Where the Waves Taught me Love

Chapter One: The Freedom I Wanted

SABRINA

“Eat your breakfast, Sabrina.”

My dad’s voice was calm, steady, but it carried that usual weight of authority that made me put down my phone—just for a second. I rolled my eyes subtly and poked my fork into the eggs on my plate. Dad was already halfway through his coffee, reading something on his tablet. Typical morning scene at Casa Monteverde: silence, luxury, and the faint hum of our house staff moving around the dining room.

I scrolled through my phone, pretending to care about my plate, when suddenly, Dad cleared his throat.

“I’ll be leaving later,” he said, eyes still glued to the screen. “There’s a business matter abroad. I might be gone for a while.”

For a split second, I thought I misheard him. But then, it clicked. My eyes widened, and the corners of my lips slowly curled into the biggest grin.

“You mean… you’re not gonna be home?” I tried to sound casual, but the excitement in my voice betrayed me.

Dad finally looked up, brow arched. “Yes. Why?”

I shook my head quickly, hiding my smile behind the juice glass I picked up. “Nothing. Just… business trip. Got it.”

Inside, though? I was practically screaming. Finally! Freedom. No more lectures. No more curfews. No more Dad hovering around and telling me how to live my life.

This was it. My chance to breathe. My chance to have fun without someone looking over my shoulder.

Of course, Dad wasn’t done. He set his tablet aside and gave me that pointed look that meant he was about to deliver one of his usual monologues.

“I’m warning you, Sabrina. No night outs. No drinks. No drugs. Curfew, as usual.”

I almost laughed. He could list all the rules he wanted—he wouldn’t even be here to enforce them. Instead, I plastered on my most innocent face and nodded. “Yeah, yeah. I got it. No worries.”

If only he knew what was already running through my mind.

The second he left, I’d be free. No more cold, silent dinners. No more strict “be home by ten” curfews. No more endless disapproving looks every time I posted something online or hung out with people he didn’t approve of.

He didn’t get it. He never did. My life wasn’t about spreadsheets and business meetings. I wasn’t born to live in a world of rules and order. I wanted to laugh too loudly, dance too much, and stay out until sunrise if I wanted to. Was that too much to ask?

I tapped my nails against the glass, trying to hide the way my heart was racing with excitement. A whole week, maybe more, without him here. The thought alone sent a thrill through me.

“Behave, Sabrina,” Dad added, his tone sharp enough to cut through my thoughts.

I forced another nod, pretending to be obedient, even biting back the grin threatening to spill across my face. “Of course, Dad. I’ll be on my best behavior.”

Inside, though, I was already planning everything. The music. The drinks. The pool lights glowing until late at night. My friends screaming my name as we celebrated freedom the way it was meant to be celebrated.

The moment his car pulled out of the driveway, the gates closing behind him, my life would finally begin.

He thought he could warn me into behaving, but the truth was… Dad had just handed me the best gift he could ever give.

Freedom.

And I intended to use every second of it.

I ran to my room, shut the door, and screamed into my pillow. Then I grabbed my phone and started sending messages.

Sabrina Monteverde: PARTY at my place tonight. Bring everyone. Drinks, pool, music—everything. You don’t wanna miss this.

The group chats exploded instantly. Hearts, fire emojis, people tagging others. Within minutes, my so-called friends were hyped up. And why wouldn’t they be? Everyone knew parties at Casa Monteverde were legendary.

By afternoon, cases of alcohol were delivered, courtesy of one of my “well-connected” classmates. I slipped the staff their usual bonus to keep quiet, and just like that, preparations were underway.

Night came fast. The bass from the speakers rattled the walls, neon lights flickered by the poolside, and the smell of grilled food mixed with the sharp tang of vodka in the air. Laughter and shouts filled the house.

I was in my element.

“Sabrinaaa!” one of my friends squealed, pressing a red cup into my hand. Her eyes sparkled under the colorful pool lights, excitement bubbling in her voice. “To freedom!”

I threw my head back with a laugh, lifting my cup high. “To freedom!” I shouted, the word echoing into the night as everyone around me cheered.

The rim of the cup touched my lips, and I took a long gulp. The alcohol burned its way down my throat, fiery and sharp, but it made me feel alive. Every sip felt like rebellion, every laugh like a victory. It was intoxicating—not just the drink, but the moment itself.

The music pulsed through the speakers, bass vibrating against my skin. Laughter and shouts mixed with the rhythm, blurring together into one chaotic symphony of the night. Someone turned the volume even higher, and the walls of Casa Monteverde trembled, but I didn’t care. I didn’t care about anything.

People were everywhere—dancing, singing, stumbling. A couple of guys dove straight into the pool still wearing their sneakers, water splashing high into the air as everyone cheered. At the patio table, a group was yelling over a heated game of beer pong, red cups scattering across the tiles.

I couldn’t stop laughing. Everything was hilarious—the way my friends danced like maniacs, the way one of the guys slipped and nearly fell into the barbecue grill, the way the pool lights flickered like they were trying to keep up with the beat.

“Come on, Sabrina!” someone shouted. Hands grabbed mine, tugging me toward the water.

I didn’t even hesitate. With a reckless grin, I threw myself into the pool, the cold water rushing over me instantly. My dress clung to my skin, heavy and soaked, but it didn’t matter. If anything, it made me laugh harder. I splashed at the people around me, squealing as someone dumped half a bottle of beer into the water just to be funny.

The night blurred into one endless swirl of light and sound. Cups exchanged hands, bottles tilted against lips, the taste of alcohol becoming a steady rhythm I couldn’t escape. My head spun, but I welcomed it. This was what freedom felt like—wild, unrestrained, limitless.

I climbed out of the pool, dripping wet, and collapsed onto a lounge chair, my breath coming in short, giddy gasps. Someone handed me another drink, and I took it without question, tipping it back like it was water.

The world around me wobbled and shimmered, but I didn’t care. I felt unstoppable, untouchable. For the first time in forever, I wasn’t Sabrina Monteverde, the daughter of a strict, controlling father. I wasn’t the girl stuck in a mansion full of rules and silence.

Tonight, I was free.

And I swore I was never going to let anything—or anyone—ruin that.

***