CHAPTER 2: WHIRLWIND

CHAPTER 2: WHIRLWIND

 

The week that followed was crazy. I had every media outlets wanting to know my story, surfing companies wanting to sponsor me. Before I knew it I was off to my next surfing competition and went around Australia surfing. Winning most of my competitions, I became Australian Women’s Surf Champ. Now I had sponsorship from major companies who wanted me to hit the world stage. It was on to South Africa, England, America and around the world for the Women’s Surf World Championship. It was like a whirlwind from competition to competition, country to country, party after party. Making out with hot surfer guys - well some anyway - but I never stuck around long enough to take the relationships any further, or maybe my heart wasn't quite in it. Sightseeing the world - mum and dad would join me. We played tourist in the different countries and they would also come for some of the major comps to watch. I met new and exciting  people, I did sponsors’ TV and magazine ads, modelling of surf wear, interviews for every kind of media from all around the world. I told one of my sponsors I was interested in fashion designs and that I deferred university for the time I was travelling with surfing. I showed him some of my surf graffiti designs to go on t-shirts and board shorts.  He thought it was a great idea and turned them into a special edition surf wear line with my signature on it, “Lilly”. They were sold in surf shops in a number of countries, which I received a nice tidy dividend from.

Five years had passed and through all this I hadn’t seen Ethan since that first competition. He was right, after that first competition it was a whirlwind and there was no stopping me. I loved every minute of it, but I was getting sick of living out of a suitcase and I was missing home. I thought of Ethan often, though he never contacted me. I came close to ringing him many times. I missed him and I was trying to work out why - it had only been a short time I spent with him, but it meant something to me and it was a turning point in my life. My mum always taught me, ‘Let the guy do the chasing.’ Ethan wasn’t the only one who was right, I was right too; Ethan was too busy to worry about little ol’ me. Lachlan had entered my thoughts too but he had wanted to move on and I wasn’t interest in sulking around after my old teenage romance, I had things to do and places to go. They say only a low percentage of teenage romances last, mum would tell me and kept reminding me there’re other fish in the sea. A picture popped into my head; of Ethan’s beautiful face and hard tan body standing with the door of his jeep open waiting patiently for me to get out when I had finished ogling him. This was followed by a number of other hot surfer blokes I had met along the way and had short but fun intense flings with. Yes, many more beautiful fish out in the sea - why pin myself down so young? Besides, he hadn’t tried contacting me either.

It was the last competition of the year at tropical Alii Beach, Haleiwa, Oahu, Hawaii and I had won for the 5^th year in the row, Women’s Surf World Champ of the year! The competitors, surf comp organisers, sponsors and fans were out celebrating that night at a  popular local night club. Man, to be truthful I was over it. It sounds so ungrateful, but I was over it. I could hardly go home though, since the party was in my honour.

Joe was hanging around again. I had run into him a number of times around the circuit over the years and he was, to say the least, very forward about getting it on with me. I told him a number times to go away in no uncertain terms. Yes he was ripped and buff, with a dark tan and sun bleached hair; but he was also aggressive, arrogant, thought he was god’s gift to women, and didn’t like hearing ‘No!’ Tonight he was keeping his distance but he kept glancing my way. I was dancing on the club’s floor with some of the girlfriends I had made over my surfing career and other random people. It was hot and I told the girls I was going to the bar for a drink! Before I knew it Joe was standing right beside me. ‘Hi love,’ he said in his American accent. ‘Congratulations on the win.’ ‘Thanks,’ I said flatly and left it at that, hoping he would  go away. But he continued anyway. ‘You looked hot out on the dance floor.’ He motioned towards the other girls having a good time. I turned around from the bar and leant my back on it as I looked at them. Looking at them dancing, giggling and flirting, it hit me. ‘I really don’t want to do this anymore and not just the partying. I mean the whole surfing competitively thing. I’m getting too old for this at the ripe old age of 23, I want more time to paint, to design. I want to go home!’

