Stick Around ✔

𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘳 ~ 𝘯𝘰-𝘴𝘬𝘺 𝘑𝘶𝘭𝘺

"You have got to be shitting me." Are the first seven words that fall out my mouth when I draw back my curtains and see that there's low-lying clouds hanging over the ocean.

Even if the surf was good, which it isn't really, I wouldn't risk going out with that light anyway.

With a heavy sigh, I let the curtain fall back and flop back onto my bed. I stay like that for a couple of minutes before I sit up rapidly, remembering Reiley.

"Ah..." I rub my head after getting a head rush.

When I finally step out of my van, leaving my warm bed, Reiley's nowhere around, so I guess either he went to the Oasis Moon or home...

Last night, swimming in the sea, I don't think I've been so close to anybody physically for a long while. It just made my heart feel a little heavier in my chest.

I drag some random clothes over my body, figuring that there's no chance of me surfing today.

Realising how hungry I am, I fix myself some breakfast that consists of almond milk on cereal, followed by an apple; after all, an apple a day keeps the doctor away...unless the doctor's good-looking, then screw the apples.

The air's cold outside, probably because of the mist hovering around.

I decide to grab a hoodie, and pull that over my body as well.

As I get to the Oasis Moon, after walking across a foggy beach, I see that Reiley's not there, and neither is that brunette from yesterday.

"Hello?" I call out, pushing the door open.

The place seems empty, like it should still be closed, apart from the fact that the door is open, and the Open/Closed sign on the door has been flipped to 'Open'. A voice starts talking, and they walk out from a back room that I hadn't seen the past couple of times that I've been here.

"I'm telling you, dude, it's gonna clear up around midday." He's talking on a phone, his back turned to me as he wraps his apron around his waist, phone pressed between his shoulder and ear. "Yeah, and the waves will be good as well...yeah, well, I gotta go now, dude. I'll catch you later."

He hangs up and turns to me, "What can I get you? Skye?"

"Reiley." I feel my cheeks turn pink almost instantly. "Hi."

"Hi." Reiley smiles, "So, how are you recovering from last night's swim?"

"I'm fine, this weather totally sucks though." I sigh, flopping into a stool at the counter.

Reiley starts making me a coffee, even though I never asked for one.

"It'll clear up at noon." He tells me, self-assured, "That's what I was just telling Cole on the phone. He never believes me, and he's lived here longer than me!" Reiley shakes his head, light-heartedly despairing his friend.

"I highly doubt that." I raise an eyebrow.

"I bet you it'll clear up." Reiley insists.

"What are we betting?" I've always been good at gambling—I took a gamble when I bought Bessie from that scrap yard, for God's sake.

"I bet you...a cup of coffee that it'll clear up." He then explains, "If it does clear up, then you have to make me a coffee back at your van and invite me inside, but if it doesn't clear up, then I make you a coffee here, free of charge – sound fair?"

"No." I shake my head, "If you win the bet, you get a lot more than if I won the bet. How about if I win the bet, as well as the free coffee, I get to ask you a couple of questions?"