Knocks sound against my bedroom door, warning me to wipe my tear-stained cheeks in an effort to hide them from whoever may be on the other side.

"Lela, sweetie?" My Momma announces softly, "Can I come in?"

"One sec," I blurt out weakly, forcing myself to sit up in my bed and try to correct my pitiful appearance.

If there is one thing I hate the most, it's for others to see my cry, especially those that mean the most to me. Besides, I'm not in the mood for talking about the Marine who broke his promise because I know that talking about it will only make me cry more. Even if I was up for a conversation, it's not like I can talk to her about it anyway, so instead, I'll stay silent and do my best to hide the sadness that's kept me moping on this stupid mattress for most of the week.

Running my fingers through the tangles of curls on my head, and brushing under my eyes one last time, I finally call back, "Come in."

Carefully she opens the door, stepping in quietly as her face wears a sympathetic and warm smile. "Hey, honey. I was just coming in to check on you," she says, sitting down against the edge of the bed. "Is everything okay? You haven't seemed like yourself these last few days."

"I'm fine," I lie, pulling my eyes down to the mess of sheets covering my legs. "I'm just tired is all."

"Don't lie to me," she insists, tugging against my chin and making me look her in the eye. Black hair spills around her face, stringing around her cheeks and encasing her brown, empathetic eyes. Studying me, she says, "You've been crying. What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Momma. Really, I'm fine," I mumble. "I'm just tired."

"Did something happen this weekend that I don't know about? I thought you'd be happy after your big win. You did amazing, Lela. Is it about school? I told you that your Dad and I talked and agreed you could hold off a bit while you're preparing for the next competition."

All too suddenly, my eyes start to water, her words making it hard to hold back the cry I can feel aching at the back of my throat. Unfortunately, this time I can't stop myself as the tears start to stream down my face.

"It's not that," I cry, slouching my back over and finally allowing my pent-up emotions to leak out.

"Then what, honey? Talk to me," she hushes, placing a gentle hand against my back. "Is it Alana? Something happen between you two?"

I shake my head no, unable to find my voice to give her an actual answer. Pulling me into her embrace, she puts a pause on the questioning and spends the next few minutes just holding me and allowing me to cry.

My mind forces me to watch a cruel replay of Brodie's and my last interaction, once again making my chest sting with the truth Hammond revealed to me. Maybe my Mom and Dad are right, maybe I am still just a kid- a naive one, incapable of forming a proper judgment about people and situations. Brodie just made it too damn hard, he made it practically impossible to believe that his intentions could be anything but true. The hopeful part of me wants to think that everything Hammond said only stemmed from his own jealousy, but another part of me- the one that was deceived and broken before- won't allow me to settle with that idea. I told Brodie from the beginning that I didn't want to play any games, and now it turns out that our relationship started from just that.

Brushing her hands under my jaw, my Momma forces my head up and asks, "Is it a boy?"

But she already knows the answer to that question because she's only seen me upset like this once before. "I hate them," I sniffle. "I hate every single one of them. I might as well become a nun."

"You wouldn't last a day in a monastery. You've never been a girl who sticks to the rules, now have you?" She giggles, making me laugh too. Her knuckle smooths against my cheeks wiping away the rest of my tears as she begins to say, "Relationships are hard, Lela, but when you find the right person, they'll make the challenges worth it. Hell, sometimes the challenges are what bring the fun."

"Is that what you tell yourself before you go to sleep next to Matt Campbell every night?" I tease, earning a rough shove from her.

"Now, you hush," she chuckles. "You want to tell me more about this boy who's got you locked in your room all week, or no?"

"I'd rather not," I whisper back, knowing that she'd probably be disappointed in me for breaking the promise I made to her and my Dad a couple of years ago and allowing another Marine to break my heart. " There's nothing to say, anyway. It's over. I broke things off."

Lifting an eyebrow my way, she replies, "The heart wants what it wants, Lela, and by those bloodshot eyes of yours, I'll tell you that this boy isn't a done deal in your heart just yet."

"Yes, he is," I blurt back defensively. "I'm never talking to him again."

