Page 82 of Sparks Like Ours

“Doesn’t look like there are too many more of those on thehorizon. Not the way you’re surfing.”

“You’re sweet to say so. Looking forward to the semis!”

“We’ll be watching,” Shoshana said, and offered her a high five.

When the cameras were gone, the fans all signed for, Elle returnedto the locker room and gathered her belongings. She’d walked away triumphantonce again, doing what she did best. Somehow the wins felt hollow, however. Sheknew why, of course. She just couldn’t allow herself to dwell. When she learnedjust an hour later that she’d be going head-to-head with Gia in thetournament’s semifinals, she knew she had more than a little mental prep aheadof her. Just the thought had her hands sweating, her shoulders tensing, and herheart squeezing uncomfortably.

Whoever said life was easy?

* * *

“You’re going to go out there and tackle each and every wave thatlooks like it has possibility. No holding back for the perfect specimen. Youhear me?” Hadley asked, with her serious face on.

“I hear you,” Gia said. “You’re scarier than Katrina with thatglare.”

“Yeah, well, she’s not here, so you’re stuck with me.”

“Got it, Coach. Taking the aggressive approach, right out of thegate.”

“And you’re not going to worry about surfing against Elle. It’simpossible for both of you to win, so take this one.”

Gia softened, less emphatic about this point. “That’s the plan.”

When she and Elle paddled out, she was feeling less sure. Butshe’d laid the proper foundation and had her focus steady up until this point.There was no way she was gonna falter now.

“You okay?” Elle called from several yards away. Gia nodded andoffered her the thumbs-up sign. She had priority and would be up first. Shewaited, letting one wave after another pass without engaging. All eyes were onher, but she just couldn’t seem to make herself attack. In her peripheral shesaw Elle paddle over to her.

“Hey, what’s going on?”

“Just need to shake loose a little.”

“Okay,” Elle said, calmly. “I want you to turn your brain off,okay? This next one’s yours. See it out there?”

Gia nodded.

“Good. Now take a deep breath and get ready to charge.”

Gia met Elle’s eyes and took on strength. She remembered herself,took that breath, and went for it.

From that point forward, the heat was a back and forth ofinnovation. One killer ride after another from both her and Elle, making thefinal margin a very tight one. In the end, Elle took the semis with four tenthsof a point over Gia. One of the best damn matchups she’d seen in a while.

Didn’t matter that she’d lost. It was the kind of competition, thekind of surfing Gia lived for. Would the win have been nice? Of course, but itwasn’t meant to be. Elle had earned it, and there was a big part of Giabursting with pride for her. She’d kick ass in the final, and that was the waythis tournament was meant to go. A showing in the semis would still prove goodfor Gia’s ranking, and she’d take it.

Underneath all of that, she wished she’d be there to celebratethis victory with Elle and to cheer her on in the finals. She’d do thatsilently, but it wasn’t the same. In fact, had she hung around, maybe therewouldn’t even have been a final for Elle. That was still a bitter pill toswallow.

“You put up a good fight,” Hadley said, as they walked back to theresort together.

“Thanks, Had. I’m proud of the way I surfed. And of Elle.”

“You know something? You’re a good egg, Gia, and you deserve theworld. I wish you could find a way to take it for yourself.”

Gia felt that familiar ache as she ruminated on all she’d lost.“Yeah. Me, too.”

Chapter Eighteen

Two weeks later, it was a beautiful morning in Venice Beach,relatively warm and bursting with the kind of sunshine that makes a person wantto stay outdoors all day. Gia had gotten in an early morning surf session whenthe waves were hoppin’ and stopped by Pajamas late morning for a secondpick-me-up. She waited in line patiently behind Larry Herman, who ordered hisvery specific drink and stepped down the counter.

“Caramel lattice drizzle for you, too?” Autumn asked with a wink.

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