When you love me

No forgiveness

Lila and I stood in the corner talking. She talks about her parents, about Gavin and his unique eccentricity, what Hailey was like when she was alive, until I noticed a certain emotion in her talk about her.

— Were you and Hailey very close? — I question.

— We were lovers, Jennie.

I'm surprised, but I think it was already very obvious, since she always talks about Hailey with enthusiasm. I should have caught it a long time ago.

— Were you together, were you girlfriends?

She shakes her head.

— We were going to tell everyone, we were planning it, but Hailey wanted to do it after the championship, because she believed she would have more respect from the veterans, something like that. I just... agreed, because I thought she was dealing with a lot of pressure in surfing.

— Does Ryan know?

— I don't think so. He never said anything to me, and I never said anything to him. My heart died along with Hailey, and I'm just... existing, without her. — Her voice is filled with sadness, and I want to hug her.

— She must have been very special to you, Lila. I'm sure you were very special to her too.

— Thank you, Jennie.

Finally I hug her and she comforts herself on my shoulder.

— Hey, Sarah's with Ryan! — she says, her voice startled.

I look to the side and see Ryan talking to Sarah. The two move away from the group, heading towards the dunes, which are a few meters away. My heart races and I stop breathing, feeling suffocated.

— What... what is he doing to her? — I ask, without looking at Lila, as I know she is worried about me.

— Go after him.

— No. I'm not going to make a fool of myself. He went there, with her, because he wanted to, knowing that it would hurt me... — I start to cry.

— Jennie, don't be like that. It may be nothing, and Sarah is very persuasive. He may have gone to put an end to all this.

— They're not together anymore, Lila. They broke up, she abandoned him, right? Why would he do that after all? And knowing how much it would hurt me?

Lila tries to comfort me and convince me that Ryan wouldn't do anything to hurt me, that it wasn't his style, but I tried to remind her that he and Sarah had a history together, and he loved her so much more than he loves me now. .

I leave the luau alone, heading towards the street, on foot, crying, heartbroken and desolate. I hear a car coming up behind me and stopping next to me. It's Cole.

— In between. — he orders — I'll give you a ride.

I don't want to refuse, because I wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible.

I get in the car and he takes the car out, ripping off tires. I avoid looking at him because I'm still crying, and for some reason I don't want him to see me like that.

— Don't take me home now. - I ask.

— Where do you want to go?

— Anywhere, just get me out of here.

Ryan would look for me at home, and I don't want to find him. I wanted to be far away, away from him. Far from everything.

Cole just drives in silence and we stop at another beach, which is secluded and quiet. It was everything I needed, silence, isolation, even if it was next to Cole.