Chapter 8 – The Argument Everyone Heard

Daniel bent down and lifted the sign.

One side was scratched.

He brushed sand from the letters.

Claudia continued talking.

“You’re lucky I didn’t call someone earlier.”

Daniel turned.

“Call who?”

“Beach patrol.”

“For what?”

“Obstruction.”

Daniel laughed.

“Call them.”

Sophie said:

“Daniel, don’t.”

“No.”

He pulled out his phone.

“Here.”

He held it toward Claudia.

“Call them.”

Claudia stared.

Daniel stepped closer.

“CALL THEM.”

“I have my own phone.”

“Then use it!”

“Stop shouting.”

“No. You wanted rules? Call someone.”

“I don’t need your permission.”

“THEN DO IT.”

Sophie grabbed his wrist.

“Daniel.”

He looked at her.

She was crying now.

Not happy tears anymore.

Daniel stopped.

That seemed to make Claudia feel vindicated.

She said quietly:

“See what you’ve turned this into?”

Sophie looked at her.

“What I turned it into?”

Claudia blinked.

Sophie stepped forward.

“No. Say that again.”

“I was speaking to him.”

“No. You looked at me.”

Claudia sighed.

“I am not arguing with you.”

“You already are.”

“Sophie.”

Daniel tried to stop her.

She raised one hand.

“No.”

Then she looked straight at Claudia.

“We were standing here for maybe two minutes before you interrupted him.”

Claudia started:

“Because—”

“No.”

Sophie cut her off.

“You interrupted him while he was on one knee.”

Claudia’s face tightened.

“You kicked the sign.”

“It was—”

“You kicked it.”

“I barely touched it.”

Lena shouted:

“You KICKED it!”

Claudia turned.

“Stop screaming.”

Lena laughed.

“You cannot be serious!”

Claudia pointed at Daniel.

“He screamed first.”

Daniel shouted:

“BECAUSE YOU WOULD NOT LEAVE US ALONE!”

Sophie turned.

“Daniel!”

He stopped again.

Claudia shook her head.

“This is exactly what I mean.”

Sophie stared at her.

“What do you mean?”

“This.”

Claudia gestured toward Daniel.

“Temper.”

For one second, nobody spoke.

Then Sophie said:

“You don’t know him.”

“I know what I just saw.”

“You caused what you just saw.”

“That is an excuse.”

“No. It’s context.”

Claudia shrugged.

“Women make excuses like that all the time.”

Daniel’s face changed.

Sophie stepped forward before he could.

“Do not.”

Claudia looked almost satisfied.

“I am trying to help you.”

Sophie laughed.

It came out sharp.

“You think you’re helping me?”

“You don’t see how he speaks when he’s angry?”

Daniel said:

“Are you serious?”

Claudia ignored him.

Sophie stared at her.

Then said:

“You walked into one of the happiest moments of my life and spent forty minutes trying to make yourself the most important person in it.”

Claudia’s face hardened.

“That is incredibly narcissistic.”

Sophie laughed again.

“Me?”

“Yes.”

Daniel muttered:

“This is insane.”

Claudia heard.

“See?”

Daniel threw his hands up.

“STOP SAYING SEE!”