Surf Sisters Read online

  CONTENTS

  TITLE PAGE

  COPYRIGHT PAGE

  DEDICATION

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  PROLOGUE

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  Laurine Croasdale has worked as a book editor and packager, written several fiction and non-fiction books for children and teenagers, scripts for the television show Hi5, and produced audio books. She spent her teenage years hanging out on the northern beaches of Sydney with a group of girls who remain her friends to this day. Visit www.laurinecroasdale.com

  Also by Laurine Croasdale

  Surf School

  Laurine Croasdale

  First published 2008 in Pan by Pan Macmillan Australia Pty Limited

  1 Market Street, Sydney

  Copyright © Laurine Croasdale 2008

  The moral right of the author has been asserted

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted by any person or entity (including Google, Amazon or similar organisations), in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, scanning or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

  National Library of Australia

  Cataloguing-in-Publication data:

  Croasdale, Laurine.

  Surf sisters/Laurine Croasdale.

  9780330424196 (pbk.)

  A823.3

  The characters and events in this book are fictitious and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  Internal design by Liz Seymour, Seymour Designs

  Typeset in Fairfield LH by Midland Typesetters, Maryborough, Australia

  Printed by McPherson’s Printing Group

  Papers used by Pan Macmillan Australia Pty Ltd are natural, recyclable products made from wood grown in sustainable forests. The manufacturing processes conform to the environmental regulations of the country of origin.

  These electronic editions published in 2008 by Pan Macmillan Australia Pty Ltd

  1 Market Street, Sydney 2000

  The moral right of the author has been asserted.

  All rights reserved. This publication (or any part of it) may not be reproduced or transmitted, copied, stored, distributed or otherwise made available by any person or entity (including Google, Amazon or similar organisations), in any form (electronic, digital, optical, mechanical) or by any means (photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise) without prior written permission from the publisher.

  Surf Sisters

  Laurine Croasdale

  Adobe eReader format 978-1-74197-809-4

  Microsoft Reader format 978-1-74197-850-6

  Mobipocket format 978-1-74197-891-9

  Online format 978-1-74197-932-9

  Epub format 978-1-74262-503-4

  Macmillan Digital Australia

  www.macmillandigital.com.au

  Visit www.panmacmillan.com.au to read more about all our books and to buy both print and ebooks online. You will also find features, author interviews and news of any author events.

  For

  the lovesong

  of

  Wendy and Charlie

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  Thanks to my family and friends, all the girls who entered the Dolly Surf Sisters photo competition; Pam Burridge; Ian Fraser; Sally, Martin and Mary Fitzgibbons; Felicity Pulman; Roxy; Liz Seymour; Ali Lavau; Mary Verney; Margaret Connolly; Ripcurl; Anne Beilby; Sam Cornish; Stephanie Gilmore; Lynne Dickinson at Curl Magazine; Layne Beachley and Mandy McKinnon – The Beachley Classic; and last but not least, the wonderful team at Pan Macmillan, particularly Claire Craig for her friendship, professionalism and skill.

  PROLOGUE

  Sometimes when the best things come your way they bring the worst moments with them.

  If someone had told me last summer that I’d be practising meditation I would’ve laughed at them.

  But if someone had told me that in exactly three hours’ time I’d be surfing against the world champion I would’ve pushed them off their board!

  I guess that’s one thing that the last few months of training has taught me though: expect the unexpected and go with the flow, because often things don’t work out the way you think they will.

  I mean, here I am, lil ol’ Marlee Rose Finn, fifteen and three quarters, grommet, surf nut with a few small competition wins to my name, and soon I’ll be up against the best surfer on the whole planet. One of my all-time heroes. Someone nearly twice my age who surfs like she’s sprung out of the ocean already attached to a wave. A woman who has frequent visitations from the Surf Gods, who features regularly on Marlee’s Wall of Fame, and who can soar through the air like a whirligig. And today I have to step up to the plate and show her and the world what I can do.

