Beyond The Fine Line

Chapter LXXVII - Road trip - part 1

The road stretched out under a cloudless sky, the air already heavy with the promise of heat. Cicadas sang loud and unrelenting in the background, their hum rising with the shimmer off the bitumen. Along the coastline, waves curled and broke in slow motion, like the world had finally decided to move at half-speed. It was the kind of summer that didn't ask for anything – not explanations, not apologies. Just presence.

The open Jeep moved smoothly along the coastal road, the warm breeze carrying the scent of eucalyptus and salt. Their large backpacks, camping gear and two surfing boards were secured on the back. Sean had one hand on the wheel, the other draped across the seats, absentmindedly playing with Jay's hair.

Jay had his elbow hooked on the door, his wrist relaxed as he tapped absent patterns against the metal. He wore a loose tank top with wide-cut sides exposing part of Chinese calligraphy and light blue linen Bermudas. The morning sun bounced off his brown gradient aviators, masking whatever was behind them. There was a smile on Jay's lips – faint, almost careless. But Sean knew that look. It was the smile that never touched his eyes.

"You've been mentioning a surfing road trip along the Goldie and down for so long and always choosing something else that I never expected you to actually do this," he said, his fingers pausing in Jay's hair. "But thanks for letting me tag along."

Jay lowered his sunglasses and gave him a knowing look. "You would follow me anyway, so this felt more reasonable than dealing with a persistent stalker for the next two weeks."

Sean smiled to himself, genuinely happy that Jay let him join on his road trip... that they could have this time, a little off-grid and with no work in sight. Even if Jay kept a slight distance like, he didn't quite believe Sean was serious about recalibrating everything and keeping his focus where it should have been all along.

"Harsh, but I will take it."

His brows furrowed slightly as he took off his glasses, meeting his eyes directly. "Are you really just going to put up with everything without complaints?"

This question caught him off guard because Sean knew he wasn't just teasing – not really. Jay was confronting a pattern that had settled between them since he went to see him in Edinburgh last week. A pattern where Jay could say or do anything, and Sean would go along with it. He always liked to indulge him, but this time was different... Sean couldn't forgive himself for all the hurt he caused and tried to make up for it in any way possible. Even if it wasn't healthy.

"Are you complaining about basically having a free pass?" he chuckled, but his grip on the steering wheel tightened. "Unbelievable."

Jay sighed and popped his aviators back on. "Fine."

Sean froze, his eyes briefly flickering to Jay's smug smirk. He was certain that Jay was going to push it as far as possible, turning his life into pure hell just to prove a point. But he didn't mind. Not only because part of him felt like he owed Jay that much, but most importantly, Sean wanted to see him happy again.

Finally, the Jeep rolled into the beachside car park, framing the waves breaking at Snapper Rocks. A handful of surfers were already out, dotting the water, and the late-morning beach crowd milled about in no particular hurry – some sprawled on towels, others playing volleyball near the dunes. The atmosphere was vibrant yet laid-back, a perfect start for their trip.

Jay stepped out of the car and stretched, gazing at the golden sand and turquoise water forming long, peeling right-hand waves. "Do you want to grab a late breakfast first?"

"Sure, I'm starving."

"Now to think, I'm actually not that hungry," Jay responded with a cheeky, one-sided smile. "Let's hit the waves first."