Page 54 of Broken Secrets
The evening air carries the scent of sage and salt water, cooler now that the sun has begun its descent toward the horizon. Other students had apparently had the same idea we did, clusters of classmates are scattered along the sandy beach, some wading in the gentle waves, others sitting on towels and talking in the golden hour light.
That’s when I spot Derek.
He’s sitting alone on a towel positioned in that perfect zone, close enough to the water to hear the waves, far enough back that the gentle swells won’t reach him. His knees are drawn up, arms wrapped around them, and he’s staring out at the horizon with the kind of contemplative expression that makes me want to know what he’s thinking.
“I’m going to catch up with you guys later,” I say, already starting to veer in Derek’s direction.
“Uh-huh,” Maya says with a knowing smile. “Take your time. We’ll be fine without our fourth wheel.”
“I’m not a fourth wheel!”
“You’re totally a fourth wheel. The cutest fourth wheel, but still.”
I stick my tongue out at her, but I’m already walking away. There’s something about seeing him alone like this that makes me want to be beside him, sharing whatever peaceful moment he’s having with the ocean.
“Mind if I join you?” I ask, settling onto the towel beside him.
“I was hoping you would,” he says, his arm automatically coming around my shoulders as I lean into his side. “How are you feeling after today? That was pretty incredible.”
“Still processing, I think. It’s hard to put into words.” I rest my head against his shoulder, breathing in the familiar scent of his sunscreen mixed with salt air. “What about you?”
“Like I understand why people become marine biologists. There’s something addictive about discovering things you never knew existed.”
The sun hangs low on the horizon now, painting the water gold and orange in a way that would look fake in a photograph but seems perfectly natural in person.
Derek turns to face me, his hand finding my cheek. “You know what else was addictive about today?”
“What?”
“Getting to experience it all with you.”
Before I can respond, he’s kissing me. I melt into him, my hands finding the back of his neck, still damp from our earlier adventures. This feels different from our quick kisses under the bleachers at school, less hurried, more intentional, like we have all the time in the world to just be here with each other.
When we break apart, I stay close, our foreheads almost touching.
“I keep thinking about Jeremy,” I admit, the words slipping out before I can stop them. “It’s been over a week since I sent that email asking for medical information. No response. And Emma hasn’t messaged me since our video chat plans.”
His thumb traces along my jawline. “Maybe he’s been busy. Or maybe he’s nervous about reaching out after all this time.”
“Or maybe he just doesn’t want anything to do with me. Maybe Emma realized that having a long-lost half sister is more complicated than she thought.”
“Don’t,” Derek says gently but firmly. “Don’t go down that rabbit hole. You don’t know what’s happening on their end, so don’t assume it’s something you did wrong.”
I want to argue, to voice all the insecurities that have been building since Emma’s silence began, but Derek’s steady gaze stops me. He’s right. I’m creating problems that might not even exist, borrowing trouble from an uncertain future instead of focusing on the very real present.
“You’re right,” I say, forcing myself to let go of the anxiety that’s been sitting in my chest like a weight. “I’m probably overthinking everything.”
“It’s one of your less charming qualities,” He says with a teasing smile. “Right up there with your tendency to steal my french fries.”
“Hey, you offer them! That’s different from stealing.”
“I offer you one. You eat half the container.”
“Details.”
“Important details.”
I kiss him again, partly to shut him up and partly because I can’t resist. Being with him has this way of pulling me into the moment, making everything else fade into background noise.