Her eyes study me for a moment, and I know they're searching for more of an explanation but I refuse to give her one because even though Brodie and I have ended, the secret behind the two of us is still alive and kicking. If she knows it, Dad will find out, and if he finds out, I can kiss surfing and any ounce of trust they have in me goodbye; and quite frankly, I'm fucking sick of goodbyes.

"You going to be okay, sweetie? I hate seeing you upset like this."

"I'll be okay," I say weakly, contemplating how long it will take for that statement to be true. It feels like I'm grieving the loss of someone still alive, and I hate the way that I miss Brodie but I'll be damned if I let a man use me as a pawn in his games ever again.

"You promise me?"

"I promise, Momma," I reply, feeling my heavy eyes finally begin to dry. Skimming my gaze over her appearance as she gets up from the bed and makes her way towards my bedroom door, I finally notice the curls in her hair and the alluring makeup coating her face. Using the subject to my advantage in an effort to pull the conversation away from me, I ask, "And where are you headed today all dressed up, huh?"

She blushes, standing in the doorway sheepishly as she answers, "I'm just headed out to grab a bite is all."

"With Dad? I thought he had to work today?"

"Oh, he does. I was just planning on going out with the girls," she says, smoothing her hands down the flowy, summer dress clinging to her body. "Unless you'd rather me stay here? We can pick up some takeout, watch a god-awful comedy, and-"

"No," I interrupt her quickly, wanting her to take advantage of the time she finally gets to have to herself without the demands of the cafe holding her hostage. "Go. Have fun, really. I'm supposed to be meeting Alana later today anyways."

"Are you sure?" She checks again, observing my body language closely.

"I'm positive," I assure, forcing a smile to my face and finally making myself stand up from the bed. Crossing over to my closet, I state, "In fact, I should probably start getting ready."

"Okay, honey. I'll have your Dad pick up Aiden from camp after work and you can just enjoy you two's day together. I'll see you tonight, alright?"

"Thank you, Momma," I call back as my hands rustle into the pile of clothes in my closet for a bathing suit to slip on. "I'll see you tonight. Love you."

"Love you too, Lela," she says, turning into the hallway. "And sweetie, just remember, it's not bad to give the right people a second chance sometimes."

She leaves before I have an opportunity to respond, and the silence left in her trail has me thinking hard about the statement. I don't think she would have said that if she knew the secret I have been hiding from her and my Dad.

༄༄༄

Alana's car honks for me outside, and I hurry to gather my things, slinging my bag over my shoulder and sliding my slippahs on my feet quickly before heading out the door. Music spills from the open windows of the vehicle, and she wears a wide, devious grin as she takes in the red bathing suit clung to my tanned skin.

"Hot damn, Chicka! Talk about breakup revenge; my lady is looking hot!"

I chuckle as I climb up into the passenger seat, my low spirits already feeling rejuvenated in just one moment of her presence. "I could say the same," I reply, nodding over to her low, v-neck, one-piece bathing suit and the wild, ringlet curls bouncing on top of her head. "Thanks for picking me up. I've been in desperate need of a girls' day. One with no damn testosterone present."

"I hope we're not planning to make this a habit, though," she jokes, tossing the gear shift to drive. "I don't think my body can last too long without a male gaze planted on it."

"You're so dramatic," I cackle, feeling relieved to finally feel the island's warm wind brush against my skin again as we cruise down the sunlit roads. I think I've figured out the perfect recipe to cure my breakup sadness; sunshine, ocean water, and Alana. "What beach are we headed to, anyway? Could we maybe avoid the ones you-know-who and I have been?"

"God, Lela," she giggles, glancing over my way. "The man isn't Voldemort, you know? You can say his name. Have you even talked since the competition? You should at least hear him out because you know you won't be able to avoid him forever. Not on this island."

"Hear him out?" I scoff, throwing myself back against the seat. "Who's side are you on, Alana? He lied to me. And have you forgotten about what happened with Jason?"

"Of course I haven't," she argues, rolling her eyes. "But Brodie isn't Jason, alright? He's a good guy, I know it, and I can also tell he genuinely cares about you. Anybody can see it in the way that he looks at you."