Joe’s annoying voice broke into my thoughts. ‘Hey I just wanted to apologise for being a pushy bugger and congratulate you again on your win - I’ll see you around.’ And with that he walked away.  Good! Go, creep! I turned back to the bar where my rum and coke was waiting for me and sculled it, followed by a not too ladylike burp. ‘Oh man I should be drinking water, I’m probably dehydrated after the crazy day I had.’  I promptly ordered a bottle of water and slipped the bartender some money. I didn’t want to go back to the dance floor, I was feeling a bit light headed. I shouldn’t have sculled that rum and coke. I took a swig of my water, found a corner at the edge of the dance floor and propped myself against the wall. I scanned the room and caught Joe looking at me. He gave me a little salute and a big cheesy grin. I didn’t acknowledge him and just kept scanning the room. Oh boy, all of the sudden I wasn’t feeling so well. I leaned hard against the wall and sagged. The music seemed to get louder and the lights brighter. I didn’t know if I could hold myself up - my legs were feeling funny along with my head. I looked around the dance floor and club to see who I could call for help. Things were going fuzzy fast, but I recognised Joe, he was walking my way with a big grin on his face - I’m pretty sure he had a big grin on his face anyway. Oh my head hurt. Then someone stepped right in front of me and caught me as I collapsed. Those hands felt familiar: large, warm and strong. Oh man I so hoped it wasn’t Joe! Lights out!

 

Soft, warm, cosy… I moaned. I opened my eyes slightly. ‘Ouch, too bright.’ I promptly closed them and snuggled in and went back to sleep. I felt a hand caressing my face and a gentle deep voice said, ‘Lilly…Lilly…’.

‘What, Ethan?!’ I moaned, annoyed he was waking me from my slumber. Then I froze. A second later I sat up suddenly and Ethan jumped back at bit. Bad move.

‘Oh my head.’  I lay back down again.

‘You ok Lilly? Talk to me?’ He stroked my hair. ‘Lilly darling?’ My neurons were starting to reconnect,  the fogginess was lifting and the pain was subsiding a little bit. ‘Lilly darling have a drink of water please.’ Man I was feeling really parched now that he mentioned it. I propped myself up on one elbow,  opened my eyes slowly and squinted. Ethan. My heart skipped a beat. He was perched on the edge of the bed and he had two white tablets and water. I didn’t hesitate, I  took the tablets and put them in my mouth, then took the glass from him, sculled and gave it back to him. I dared to open my eyes further and scanned the room. It looked like an upmarket modern Hawaii hotel room with a king size bed which I was in the middle of. I finally turned my gaze to Ethan. Ethan. My heart skipped another beat. I tried to remain calm. I lay back down and laid my right forearm across my eyes.

‘What happened, Ethan? What are you doing here and how’d I get here?’

‘Joe slipped you a roofie and would have had his way with you if I hadn’t stepped in,” he said in disgust. ‘While he was talking to you against the bar I saw him slip something in your drink, I knew it wouldn’t be anything good. You sculled that drink so fast and when you slumped against that wall Joe made his move. Fortunately I got to you before he did.’ 

‘It was you who caught me then?’ I asked, shakily realising what that creep Joe had planned.  Now I understood why he had been hanging back all night. B*****d! 

‘Yes.’ He lifted his hand to my cheek. I moved my hand off my eyes and looked into his - there was heat there.

‘I’m sorry Ethan, I’m such a fool. I should know better that - to keep my eyes on my drinks in clubs.’ I lowered my gaze. He slipped his fingers under my chin and lifted up my face to look at me again.

‘There’s nothing to apologise for, I’m glad I was there in time.’

‘Yes, I seem to be a regular ol’ damsel in distress.’ I pulled away from his fingers and the heat of his eyes, I was starting to remember that he hadn’t been around for the last five years.

‘Where’ve you been?’ I asked. He stood up and paced the room, rubbing his chin with his right hand. He stopped beside the bed where I lay, put his hands in his pockets and looked at the ground where his foot was playing with something invisible. Man, he was still beautiful in his jeans and crazy Hawaiian shirt.

‘I didn’t want to get in your way. I didn’t want to be a distraction.’ He looked up at me with “please understand” look. ‘You don’t want an old fogey hanging around while you are exploring the world and having new experiences, meeting new people, achieving amazing things. You are young and you have so much to discover about yourself and explore. There is so much more you can achieve.’

‘Old fogey! You don’t look a day over 35!’ I scoffed.

 ‘I’m a lot, lot older than I seem, Lilly. This is why I stayed away from you. You need time to grow up, before… I mean... you don’t need a man tying you down.’

‘Hmmm…’ I said intelligently and pulled my gaze away from him, then looked back at him sideways. ‘Look, I think I understand what you are saying, but no contact at all for five years?’ I said, annoyed.

‘Lilly, I have been there more than you realise in the background, seeing you surf up a storm over those 5 years, seeing you make out with those bonehead surfers. Believe me I wanted to be with you, but I couldn’t get involved with your life - it just wouldn’t be fair to you.’ He blushed and looked away. “Wait! What? That’s how he knew Joe’s name; he’s been watching me all this time…he does care about me. Didn’t he just confess it?” He recovered and changed the subject. ‘By the way, I loved your ‘Lilly’ surf wear. I even bought a pair of your board shorts for myself.’

