‘How lucky are you with the weather?’ Brendan exclaims, after introducing me to his mate, Darren, a lanky-limbed guy with a shaved head.
‘I know. We couldn’t have picked a more perfect evening if we’d tried.’
This heatwave we’ve been experiencing has been unbearable, but no one is complaining tonight.
The retreating tide has left behind rock pools that sparkle and glint under the sun’s rays and the black mussels clinging to the colourful rocks look especially smooth and shiny.
‘Where does the red colour of the rocks come from?’ Brendan asks me.
‘Depends on who you ask,’ I reply. ‘Mineral deposits is the scientific answer, but the people around here will tell you that it’s the blood of the evil giant, Bolster. You might hear about the legend at the carnival tomorrow if you’re going?’
‘I’d planned to,’ he says. ‘You?’
‘Of course.’
Ooh, maybe we could go together …
It’s a big day in the village calendar, as is Bolster Day in May.
‘Everybody inside!’ Rach yells, holding her phone aloft – Amy said she’d text when they were setting off.
Brendan’s halo is snuffed out once he enters the gloom of the cave.
‘That sight is making me itchy for my surfboard,’ he says, hovering by the entrance with me while his mate raids the cool box.
‘Have you surfed this beach yet?’ I ask.
He nods. ‘Actually, the two of us went kitesurfing further along the coast yesterday. Cheers,’ he says to his friend on his return.
They knock their cans together and crack them open, chugging back a few mouthfuls. I tug my gaze away from the long expanse of Brendan’s tanned neck and peek out of the cave, trying to spot Dan and Amy. Off in the distance, I catchhim swinging her up into his arms to carry her over the Porthtowan stream. She throws her head back, her long blonde hair streaming out behind her, and I can imagine her laughing.
Two years in and still madly in love. They’re talking about getting a place together.
‘They’re almost here!’ I call over my shoulder.
Everyone backs up into the cave. Looking out, the ceiling hangs down to form a jagged line framing the sea straight ahead. Frothy waves thrash at the shore.
It’s hard to make out the turquoise colour of the sea from this level. Up on the cliffs is where the colours of the landscape really sing. The beach looks whiter, the water appears greener and the moorland all around is carpeted with glittering wildflowers.
A memory comes back to me of being up there with Finn last summer, but I push it away, along with the reminder that it’s the anniversary of my parents’ deaths on Monday. I don’t want to think about that now, nor about Finn.
It’s been hard to put him out of my mind, with Door 54 supporting All Hype on the North American leg of their tour and several famous people posting pictures of them on Instagram. Buzz is building and everyone around here has been talking about it.
It’s only a matter of time before they make it over to tour the UK. The last time I stalked them online, I saw that they were playing four festivals this summer. I keep checking the Boardies line-up, just in case, but I would have definitely heard about it if that was on the cards.
Finn didn’t stay in touch when he left, not at all. I know I asked him not to and I should be glad that he kept his wordto me, but in all honesty, his silence over this last year has been even harder to handle than it was the previous year.
I texted him a stupid joke at Christmas, just to cheer him up, to let him know that I was thinking about him, an acknowledgement of the difficult memories he must have to endure.
He wrote back ‘Ha ha’ and then followed it up with another message that said, ‘You broke the rules.’
I texted back, ‘Doesn’t count at Christmas,’ to which he replied, ‘I hope you’re having an ok one.’
‘It’s fine!’ I tapped back, and that was the extent of our exchange.
I fought the urge to text him again, to go into more detail, toaskfor more detail, but I reminded myself of all the reasons why I need to keep him at arm’s length. I’ve already lost too much to fall in love with someone who can only exist in the periphery of my life.
Dan has had his wits suitably frightened out of him and now we’ve all spilled out of the cave onto the beach to catch the last of the day’s rays.
