Tides of Love

Chapter 3 - Don't Forget: Self-pity Never Helped Anyone

Then

26. Proof read assessment and submit

27. Watch round 1 final and note improvements

28. Visit my famil-

"Hey, Little Em!"

I glance up from my notepad in irritation. Win stands over me, backlit by the Californian sunshine, exuding good vibes in a thoroughly annoying manner. My body immediately reacts; my traitorous cells all spinning in giddy circles at the prospect of closeness with this man.

It's been weeks since Win rejected me and strolled out of my hotel room at the start of the tour. Since then, we've completed the first round of the competition and flown over to Southern California for the start of round two. I've been waiting for Win to approach me, because I am absolutely not putting myself back out there again when it comes to this man, but other than a few passing 'hellos' and a very vivid sexy dream starring Win in a pair of red silk boxer shorts, I haven't seen much of him at all.

Which just goes to show that he really is a player. After all, if he liked me the way he said he did, he should have been all over me – right?

I internally command all my biological functions to get a grip, then say as icily as possible, "What can I do for you, Winiata? You interrupted my list."

"What list?"

He cocks his head and tries to read, but I block the page with my arm. "I'm finishing my university degree," I say. "I have lists upon lists of things I need to do every day." Which is true, but not the whole truth. What I don't say is that I've been struggling since coming on the tour; balancing coursework and keeping up with tour commitments has been harder than expected – and now I'm technically only a few minutes from my parents' place, I'm playing with fire by not visiting home. My lists help me to feel like I've got things under control.

I might never admit it, but since starting the tour, I'm lonely. I've never really had friends, never really needed them, but at least when I was studying, there were plenty of other nerdy loners like me, so it didn't seem so bad. Now, I'm on the tour, surrounded by friendship circles and relationships. The contrast to my own solitary life is too bleak to ignore.

Unaware of any of this, Win says in awe, "You're in uni? Bro, that's insane!"

"I'm not your bro," I say, smiling.

"What are you studying?"

"Finance and Business."

"You must be hella smart, girl. How do you keep up with everything?"

"With lists," I retort, secretly pleased by how impressed he is.

"Lists for the win! So, this place is cool," he says blithely, sitting down across from me. The wifi in my room was woeful, so I've come down to my old café; it's an old beach shack, done up in eclectic boho chic style. I'm seated outside on a white tiled table, drinking a herbal concoction from a navy and white tea set.

And although I know I shouldn't engage with him, I find myself saying to Win, "This is one of my favourite places in the world. I used to come here every day after my morning surf."

"That's right – I forgot you're a Cali local." Win gestures around and says, "What was it like to grow up somewhere that looks like a TV show?"

"It was good," I say carefully. "But it's not like you see on screen, not really. I went to a normal school, lived in a normal suburb in a normal house."