 

I laughed. ‘No way!’

Ethan changed the subject again. ‘Hey, you hungry?’ I nodded. ‘Let’s get some fresh air hey, and grab something to eat.’

‘OK!’ I said, still trying to make sense of the reason he stayed away and didn’t talk to me for five freaking long years. Man my head hurts!

It was like we had been best friends forever, we just fell into step so easily and we had a lovely morning at a restaurant overlooking the ocean. I must admit it was very romantic. He was the perfect gentleman, pulling out my chair and buying me breakfast. We then wandered through the local shops and he bought me new clothes. We both weren’t afraid of touching each other when we saw an excuse to. It felt electric! I wanted to be with him, I wasn’t unsure or in two minds about it. We were walking along the beach side by side when his left hand bumped my right hand and then he held it and looked at me with smiling brown all-knowing eyes - I could lose myself in them. I thought he was going to steal a kiss, but he didn’t.  We talked about all my experiences over the 5 years, the tough times and the fun times, and we had a good laugh. He listened so intently to all my silly stories. He told me a little of what he had been doing, about some paintings he had acquired in America and that he went and saw the Super Bowl finals.  I think he wanted to prolong the day together as much as I did - he suggested we catch a movie. We had a late lunch together after that and talked some more. I confessed to him that I’d had enough of the competitive life. He agreed it  was probably the best time to do that degree in fashion. We decided to do some tourist things, still not wanting to leave each other. We finally walked back to his rental car late that night

and drove back to my apartment. We walked to the door hand in hand and I turned and faced Ethan. He put both his hands on the sides of my shoulders and rubbed them up and down gently, looking into my eyes. Those eyes… he said he was older than he looked; he didn’t look old but those eyes didn’t seem to be those of a 35-year-old. I looked back, wanting to kiss him so bad " he was so beautiful and he’d been so charming and generous. I felt we’d had a magical day together in beautiful Hawaii. I could feel the heat and tension rising between us but he was holding back, damn mum and her boy-chasing rule. But finally he leant in and kissed me, gently and slowly at first, then he pulled me close, wrapping both arms around my back. I slipped my hands around his neck and melted into him, and he started to kiss me with more hunger. ‘Ethan,’ I said breathlessly against his mouth. His tongue played with my mouth and he moaned and I melted into him further and he held me tighter.

He moaned, ‘Lilly, I can’t,’ and he started to pull away. I just stared at him in shock.

‘But you want this!’ I said breathlessly. He pushed himself back to the position he was in originally with his hands on my shoulders keeping the distance between us. My hands fell to my sides and my fists clenched.

‘Lilly, you’re beautiful and amazing, but this isn’t the right time.’

‘What’s that supposed to mean, this is the perfect time! I thought we were having a lovely time, this is “THE” right time?!’ I said frustrated. ‘Why is he so resistant to us getting together?’ He just stared at me with this pained look on his face.

‘Lilly please understand, it’s hard enough as it is for me to let you go’.

‘Fine then, let me help you! Thanks for everything! Especially the part you played in saving me from getting raped! Oh, and I had a lovely evening! Good night!’ Embarrassed and angry, I turned around and unlocked my door, then stormed in and slammed the door in his face and locked it.

 

‘Lilly! Lilly! Don’t be angry at me, I’m sorry! Lilly!’  he said loudly, earnestly banging on the door. I leant my back against the door, I could hear him on the other side. He stopped banging then under his breath I heard him whisper, ‘Maybe it’s for the best.’ I heard his footsteps fade into the night, followed by the car door closing, a minute passed before I heard the engine start of his rental and he drove away. ‘For how long will he be gone for this time?’ I let go of the breath I didn’t know I was holding and hit the back of my head on the door in frustration. B*****d! Mum was right though, if I had kissed him first I would have felt more of a fool. At least now I could point the finger at him squarely and say ‘you started it’! I sighed. I’d never realised my mum was so spiteful. I laughed to myself and then sighed again, letting the tension and anger run out of me. My thoughts drifted back to home and how much I missed it, how much I missed mum and dad. I loved them so much; mum was like a kennel full of puppies, cuddly, noisy, full of energy and unconditionally loving. Dad was a like a Rottweiler, not so noisy unless he thought there was something worthwhile to bark at, strong and fiercely loyal and also unconditionally loving. Ethan on the other hand, man was he the King of Hot and Cold! Finally my exhaustion took over and I wandered to my hotel bed and collapsed onto it.