used to teach back in high school, and if you're going to be friends with Geoff, you might as well learn."
"That sounds great!" Courtney answers quicker than she'd like, and she slightly winces at the enthusiasm in her tone.
The blonde girl's smile brightens, seemingly happy that Courtney accepted her offer. "Awesome! Can't wait to teach you." She's soon pulled away by an announcer calling for the participants to get ready, and Bridgette waves at the group before rushing away.
Courtney can't help but stare as she walks off, and Duncan elbows her, noticing the ogling. "You're gonna' learn how to surf, huh? About time. Geoff's been trying to convince you for months."
The brunette scoffs, rolling her eyes and elbowing Duncan back, relishing in the slight wince he lets out. "Bridgette seems like a better teacher. It's as simple as that," she explains, though judging by the look the delinquent sends her, he isn't buying it.
Geoff does, because he pouts and turns to DJ, asking, "I'm not that bad, am I?"
"Eh…" DJ responds, before Duncan intervenes and points out an open spot on the beach for them to sit.
They set up an umbrella and throw their towels down, sitting together as a group. Gwen and Courtney share a towel that is directly under the umbrella, the cooler in between them, DJ and Duncan share another that's halfway under the umbrella, and Geoff sits in a folding camping chair he had brought from his parents house. They all watch as the surfers who are competing start to get in the water, and Courtney immediately spots Bridgette laying on her surfboard and making her way further out into the Pacific ocean.
Bridgette is clearly in her element, looking across the water at the incoming waves. And when she does meet the waves? She's incredible.
Courtney finds herself openly gawking at Bridgette as she surfs, and she wishes she had binoculars so she could get a closer look. The blonde is surfing circles around the others, ponytail flying behind her in the wind as she carefully balances on her surfboard. It's like she's one with the water, and it's gorgeous.
Gwen notices the gawking, and she laughs quietly, the sound breaking Courtney out of her daze. "She's awesome, right? You'll be in great hands."
"She's cool alright," Courtney admires, watching as Bridgette is led back to shore by the wave. The crowd that's gathered on the beach cheers, and she finds herself joining the cries of joy, watching as the blonde smiles and waves at the crowd.
Somehow, their eyes lock, and Courtney nearly blushes when Bridgette winks at her, instead waving and standing up so she could make her way to her. It takes her a minute, but finally, the surfer is within her reach, and she has to stop herself from hugging her. "That was awesome! You really are a professional."
"Awe, thanks," Bridgette laughs bashfully, her bangs nearly glued to her face. Courtney reaches out to tug the blonde strands behind her ears, and both of them flush at the gesture, though Bridgette once again laughs it off.
Time passes, and Bridgette is announced as the winner of her category, which earns a loud cheer from the crowd. She's awarded with a medal that she wears around her neck proudly, biting the medal as she poses for a picture.
Courtney wishes she had a camera so she could take her own picture.
The crowds begin to disperse, only a few stragglers left behind, including their group. Gwen eventually says that she's going back to the rental, and Duncan and DJ offer to tag along, mostly so they could get started on dinner and drinking. Courtney and Geoff stay behind, the latter because he wants to talk to a few of his buddies, and Courtney because she was promised a surfing lesson.
She looks around for Bridgette, finally spotting her near the water, surfboard on the sand beside her. The sunlight hits her hair just right, making a faint halo appear for a split second around her head, and Courtney wonders if she really is an angel.
Quickly shaking that thought out of her head, Courtney approaches Bridgette, taking a seat next to her. "You did really good today," she compliments, mind still racing of images of Bridgette surfing earlier. The girl had clearly been in her element, riding the waves like it was second nature.
The blonde girl turns and greets Courtney with a smile, resting her chin in her palm. She sits cross legged on the sand, their knees barely brushing. "Awe, thanks. I've been surfing ever since I could walk."
"I could tell," Courtney tells her, face growing warm as her knee touches Bridgette's. She smiles faintly, looking out at the water, a faint sigh escaping her. "It's beautiful here. It definitely beats Vancouver's scenery."
"You live in Vancouver?" Bridgette asks, shifting her body ever so slightly so she could properly face the other girl. When Courtney nods, she practically beams, smile brightening more than it already has. "So do I! I go to UBC."
"Gwen mentioned you were studying marine biology," Courtney recounts, glancing over at Bridgette, who looks ecstatic at the news. "I'm a law student myself."
They talk about their times at university, name-calling professors and recounting stories from their peers. The conversation flows easily between them, in a way that Courtney hasn't experienced since her freshman year of university, and as the sun sets, she never wants to conversation to end.
However, she was promised a surfing lesson, and Bridgette seems determined to teach her. As she instructs Courtney how to lay on the surfboard, she stands in the water with her, a hand on Courtney's lower back to keep her from falling off.
"Push yourself up slowly onto your knees," Bridgette says, helping Courtney get into a kneeling position with a guiding hand. The brunette manages to sit on her knees on the surfboard, insides feeling fuzzy at the warm, gentle hand on her lower back.
Unfortunately, there aren't too many small waves, so Bridgette decides to pull Courtney along in the water, teaching her how to keep her balance as she moves through the ocean. Laughs bubble from Courtney's throat, uncontrollable laughter escaping her as she's tugged along. She quickly realizes she hasn't had this much fun in a long time, and she never wants it to end.
Afterwards, as the sky darkens, the two girls make it back to shore. They're both all giggles and smiles, stepping onto the sand and bumping shoulders.
"I haven't had that much fun in ages!" Courtney admits through quiet laughs, heart threatening to burst from her throat. Then, a thought pops into her head. "Do you want to come over to our rental? DJ makes enough food to feed a small army, and you can catch up with the others."
Bridgette agrees with a nod, hoisting her surfboard up to carry. "Ugh, DJ's cooking is the best," she says, mouth practically watering at the thought of the man's cooking. "Have you tried his curry? It's to die for."
The two begin to walk the short distance to the rental cabin, Geoff catching up with them. He offers to carry Bridgette's surfboard, which she takes him up on, and the three talk to one another about the competition, as well as any plans for tomorrow.
"Hopefully there's better waves tomorrow, so I can actually teach you how to surf," Bridgette tells Courtney, looking at her with a soft look in her eyes.
"Can't wait," Courtney replies, finding that she's genuinely excited for tomorrow.
They make it back to cabin in one piece, and DJ has just finished grilling out skewers. When he sees Bridgette, he pulls her into a hug, telling her that there's veggie skewers, because Duncan thought that she would probably come over.
Taking their food outside, they all sit around the fire pit, Courtney sharing a seat with Duncan. Across the flames, she makes eye contact with Bridgette, who sits by Geoff's side, and the girls share a small, shy smile with one another.
Courtney can't wait for tomorrow.