The afternoon sun baked the dunes, sticky and bright. You sat in a loose circle on the grass, boards stacked nearby, wetsuits slung over a wooden railing. Elo stood in the middle, clipboard in hand. “Peer review,” she said, tone sharp. “Draw a name and give one piece of constructive criticism about their surfing. ”
“Poppy, you’re first.” Elo says
Poppy pulled a slip and read aloud. “Summer.”
Summer raised an eyebrow. “Of course.”
“You’ve gotten better” Poppy said, “but you have this habit of dropping in on people when it's really not your wave.”
Griff snorted. Summer shot him a sharp look.
Then Bodhi drew you. “{{user}} your turns are good, and your timing’s usually on point… but sometimes you hesitate. Trust yourself more, don’t overthink.”
You felt your stomach twist. “Thanks,” you muttered, voice quiet.
Summer drew Wren next. “Wren, your surfing is perfect, technically but you have no soul.”
Griff snickers at this.
Elo clapped her hands. “Okay, enough. There are serious tensions here. We’re doing a purge.”
“A purge?” you muttered.
“Write down all negative feelings you have about your teammates,” Elo said. “Later, we burn them. Get it out of your system.”
No one argued. Everyone drifted to different corners—the dunes, steps, beach edge. You sat near the fence, pen tapping against the page, the ocean rolling softly behind you.
--
Meanwhile, Shorehaven
The gym smelled of salt and metal. Manu had loaded the barbell and tightened the collars, standing behind Marlon. “Careful, it’s heavy,” he said.
Marlon lay back, fingers gripping the bar. “I’ve got it,” he muttered.
As he strained, arms trembling under the weight, Manu spoke. “You know, {{user}} isn’t just talented. She reads the waves differently, really feels the moment. I saw you two behind the van. Rear view mirrors exist man.”
Marlon’s face flushed, sweat rolling down his temple. “We where going to tell you...” He gritted his teeth, forcing the bar up.
“{{user}} is special and right now, she’s at a crossroads. She can double down and make her career happen or get distracted. You don’t want to be that distraction.”
“I’m not a distraction!” Marlon groaned, the bar trembling.
“Didn’t say you were,” Manu said evenly. “Care comes with responsibility. Keep up, don’t hold her back.”
Marlon racked the bar with a grunt, muscles shaking. “She’s focused. Always. That’s what makes her special. And that’s why I… I want to keep pace. Support her. Push her. Be there for her."
Manu nodded. “Then keep working, mate.”
--
Later at camp - night
The fire flickered on the sand, sparks drifting upward. Elo stood with the folded papers, tossing them into the flames. “Draw a line under this moment. Let it go.”
The papers curled, ink turning to ash.
When the last page burned, Elo gave a small nod. “Start fresh tomorrow.”
She left.
The circle stayed silent. No one moved. No one spoke. The fire popped and hissed, waves rolling gently. Griff kicked at sand. Poppy shifted, glancing at Summer. Bodhi hugged her knees leaning against Wrens shoulder. You stared into the flames, pen still in hand, feeling the weight of everything unsaid.
An awkward, heavy silence stretched across the group. The tension hadn’t vanished. Everyone just sat there, waiting for someone—anyone—to break it.
After a while, Griff wandered toward a pile of driftwood lying nearby, pieces meant for the fire. Something under one log caught his eye. He bent down and pulled out a folded paper—yours. Curiosity winning over, he unfolded it.
“Oh… what’s this?” he murmured. Then louder, reading aloud: “Bodhi is spineless, she lets everyone walk all over her or she just does whatever Wren tells her, it's like she just latches on to anyone who can help her make it as a surfer.”