I roamed the untamed ocean.

Set out to play the conservationist hero.

Those high seas? They remain lawless for countless reasons.

Over ten years, I saw the worst that humanity has to offer.

And accomplished… nothing.

The futility of it all left me disillusioned. Numb.

I returned to the island of my childhood summers.

All I wanted was to lick my wounds. Hide. Regroup.

Like a rogue wave, an idealistic beauty thrust herself into my world.

Tells me we can make a difference.

We can save the oceans.

We’re one with the sea.

Her naivety might be charming if it wasn’t like looking in a time-warped mirror.

Her natural beauty might be appealing if she wasn’t a college student.

The last thing she needs is a summer romance with a burned-out wreck like me.

She’s too young. She’s got everything in front of her.

And me? I’ve got commitments. And a past.

She promises release.

No need for guilt.

I aim for the crest, for a smooth, fun ride.

But when my past crashes down on us, will we both get pulled under?