Page 45 of Broken Secrets
But she’s grinning, and I can’t help grinning back. Maybe three days without phones isn’t such a bad thing if it means three days of moments like that.
The ferry’s interior is all polished wood and marine blue upholstery, with large windows providing panoramic views of the harbor. Most students head straight for the outdoor decks, but I find a spot by a window where I can watch Long Beach recede into the distance.
Maya settles beside me, still wearing that knowing smile. “So. You and Derek seem to be getting more… affectionate.”
“We’re dating. Affection is normal.”
“I’m not complaining. I’m happy for you. It’s just funny watching you two figure out the whole couple thing.”
Through the window, I watch Catalina Island grow larger on the horizon. From this distance, it looks like a sleeping giant rising from the Pacific, all golden cliffs and hidden coves.The ferry picks up speed as we leave the harbor, and I feel a corresponding lift in my spirits.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” the captain’s voice crackles over the intercom, “welcome aboard the Catalina Express. We’re looking at perfect weather for crossing, calm seas, clear skies, and excellent visibility. Keep your eyes open for marine life. Dolphins are commonly spotted during this crossing.”
As if summoned by his words, a pod of dolphins appears off the starboard side, their sleek bodies cutting through the water in graceful arcs. Students crowd against the windows and railings, phones replaced by pointing fingers and excited voices.
“There!” Sophie squeals from somewhere behind me. “Did you see that one jump?”
I press closer to the window, watching the dolphins pace the ferry with effortless grace. They seem to be playing in the boat’s wake, diving and surfacing in what looks like pure joy. For the first time in days, I feel completely present in the moment, not thinking about unanswered messages or family complications.
Just dolphins and salt spray and the promise of three days focused entirely on the world beneath the waves.
The crossing passes quickly, filled with marine life sightings, snack sharing, and the gradual transformation from sleepy morning travelers to excited marine biology students. By the time Avalon Harbor comes into view, a perfect crescent of white sand beaches and red-roofed buildings nestled against dramatic cliffs, the bus full of teenagers has become something more like a research expedition.
“Look at that water,” Maya breathes, staring at the impossibly clear blue-green harbor. “You can see straight to the bottom.”
She’s right. Even from the ferry deck, I can make out the sandy bottom and dark patches of kelp forests beyond theharbor mouth. Fish move in silver schools beneath the surface, and the water is so transparent it’s like looking through glass.
The ferry glides into the harbor, passing smaller boats anchored in the protected waters. Avalon itself looks like something from a postcard, the iconic Casino building with its distinctive round architecture, the Green Pleasure Pier stretching into the harbor, and hillsides dotted with small houses that seem to tumble down toward the water.
“This is going to be incredible,” Derek says, appearing beside me at the window. His hair has returned to its normal state, though his cheeks are still slightly pink from our earlier encounter.
“I know. I can’t believe I almost didn’t want to come.”
“What changed your mind?”
I watch a pelican dive for fish just outside the harbor, emerging with its catch and gulping it down with casual efficiency. “I realized that some experiences are worth having whether or not your life is complicated.”
The ferry docks with a gentle bump, and Mrs. Henderson’s voice rings out over the excited chatter. “All right, everyone, stay together! We’ll be taking the bus up to the research station. Keep your day packs with you, and remember, we’re guests on this island. Treat it with respect.”
As we file off the ferry, I catch my first real breath of Catalina air—salt and sage, eucalyptus and something indefinably wild.
The bus ride to the research station winds along narrow roads carved into cliffsides, offering glimpses of hidden coves and pristine beaches below. Native vegetation covers the hillsides, prickly pear cactus, coastal sage scrub, and the occasional grove of eucalyptus trees swaying in the ocean breeze.
“The Catalina Island Marine Institute has been conducting research and education programs for over forty years,” Mrs. Henderson announces from the front of the bus. “You’ll beworking with real scientists, conducting actual research, and contributing to our understanding of marine ecosystems.”
The research station appears around a bend in the road like something from a nature documentary, low, modern buildings blending into the landscape, with solar panels gleaming on the roofs and native plants landscaping the grounds. Beyond the buildings, trails disappear into coastal sage scrub, and wooden stairs lead down to a protected cove where research boats bob at their moorings.
“Welcome to your home for the next three days,” Mrs. Henderson says as the bus comes to a stop.
As we gather our belongings and prepare to disembark, I feel a buzz of genuine excitement. This place is beautiful in a way that has nothing to do with Instagram filters or social media posts. It’s real and wild and completely disconnected from the digital world I’ve been living in.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Cabin 7 smellslike fresh pine and ocean salt, with four narrow beds arranged against the walls and a single window overlooking the cove below. The accommodations are basic but clean, thin mattresses, scratchy wool blankets, and a small table that’s already cluttered with everyone’s day packs and water bottles.
“I don’t care which bed,” I say when Maya looks at me. She’s always been particular about sleeping arrangements, but after the emotional roller coaster of the past week, I can’t muster the energy to have preferences about mattresses.
I drop my duffel bag on the bed nearest the window and start unpacking. Maya claims the bed next to mine without discussion, while Sophie takes the one by the door and Jessica settles near the small closet area.
