Emma's Story

Chapter 7: Lunch and a Laugh

Rain. Oh how I hated the rain, for obvious reasons. Rain was water falling from the sky at a quick rate, a mermaid's worst nightmare. So to be in the one place rain fell the most, well how do you think I felt.

We were in Costa Rica, a land of rain forests and humidity. In other words, we were staying on a peninsula of water, water, and yes, more water. And yet water was not what this land was known for. How funny is that?

There was only one way to get to this peninsula we were staying on. How? Well by boat, the vehicle that travels on water. And not a comfy cruise ship, I might add. We were packed 7 to a small boat that I was afraid was not ocean safe. And yes it was very wet.

Luckily the boat assignments went like this; first 2 boats were the parents, 3rd boat was Molly and Marcy Stain, Jane Justin and Sam Potter, and Mark and Lucy Trade, 4th boat was The Ren family, Elliot, and last Bridge and Max Carlton. I was alone with a hot Spanish speaking boat boy and the luggage. If I wasn't a fish, this would still be luck.

"Cabalgo… con… él otros," I said with my very limited amount of Spanish speaking skills.

"Muy bien," He answered back, which I understood well.

Looking back, I made sure I was alone before diving in the water and finding the last boat to follow to the peninsula we would be staying on. I loved the water here, there were so many different kinds of fish, of all colors. I kept a close eye on the boat I was following. When it docked on a small beach, I was even luckier to find a more privet beach not too far away.

It didn't take me long to catch up with everyone at the hotel. There was only one decent one on the whole peninsula. Right before I walked in, I bumped into Bridge, really needed to stop do that.

"Sorry," He said kind of softly.

Before I could react or say anything, Elliot ran out of the hotel holding two room keys and my backpack.

"Mom told me to give you these things," He said handing me my things. "So how was your ride with Bridge?"

"What?" I asked, not know that I was riding with Bridge.

"Great, right Emma." Bridge was giving me a look, one that said trust me, do as I say and you won't get hurt.

"That was right, our captain knew a lot about the area. Too bad he spoke Spanish," I said with a laugh, just to sell it for my brother. I knew how to sell things to him. I'd been selling a lot to him for 2 years now. And as he always did, Elliot bought it.

After Elliot was gone, I turned to Bridge. "You weren't on my boat," I said mater-a-factly. Even though I wasn't on the boat, I knew who was, and it wasn't Bridge.

"I know, thanks for the save, though," He said with a smile. "I owe you."

"Yep, and you owe me an explanation," I said in my, give-me-what-I-want-and-I-won't-hurt-you voice.

"Fine, tomorrow, while everyone is searching the ocean for fish, we will talk," Bridge said with a smile. "I know you're not much a swimmer, anymore."

I watched as Bridge started down the outside hallway to a door that must lead to his room. When he was out of sight, I was stopped again by two Ren girls who seem to always know where I was.

"What did Bridge want," Lilly asked, obviously very curious to see why he was talking to me again.

"To cover for him," I said with my I'm-sure-he's-up-to-something voice. "Bridge wanted me to tell Elliot that he was riding in the luggage boat with me.

"But you weren't even in the luggage boat," Page pointed out.

"And apparently he didn't know that," I said looking back at the two girls.

"He is hiding something," Lilly said with wondering eyes.

"Yeah, and I'm going to find out what," I said giving Lilly and Page the I'm-leaving look, before walking away to my room.

The next day, after everyone else left for the ocean, I caught up with Bridge by the beach. He was standing where the grass of a nearby soccer field and the sand of the beach met. I was glad he chose to meet so high on the beach, for the tide could get pretty high up the small beach.

"So you came," Bridge asked me. "didn't think you would come."

"Of course, I'm not passing up the opportunity to finally hear your excuse for something," I said as I walked up to him. "I'm running out of them."

Bridge laughed as he started walking down the beach. I followed closely behind as he kicked a piece of drift wood with him. "Ok, you must know there is little I can tell you. Do you respect that?"

"As long as you understand that there is a lot that I can't tell you," I answered. "Just go and I'll try to believe you."

Bridge stopped quickly and looked back at me. I gave him a quick smile before I started ahead of him. He ran behind me to catch up, and then we were standing side-by-side not inches apart. I stepped away from him. As he started to confess, or lie some more, about where he was on the boat ride over here.

"Look, I found another way over here," Bridge said slowly.

"And you didn't share it with me," I questioned, just wanting to see how far I could get him to go.

"I don't think you would have been able to go my special way," He answered. "It's not really a comfy way to travel."

"Well anything would have been better than that boat," I said, trying to complain about a ride I didn't take. It wasn't working well.

Bridge stopped and pulled my arm so I would stop with him. "Emma please believe me, if I thought you could handle this, I would tell you. But I just can't."

That got me upset, "Handle it, you're not tell me your secret because you don't think I could handle it. Well let's get one thing strait, I could handle it way better than you could. I have been living with a secret in a family that won't leave you alone till they know you are telling the truth. If you don't call that handling it, then I don't know what you would."

After that blow up, I started back for the hotel and left Bridge standing there in the sand with a dumb found look on his face.