  Six months ago I would have been a bundle of nerves by now, unable to eat, throwing up before my heat and then going into total meltdown as soon as I hit the water. But today is going to be different. Today I am going to do exactly what Evelyn has been training me to do. I’m going to let all my thoughts slip away one by one and then go surf with a clear head and a full heart. Watch out! Marlee Finn is on your case.

  CHAPTER ONE

  The car slowed as Phil pulled into the rest area alongside the petrol station, the wipers a steady beat against the rain.

  ‘Hi,’ he said in a low voice, ‘we won’t be home until late. I’ve got a couple of stops to make and the weather’s really bad. Autumn’s definitely arrived.’ He paused and chuckled at something. ‘I wondered how you were going in my old bomb – bit of a comedown from the Cruiser!’ He laughed again softly. ‘The girls went really well. It’s only a local comp but I’m proud of them both. Marlee won and Tilly got the trophy for highest-scoring wave.’

  He was ringing her, thought Tilly. As soon as they got mobile reception he was back on the phone to Barb. And he was doing it when he thought Tilly was asleep. Like a naughty schoolboy. Her dad laughed again and Tilly’s jaw tightened.

  ‘Miss you too. See you tonight.’ He turned to the girls in the back. ‘Wakey-wakey, lunchtime,’ he called loudly, swinging the car towards the petrol pump.

  Tilly pushed the rug to one side and slipped her feet into her shoes, watching the raindrops dance along the highway. ‘Where are we?’

  ‘About an hour’s drive away from surf camp and then another three to home.’ Phil smiled apologetically in the rear-view mirror. ‘I’m sorry but we won’t be able to stop for long when we drop you off, Tilly. I’d like to try to get home while it’s still light and we’ve already lost an hour thanks to daylight saving finishing last night.’

  ‘Don’t worry,’ Tilly said, deadpan. ‘Just wind the window down and I’ll jump out.’ Then she grinned. ‘Maybe you could slow down to forty ks though.’

  Phil smiled as he opened his door. A gush of cold damp air swept through the car and the hammering rain became louder. ‘Never mind jumping, you’ll be swimming if this keeps up. Girls, can you clean up the back while I fill up? I don’t want to return Barb’s car filthy.’ Phil eased out and sh
ut the door.

  Tilly shivered, reached into her bag and clicked on her phone. Seven new messages. She smiled: one from Pink, five from Jamie and one from Fran. She nudged Marlee, who was stretching and yawning. ‘Guess what? Pink’s left boarding school, come home and found a part-time job! She says, Party! Party! Party!’

  Marlee laughed. ‘Sounds like Pink. Wonder how she talked her parents into that.’

  ‘Mitch’d be fine. It was Christie’s idea and we know that she won’t be fine about it. I think she was hoping that boarding school would calm Pink down a bit.’ Tilly clicked onto a new message. Her lips curled in a tiny smile.

  ‘What’s up?’ Marlee asked, reaching into her bag for her hairbrush.

  ‘Jamie.’ Tilly blushed, not taking her eyes off the message. ‘He misses me.’

  Marlee dived across the seat to grab the phone. ‘You sure that’s all he says?’

  Tilly held it out of reach, her eyes bright and happy. ‘Yes.’

  ‘So how come you’ve gone all red?’ Tilly’s blush burned even brighter. She closed the phone and tucked it into her pocket. ‘Is there something you aren’t telling me?’ Marlee peered into Tilly’s eyes looking for more information but Tilly shook her head, busily collecting their spoils and putting them into the front seat.

  ‘You like him, don’t you?’ asked Marlee. ‘I mean like as in like like.’

  ‘Kind of,’ Tilly sighed. ‘He’s my best friend apart from you, and since we’ve been away I’ve missed him so badly. I even dreamed about him last night.’

  ‘Why don’t you tell him?’ Marlee coaxed.

  Tilly screwed her eyes shut. ‘No.’ Then she opened them and looked at Marlee uncertainly. ‘What if he doesn’t like me back and it wrecks our friendship? There’s nothing more awkward than being around someone who doesn’t like you the same way.’

