Page 44 of Broken Secrets
Maya grabs my arm. “That’s us! Come on, let’s get good seats.”
We climb onto Bus A, the interior smelling like vinyl seats and industrial cleaning products. Maya claims a window seat halfway back, and I slide in beside her. The seats are designed for elementary school children, not high school seniors, and my knees immediately press against the seat in front of me.
Derek passes by our row, heading toward the back where Tyler and Jake are already causing a minor commotion with an improvised beatboxing session.
“See you at the dock,” he says, giving my shoulder a quick squeeze before continuing down the aisle.
As the bus pulls out of the parking lot, the sky begins to lighten, revealing wisps of fog clinging to the coastal mountains. Students settle into the rhythm of the road trip, sharing snacks, playing word games, and gradually waking up as excitement builds.
“I can’t believe we’re actually doing this,” Maya says, pressing her face to the window. “Real marine biology research. Like actual scientists.”
“With significantly less education and experience.”
“Details.” She waves a dismissive hand. “We’ll figure it out. How hard can it be to identify a sea anemone?”
The drive passes quickly, filled with Maya’s running commentary on everything from the changing landscape to speculation about which classmates might get seasick on the ferry. By the time we reach the harbor, the sun has burned through most of the marine layer, promising a beautiful day on the water.
It’s beautiful out here. Fishing boats heading out for the day, joggers on the waterfront path, and seagulls diving for scraps with their usual aggressive enthusiasm.
“Bags go in the storage area below deck,” Mrs. Henderson announces as we disembark from the buses. “Keep your day packs with you. We’ll be on the water for about an hour.”
I follow the stream of students toward the ferry, my duffel bag bouncing against my leg. The smell of salt water and diesel fuel fills the air, along with the cries of seagulls and the general chaos of harbor activity.
“Olivia!” Derek’s voice cuts through the noise.
I turn to see him jogging over, having apparently escaped from his bus buddies. “What’s up?”
“Come with me for a second.” He grabs my hand, leading me away from the main group toward a quieter section of the dock behind a stack of cargo containers.
“Derek, what are you,”
Before I can finish the question, he’s pulling me closer, his hands framing my face as he kisses me. Not the gentle, tentative kisses we’ve shared under the bleachers, but something deeper and more urgent. His lips are warm and slightly salty from the sea air, and I can feel his heartbeat through his t-shirt when I press closer.
“I’ve been wanting to do that since we got off the bus,” he murmurs against my lips.
“Here? Now?” But I’m not complaining. If anything, the semi-public location makes it more thrilling.
“Three days without being able to sneak away like this,” he says, his thumb tracing along my jawline. “Had to make it count.”
I kiss him again, shorter this time but no less intense, tasting coffee and toothpaste from his warm lips. He slides his hands slide down to my waist, pulling me against him.
“Lance! Kline! Where did you two disappear to?”
Mrs. Henderson’s voice cuts through our moment like a bucket of cold water. We spring apart, faces flushed and probably looking incredibly guilty.
“Sorry, Mrs. Henderson,” Derek calls, running a hand through his now-disheveled hair. “Just, uh, checking out the harbor.”
“Well, check it out from the deck of the ferry. We’re boarding now.”
We hurry back toward the group; I try to keep a straight face. Maya takes one look at my face and raises her eyebrows knowingly.
“Checking out the harbor?” she whispers as we join the boarding line.
“Shut up.”
“Your lips are all red and Derek’s hair looks like he stuck his finger in an electrical socket.”
“I said shut up.”
