Page 67 of Blue in the Deep Blue Sea
“What if we’re stuck here forever?”
“We’ll manage,” I said, walking over to her.
I lowered myself beside her, the pebbles shifting and clicking beneath me, their sound rolling through the cave.
From my pockets I pulled out two smallValfruttaapple juice boxes with straws taped to the side. I peeled the straw free, pushed it through the silver foil, and handed one to her.
“Drink this.”
“You want to poison me?” she asked, taking the juice box.
She looked at me with those mischievous blue eyes, slipped the straw between her lips, and took a sip.
“You know,” I laughed, “I’ve thought about it a few times, but I think you could be useful.”
“Yeah,” she said with a sigh, taking another sip of the juice. “Now you have to drink yours, or I’ll really think you poisoned mine.”
I raised an eyebrow, keeping my eyes on her. I peeled the straw from my juice box, pushed it through the foil, lifted it to my mouth, and took a sip. The cold seawater had kept it surprisingly cool and refreshing, though it still had that bland, sugar-free taste made for children.
“It tastes like poison.”
She laughed and lay back on the rocks.
“This isn’t like me, Oliver. Or you,” she said. “We should be panicking, looking for something to eat, searching for anything that’ll keep us alive. But we’re just lying here, calm, on the edge of the beach.”
“Maybe we’re just tired,” I said, stretching out beside her.
“Maybe.”
She was quiet for a moment before asking, “What if we really have to stay here for the rest of our lives?”
“Honestly,” I laughed, “maybe that wouldn’t be so bad. I’ve wanted to get away from Amalfi for a long time.”
“Me too,” she said. “But somehow I’ve always been afraid.”
“Another thing you’re afraid of?” I turned onto my side, propping myself up on my elbow, the pebbles pressing into my arm as I rested my head against my palm.
She didn’t answer straight away. She drew in a slow breath.
“I’m afraid of a lot of things,” she said. “Including you.”
“Me?” I stared at her.
“You can be scary.”
“You too,” I laughed.
She turned to look at me. Her eyes were tired, red from crying, but she didn’t say anything.
There were so many questions I wanted to ask her and one finally slipped free from my mouth.
“Can I ask you something?” I finally said.
She nodded.
“Did you know about my dad and your mum?”
The question had been on my mind for so long that I wanted it out between us.