  ‘I think you should tell him.’

  Tilly sighed, chewed her bottom lip. ‘I’m just not good at expressing my feelings. I get really tongue-tied. But you’re right. When I get home from surf camp, I’ll tell him.’ She glanced over her shoulder at Marlee. ‘Any texts from Kyle? Is he home yet?’

  ‘Nah. He’s delayed his return again. I haven’t had a card or anything. I think he’s forgotten me.’

  ‘As if. He’s a boy, Marlee, they don’t bother with niceties. I bet he’ll be round as soon as he gets off that plane.’

  Marlee slipped her hairbrush back into her bag. ‘I hope so. I felt like we never got any time together and then he was gone.’

  ‘You didn’t, unless you count a two-minute kiss,’ laughed Tilly.

  Marlee smiled. ‘It was nowhere near that short.’

  ‘You’ve got tickets on yourself!’ Tilly laughed again, picking up Marlee’s giant cheque by each end and pushing it in and out like a wobble board. ‘Hey, Mid North Coast Junior Champ, will the bank give you giant notes to go with the giant cheque? Shall we take the shopping trolley to collect them?’ She slid the cheque into the back with their luggage. ‘Here’s Dad – quick, grab the rubbish.’ She and Marlee quickly gathered the lolly wrappers and drink bottles.

  Phil jumped back in and started the engine, moving the car to the parking area. ‘Come on, girls, we’re in a hurry. I’ll see you inside.’

  Tilly threw her coat on and sprinted across to the bin, then joined Marlee who was heading towards the toilets, trying to stay undercover. ‘Wouldn’t want Barb driving a dirty car, would we?’ said Tilly, jumping a puddle to catch up with Marlee.

  ‘We wouldn’t have made it to the competition without her car,’ said Marlee. ‘My mum wouldn’t take us and your dad’s old car would never have made it, especially on those dirt roads in this weather.’

  ‘I don’t care,’ Tilly snapped. ‘After Mum died we managed just fine. I got used to it being just me, Dad and Sam, but now it’s like we can’t do anything without involving Barb. I told you, Marlee – the first time she turned up at the Surf School, when Dad was in hospital, I knew she was after him. And my instincts were spot on.’

  Marlee shrugged. ‘Yeah, maybe – but look at all those classes she’s booked with Phil. The School’s powering now.’

  Tilly waved her hand as though sending the thought away. ‘Oh, I don’t mind all that. She can book as many classes as she wants. I’m not unreasonable, Marlee. But did Dad have to be part of the deal? He’s always busy now. And mostly with her.’

  She lowered her voice as they joined the queue for the toilet. ‘I went to the School before we left and busted them.’

  ‘No way! What were they doing?’ Marlee’s voice kicked up a pitch.

  ‘Not that!’ Tilly laughed and gave Marlee a shove. ‘Euw, how disgusting. But they were carrying on like two kids, wrestling and laughing. It was so pathetic.’ Tilly’s voice got slightly louder. ‘They didn’t even notice I was there for about fifteen minutes. And I’m just standing there, looking at our School, the one we slogged over all summer, painting and restocking and reorganising, the computer humming with bookings … and finally …’ Her voice rose again and two women in the queue glanced back at her. Marlee put a hand on her arm to calm her down. ‘Finally,’ Tilly repeated softly, ‘they turned around, all shocked and embarrassed, like I’m some outsider who just lobbed in for surfing lessons.’ Tilly tapped her chest. ‘Diamond Beach Surf School is my school. Not hers. How dare she make me feel like I don’t belong. I felt like saying, Get your hands off my dad.’

  ‘So did you?’

  ‘I yelled at them. Well, at her.’ Tilly was quiet for a minute; even though it had felt good at the time, she didn’t feel so proud repeating it to Marlee.

  ‘What did you say?’

  Tilly sometimes wished that when the anger beads flared through her system her mouth automatically got sealed off as a crime scene, because as soon as her blood reached a certain temperature there was no telling what words would tumble from her mouth. ‘I hate you,’ she mumbled, ‘or something like that.’ She waved her hand, unable to look Marlee in the eye. ‘I really can’t remember too well.’