"The way that he looks at me?" I repeat, bashful laughter escaping the back of my throat. "What are you even talking about?"

"I'm talking about the way he looks at you like you're the only goddamn person on the planet; like you're the most mesmerizing thing he's ever seen. He's crazy about you, and quite frankly," she continues, shrugging her shoulders as her hands pull against the steering wheel, "I think you're stupid if you don't see that."

"He placed a bet on me, Alana! It's been a game to him from the start. I'm not going to be used again."

Shaking her head fervently, she disagrees, "I don't care what you say, Lela. That boy is crazy about you and you can't convince me otherwise. I think you're making a mistake by not hearing what he has to say."

"And I think you're being an asshole, right now," I argue, crossing my arms against my chest. "Can we just not talk about him, anymore, please? I'd really like to not cry anymore today. I think my body's nearly run out of tears."

Alana sighs, finally agreeing, "Fine. Whatever you say."

We're silent the rest of the drive, summer music filling in the spaces of quiet until she stops the car against the side of the road and parks off of the side of the asphalt. My eyes take in the rocky terrain stretching out beside us, a blue ocean crashing into its sandy banks.

"I thought we were headed to the beach?" I question, squinting my eyes over to her curiously. "You brought our surfboards and everything? We can't surf here."

"I mean technically this is a beach," she affirms, wearing a smirk. "Besides, I thought exploring the mermaid caves would be more fun."

"I guess you're not wrong," I smile, shoving my bag underneath the seat before jumping out of the car eagerly. Maybe a spontaneous adventure is just what I need. Alana joins at my side, locking up the car before we start our journey down the uneven path leading down towards the caves. Feeling the sun warm my skin and hearing the waves crash in the distance, I let out a relieved breath. "This will be nice, you know? Just a day for me and you. Just the two of us, and I can have a chance to get my mind off of you-know-who."

Even though I know it won't kill me to say his name, I choose not to because I know it has the potential to stir up the raw emotions I can sense waiting to escape.

"Lelani, I need to tell you something," Alana blurts back all too quickly as she continues to lead us down the trail. "Don't be mad at me, okay?"

My heart starts to race as my ears register her unexpected apology, and in an instant, I start to realize that it's not going to be just me and her today. "Alana, what the hell did you do?"

"Look, I just thought that- I just thought that maybe it would be fun to invite some other people along."

"Other people, like who?" I grit out through my teeth, feeling a sense of frustration start to rise.

Laughter cuts through the air, drawing both of our attention up ahead. My eyes focus on the Murphy's and Delk's silhouettes waiting for us in the distance, and I have to bite hard against my lip to stifle the anxiety starting to swell in my chest.

"I can't believe you," I spit out, shaking my head in disbelief.

Alana's brown eyes are full of regret as they take me in and once more she starts to apologize again, "I'm sorry, Lelani. I thought it would be good for you to hear him out. Please, don't be mad. Delk and I planned the whole thing out because we just thought that maybe you two could-"

"I'm leaving," I interrupt her, refusing to hear anything more because already I can feel the hurt starting to burn the back of my throat.

"Lela, wait," she calls out as I swivel on my heels and begin to stomp away.

I keep my eyes on my feet as I make my way back towards her car, knowing that if I don't focus on the ground beneath me, I won't be able to hold back my tears because once again I'm being fooled- and this time it's by my own best friend. I turn the next corner fast, needing to escape before anyone else has a chance to see me or catch me by surprise, but my body hits against something hard, stopping me in my tracks.

"Lani?"

Finding my balance, I step back, cutting my gaze up to the person behind the voice I know all too well. Dark, brown irises lock into mine, making my stomach swirl. I fight the unwanted affection stirring inside of me, bringing a stern look to my face as my eyes take in the young Marine standing in front of me. Crossing my arms against my chest, I finally speak out bitterly, "Brodie."

If Alana, Delk, and Murphy want me to talk to him so bad, fine, but I'm not promising that I'll play nice because if Brodie gets to play games, then so can I.

༄༄༄

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