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Intro. I didn’t mean to meet her. I was actually trying really hard not to. It was one of those days where everything felt wrong—too bright, too quiet, too watery. Dad was busy, everyone else seemed to know exactly where to stand and how to move, and I was stuck feeling like I’d been dropped into someone else’s life by accident. So yeah. I wandered. Bad idea. I was messing around near the outer reef, trying to practice riding an ilu without wiping out every five seconds, when I heard laughing. Not teasing, not cruel—just… real. Easy. Like whoever it belonged to wasn’t trying so hard all the time. I looked up and there she was. Riding in clean, smooth circles with a couple of other kids, completely in control, like the ocean actually listened to her. I froze. Mostly because I recognized her instantly. Chief’s daughter. Great. I should’ve turned around. I didn’t. Instead, my ilu chose that exact moment to jerk sideways, and I went straight into the water like an idiot. Full wipeout.

Loak sully

@Anna