Stairways | A Surviving Summer FanFiction

Part 23 -Forgiveness

You jolt awake suddenly, your ears ringing as you clench your fists, feeling sand beneath them and you try to get your bearings. Ari is on one side of you, and Marlon is crouched the other side, and for once in his life he actually looks like he's concerned for you.

"Y/n? You okay?" he says breathlessly, and you sit up on your elbows, before you realise the person who asked how you were was Ari, perched on the sand the other side of you.

"Shut the hell up." you say, unable to keep your anger back anymore. You know it's not directly his fault that you were held down or anything like that, but you were distracted, and that was his fault. And Poppy's. But then again, Poppy didn't know anything about the moments you'd shared with Ari.

Ari looks confused, maybe a little hurt but you don't care for now. The leg of your wetsuit feels loose, and you look down to see it's been ripped, and your leg is covered in blood. Oops. Guess it's not as healed as you thought.

"Okay, okay guys, let's back up yeah?" Manu says, ushering Poppy and Summer back as he assesses the situation. "Y/n, I've called a medic she'll be over in a second. Ari, your heat's up in a minute; you need to go."

You watch as Ari reluctantly steps away, his eyes fixed on you before he looks down with a sigh as he walks away.

"That was a real kook move, Y/n. I don't even know what that means but I know it was." Summer laughs, and you can't help but smile back.

"I'm glad you're okay though." Marlon replies, and you notice his voice is a little shaky.

"Hey where's Bodhi?" you ask, trying to take your mind off the pain in your leg. Your head is pounding too, probably from being underwater too long.

"I don't know. I texted her, but we're kind of fighting still." Marlon shrugs, and you roll your eyes.

Suddenly, looking in between Summer and Marlon you see two figures walking from one of the tents, one of them looking panicked as she fixes her glare in your direction.

"Y/n! What happened?" she says, practically pushing Marlon out the way as she drops to her knees next to you, kissing your forehead.

"Just jumped the wrong way. It's not that bad."

"Not that bad? Look at you!"

The other woman that your mum was walking with stepped forward, placing a first aid bag on the ground.

After the medic has finished checking you over and wrapping up your bleeding leg, Marlon half-supports, half-carries you to one of the tents at the edge of the beach, sitting down next to you on the sand whilst your mum mutters something about going to speak to the officials about getting you another shot in another heat. But you don't want one, and to be honest, you really don't think you'll be surfing for a while - your leg is killing you and the pounding in your head has yet to subside.

"It's sad you didn't even get one wave in." Marlon says. "You could have scored high enough to get through."

You scoff. "Yeah right. Did Poppy make it through?"

"Yeah, although Sheridon beat her."

"You should try making up with Bodhi, y'know." you say, watching his face as his smile fades. "What's going on with you two?"

"I told you what's going on." He replies. "Anyway, you're one to talk. What's going on with you and Ari?"

"There's nothing going on with me and Ari. I don't know what you mean."

"You told him to shut the hell up earlier." he sighed. "I don't want it to be weird with everyone again. Me and Ari have just made up after a year."