  Marlee shook her head. ‘But Til, we all helped at the School because your dad was in hospital and he needed us. Maybe Barb just wants to help out too?’

  Tilly narrowed her eyes at Marlee. ‘Whose side are you on anyway?’ She pushed in front to the only free toilet.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Fran waved to Pink as she walked down the beachfront towards her, weaving quickly through the early morning walkers. As she approached, Fran picked up her school bag and fell into step beside her. ‘It’s great having you back. It’s like you’ve never been away,’ Fran said.

  Pink gave a glorious chuckle, a little skip. ‘Well it was only two months, not even, but I never realised I’d miss this place so much – or you guys. While I was away I worked out that I’d been to five different schools since kindergarten and you, Marlee and Tilly are the only friends that I still have. Maybe if we hadn’t had such a great summer it wouldn’t have been so bad, but when I got to the school I nearly curled up and died from homesickness. I missed Dad heaps too.’

  ‘And Christie?’

  Pink smiled. ‘Yeah, Mum too. Even if she did send me there. But at least we didn’t fight so much!’

  ‘What do you fight about all the time?’

  ‘Everything. I sometimes wonder if we live in the same universe. It’s not like I try to fight with her but she only sees things one way. Hers. And if I don’t go along with it she has a way of making things happen so she still gets her own way. And we’re both pretty stubborn, so that doesn’t help.’ Pink laughed. ‘Poor Dad. He’s so easygoing he can’t understand all the drama.’

  The sun warmed their backs as they cut away from the beach past Jordie’s surf shop and down the main road towards the school and shops. ‘Marlee came home late last night, I think, and Tilly’ll be home after camp,’ said Fran. ‘They’ll be thrilled you’re back.’

  ‘I sent them a text yesterday,’ Pink said. ‘I texted practically everyone in D
iamond Beach. Even Jamie!’ Fran raised her eyebrows but said nothing. ‘Yeah, I know,’ said Pink. ‘He probably never wants to talk to me again after I stood him up for Kim but I decided that when I came home I’d start afresh. Make things right.’

  ‘So you like him after all? I never …’

  Pink cut her off. ‘No, not like that. Just as a friend. How we used to be.’ Pink stopped walking. ‘Well, there it is.’ She nodded to the large rundown hardware store on the corner, hesitant. ‘Ten more minutes and I’ll be starting my new life.’

  Fran patted Pink’s shoulder. ‘Don’t worry. You’ll be great. Why don’t you stop in on your way home?’

  ‘Sure.’ Pink pulled up her collar, bracing herself against the snappy breeze, and glanced up and down the mall. It amazed her that so many people got up at this hour, and looked so pleased about it. At least it was cold. That gave her an excuse to wear a big jacket over the hideous lemon shirt and cover the trousers that came up so high they practically grazed her boobs.

  As the minutes counted down she leaned against the sunny shop wall, twirling the end of her ponytail round and round her finger. What kind of mess had her stubborn head got her into now? To get into the family business, she’d agreed to boarding school; to get out of boarding school, she’d agreed to home schooling and a job. But she drew the line at Christie’s job suggestions – the hairdresser, the gym, the deli. ‘Thanks, Mum,’ Pink had said, pausing at the Part-Time Shop Assistant Wanted sign in the window of the hardware store. ‘You don’t need to find me a job – I’ve already found myself one. Thursday to Saturday, fifteen dollars an hour, selling tools. Perfecto!’ The silence on the other end of the phone made Pink smile. ‘Tools rule, Mummy! Toodaloo.’

  But now, as she pressed against the warm bricks, she wondered if it’d been worth yet another fight with her mother. Still, at least she was home. And now was her chance to prove to everyone, especially her mother, that she could stick at something, do it well, and take responsibility – all the reasons her mother had sent her to boarding school in the first place. She checked her watch, quickly tucked in her polo shirt, squared her shoulders, and opened the door.