"So you made up then?"

It was a stormy day today. Perfect for the big waves surfers had been wanting for weeks now. Perfect for the surf shop too.

Tea and I were working today, the doors wide open as we awaited our first customer of the day. She watches me apprehensively, leaning against the counter.

"Kind of," I shrug. "Does it matter? We know who the guy is in the footage."

Teagan sighs. "I mean, of course, I'm glad that Ryan could help. But—"

"Of course there is a but," I mumble under my breath.

"—But I think you should talk to Ryan about what he said. It upset you and you shouldn't bottle that shit up, CeCe."

"I don't want to talk to him about it," I frown. "Not now anyway."

"Why?"

"Because Tea, he had ten months to tell me he loved me and the one time he does, it's when I hang out with Rhys."

"Honestly, I don't know what goes on inside that boy's head," she shrugs, "but I don't think he understands that what he did was wrong. I think you need to tell him how you feel about what he did."

"Why should I?" I snap. "His idiocy lead to our break up and he can suffer for that."

"So you're admitting that you'd still be with him now if it weren't for what happened?"

The more I had thought about it this summer, the more I thought the answer was no. I may have thought so a few months ago, but time did change things.

"It's impossible to know," I admit. "Of course I love Ryan, always will. But I also love Dory, Wes, Cam and you. I don't know if there was ever a difference."

Teagan watches me for a second, anxious. "CeCe...does this revelation have anything to do with...Rhys?"

I choke on my on spit and have to wack at my chest just to calm down. "Absoulutely not! He gets on my nerves just as much as Ryan does!"

"You dated Ryan though," she points out, raising an eyebrow.

"Exactly," I deadpan. "Look how that turned out."

"You have been spending a bit of time with him."

"No I haven't," I defend. "I haven't seen him in days. Not since the party where he purpously antagonised Ryan."

"If you're sure," she says, resigned.

"You don't believe me, do you?"

Before she speaks, the door jingles and we both look up. My stomach plummets instantly.

"Speak of the devil," Tea grumbles, plastering on her fake retail smile.

Rhys and Co enter the store, walking with such self-righteousness that I inwardly gag. God, they honestly thought the world revolved around them.

"What can I do for you boys?" Teagan smiles, sceptical.

"Teagan Baker, don't you work in a surf shop?" Lucas comments. He leans back against the wall. His gaze travels up her body as he objectifies her and I clench my fists.

"Yes?" she says, confused.

"So why the fuck do you think we're all here? To buy food?"

Carter and Dale snigger next to him, side-eyeing Tea.

"Wow. So hilarious that I forgot to laugh, Lucas," I patronize, smiling widely at him.

He sends a glare my way but Rhys stops him from walking any further.

"What boards are you looking for then?" Tea says, steely, losing all her upbeat, retail, personality.

The boys begin to chat about what the were looking for. I notice Rhys staring at me but I don't look at him directly. I didn't want to give him the satisfaction.

I check the company emails to see if anything new has come in. I pretend to busy myself with straightening the paperwork when a presence looms over the desk.

"You just gonna keep pretending to ignore me, Cadigan?"

"Probably," I speak, matter-of-fact.

"Not sure what I did wrong this time. But I guess I should be used to your sweet-natured personality," he says, sarcasam dripping in every syllable.

My head snaps up and I send him a hard glare. "You know exactly what you did."

He grins, "I know. And it got your attention, didn't it?"

Asshole. He knew exactly how to play me. I'd fallen right for it too.

"You're so irritating, Rhys. Please leave me alone. I'm trying to work."

"Oh, really? Cos' to me, it just looked like you were rereading the same sentence over and over on that sheet of paper."

I fight the urge to stamp my foot like a two-year-old and scream at him. He was getting on my nerves right now.

"What do you want exactly? Shouldn't you be looking at boards with your friends?"

I look over to see how Teagan was coping. She was keeping her distance but is being pleasant enough. The boys were jerks but I knew she'd be able to handle them. No one was better at it than her.

"Don't need one," he shrugs. "Lucas just happened to snap his in the surf last week."

"And here I was thinking you were going to ask for a job. Oh, that's right, you don't need one. Because you, Rhys Laderman, are a trust-fund baby."

He shrugs. "No point denying it. I'm not ashamed. And you're comments are getting pretty old. Nothing you say will affect me now."

"Whatever," I roll my eyes. "Please go and annoy someone else."

"Find any new leads?" he asks, like he hasn't just heard what I've said.

"That would be none of your business," I smile, maliciously. "Now, if you'd excuse me, I have work to—"

"So you didn't go to the supermarket the other day looking for the chewing gum man?"

I stop cold, staring up at him. "How'd you hear about that?'

"Small town, Cora. People talk."

I didn't like that people were talking about my mum again. This investigation was mine. It was my business and people didn't have the right to turn up their nose, gossiping about it.

"Well, if you already knew, why did you ask?" I retort.

He shrugs, brushing a hand through his brown locks. "Guess I just wanted to see if you'd tell me the truth, is all."

"When you earn the truth, then you'll hear it."

"Oh, so I haven't earned the right for you to be truthful? Even though I've already done a lot of shit to help you? Putting my ass on the line, not to mention."

"What do you want?" I place my hands on my hips. "A trophy? A certificate for your achievements?"

"A thank you would be nice," he shrugs.

"I have thanked you before!"

"Oh please," he scoffs. "You should be kissing my feet, sweetheart."

My stomach coils. "Don't call me that," I whisper.

"Why?" he places his palms flat against the counter, leaning in to close the distance separating us. "Does it make you uncomfortable?"

I gulp, watching his green arises as they bore into mine. I look away first, staring down at the desk.

He pulls back, a smirk playing on his lips. "Maybe I'll do it just to annoy you."

"It's condescending," I frown, brushing a shaky hand through my hair.

"If you say so," he says, irresolute.

"Can you leave me alone now?"

"No," he drums his fingers against the counter, looking around the store.

"Oh, by the way, I'm not going to apologise. Although I may not be a fighter myself, I will admit that getting to kick Ryan Taylor's ass has always been number one on my to-do list."

"Wouldn't have expected anything else from you, Rhys. Always screwing up the friendships I have."

"You're blaming me for the faults in your friendships?" he laughs lightly, staring at me dubiously.

"You keep antagonising Ryan by continuously provoking him! You know how he feels about you."

Rhys shakes his head at me, watching me intently. "If you think I'm the one ruining your friendship with that brainless moron, then maybe you should realise that he isn't a real friend."

"I—"

"You're clearly looking for other people to blame as to why your friendship is falling the fuck apart. But maybe all you can blame is yourself. For choosing shitty friends."

"Excuse me?"

He wipes his finger along the counter, pretending to nonchalantly examine the dust particles. "You heard me, Cora."

"Oh, I heard you all right," I growl. "But I think you should repeat what you just said to me."

"Ryan's not good for you," he says sternly. "He's a jerk who can't appreciate what he has until someone comes along and clarifies it for him."

"I..."

For the first time, I don't have a good comeback for Rhys Laderman. It sucks because it inflates his ego further to know that he's probably right.

"Don't deny it, sweetheart. You know I'm right."

I send him one last withering glare before storming over to help Teagan.

"You good?" she whispers, listening to the boys bicker about what board is best to buy.

"I'm fine," I say, flustered.

But I'm not fine. I'm not fine at all.

Rhys Laderman was starting to get to me and I didn't like it. I didn't like it one bit.