Ocean waves (poppy tetanui)

3 🌧️

I slowly opened my eyes as the sun's rays bathed my face in warmth. Blinking away the remnants of sleep, I sat up slowly, feeling the familiar weight of the morning. Reaching for my phone on the bedside table, I saw a notification from Poppy. A smile spread across my face as I read her message: "Hey love, I hope I see you today. And I know yesterday wasn't what we hoped for but you are amazing and it'll be okay I love you." My heart swelled with affection as I typed back, "Hey babe, I will be there. I love you too." I sent the message and sighed contentedly, taking a moment to bask in the sweetness of her words.

With a deep breath, I swung my legs out of bed and stood up, stretching. I made my way to the closet, selecting some workout clothes for the day ahead. As I stepped into the bathroom, I stopped at the sink and looked at my reflection. After a moment's pause, I undressed and stepped into the shower, letting the hot water wash away the last traces of sleepiness and thoughts of yesterday. The steam filled the bathroom, and I closed my eyes, enjoying the tranquility.

Once I finished my shower, I dried off and dressed quickly in my workout gear. I emerged from the bathroom, gathered my dirty clothes, and tossed them into the hamper. Grabbing my phone, I left my room and headed to the kitchen, where Mom was already up.

"Good morning," I greeted her, my voice still a bit groggy.

Mom looked up from her coffee and smiled warmly. "Good morning, sweetheart. How are you feeling?"

I shrugged, trying to sound more upbeat than I felt. "I'm okay."

Mom sighed, a hint of sadness in her eyes. "I'm sorry they took your place and gave it to Summer. I called, and they said the new coach made the decision."

Frowning, I asked, "The new coach?"

She nodded. "Yes, apparently the new coach decided to replace you with Summer."

I felt a pang of frustration. "Why would they let the new coach replace a surfer with another?"

Mom shrugged, clearly just as puzzled as I was. "I don't know, but I'm sorry it happened."

I nodded, trying to reassure her. "It's okay, Mom. It's not your fault."

I walked to the fridge and took out a water bottle, twisting off the cap. "I'm going with them, apparently. I’m a sub with Marlon in case someone gets hurt."

Mom nodded, looking sympathetic. "Are you taking the car?"

"Yeah," I replied, taking a sip of my water.

Mom rummaged through her bag and pulled out the keys. "It has gas, so I think you'll be good."

I took the keys and smiled. "Thanks, Mom."

As I headed for the door, I heard her call out, "Say hi to Poppy for me!"

I chuckled, closing the door behind me. I walked to the car, got in, and started the engine. Plugging my phone into the speaker system, I selected "Lunch" by Billie Eilish and backed out of the driveway. Setting the GPS for Marlon's house, I drove off, the familiar roads passing by in a blur as the music filled the car.

After a long drive and listening to several songs, I finally arrived at Marlon's house. I was about to text him that I was outside when I saw him already emerging from his front door. I unlocked the car doors, and he hopped in with a cheerful, "Good morning, Brazil."

"Good morning, America," I replied with a grin, pulling away from the curb. "How was your morning?"

"It was alright," Marlon said, buckling his seatbelt. "And yours?"