Another Wave of You ✓

46 • Don't Let Go

Chapter Forty-Six

❝The sunset is proof that sometimes,

endings can be beautiful, too.❞

Theo packed the last of their things.

     Piled up on the corner of their living room were suitcases and duffel bags, and everything that reminded him that his summer trip had lasted longer than anyone would've expected.

     The past few months couldn't feel any shorter.

     Zach came out of the room with a simple jersey and shorts, taking a bite from his apple. "Is that everything?" He nodded to the stack.

    "Almost." He flopped on the couch, taking a last look at the apartment — now clean and polished like they hadn't been living there at all. "Time flies, yeah?"

    "You can say that again." Zach leaned against the kitchen counter. "You ready to head back?"

     Head back. To San Diego. 

     For a while, he almost forgot that he had a life back there. Back home. In fact, home seemed ever-shifting — where was it? Was it a place, a person, a feeling? Was it where you were born, or where you found yourself?

     He only shook his head. 

    "Well, you know what I'm ready for." The blond quickly padded back to the bedroom only to come out with the infamous golden trophy. "This baby." He gave it a loud kiss.

     Theo chuckled. "Your ticket to the whole world, my friend."

     He knew what he meant. The advantages of being the winner of the East Coast Surfing Championships were vast; scholarships, tournaments, invitations to sport events, and on top of that, just plain exposure. Theo wouldn't be surprised if he someday saw his best friend appear on TV one day.

    "Yeah." Zach looked away for a bit, placing the trophy down. "I still can't believe that dickhead did it."

     The air became tense. None of them had really talked about that part; about Travis sacrificing his own title. What did Theo think? Well, what everyone was thinking — that it was damn good of him to do. But he knew him too well. He wasn't ready to forget all the horrible things he did and said, to Zach, to El, to him. To everyone he had the unfortunate faith to cross. He refused to see it as a last attempt for redemption. Even after Travis tried to explain himself to him. He wasn't like El.