I’ve never felt anything like it.
“Your turn,” he says.
I nod, and then inhale shakily. I try an exhale through my gills, but instead, my cheeks puff out like a fish. I try multiple inhales, but every exhale squeezes through my mouth. My face heats with the effort and I’m lightheaded from the irregular breathing rhythm. It appears that I will not be exhaling through my gills today.
I rip my gaze from Reef’s and exhale through my mouth in one fell swoop. I try to keep my composure, my back straight and my gaze just over his shoulder. His hands rest near my neck and I wait for him to laugh at me, to make fun of me.
Instead, to my relief, Professor Halloran calls that class is over.
Reef drops his hands and returns to his seat without another word or glance in my direction. My face blisters red with embarrassment and my heart gallops. I feel lightheaded again but I’m not sure it’s from the breathing exercise.
In the corner of my eye, I see Kendra shoot daggers in my direction. She’s paired with Rayne, and apparently she isn’t loving the constant flow of attention and flattery from her friend. She’d rather be with Reef, and part of me wishes that she was with him too. The magnetic pull I feel for him is deeply confusing, and every moment I spend with him seems to make it stronger.
Reef packs his books and heads for the door. The further away he gets, the better I can breathe.
And the more I miss not being able to.
26
I wake up soaked in sweat. My heart thumps and my palms are cold and clammy. I glance at the clock on my nightstand —1.30am.
Frustrated, I stare at the ceiling of my dorm and roll my head on the pillow. Every night, the nightmare comes earlier, leaving me with more broken sleep. This time, the green eyes were closed. Reef was unconscious and bleeding. I couldn’t reach him.
It’s like my mind can’t get enough of him — during both waking and sleeping hours. Since we practiced our breathing in Transformation two weeks ago, I think about him even more. And I still can’t work him out.
Adrenaline and fear course through my veins. I’m too jacked up to go back to sleep. Beside me, Casey snores peacefully. I’m envious.
I sigh and sit up in bed. There’s no point in trying to force myself to sleep.
I open the drawer beside my bed and grab a piece of paper, shoving it into the pocket of my pajama shorts. Then, I reach for my flip flops and tiptoe to the door. Leaving our dorm after curfew is strictly forbidden, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
Flo mutters something in her sleep and I pause, my hand on the doorknob. My heart beats so loud that I think it might wake everyone in the room. But Flo sighs and rolls over. Her breathing soon returns to a deep, rhythmic lull.
I duck out of the room and wander across the courtyard. I have no idea what I’m doing or where I’m going, but my body is wired. I stroll along the dirt trail that loops towards the craggy cliff tops, cursing myself for not bringing a sweater or jacket — the fall night air is chilling.
I spot the old lighthouse in the distance and remember what Professor Nerida said about my biological dad. He used to sneak off to the lighthouse at night. What was he doing up there?
Strangely, the thought of retracing his footsteps is comforting. Given how lost and confused I feel at Deep Cove, it’d be nice to understand something about the man who sent me here. I wish I could hear from him, just once. I wish he could tell me why I’m here and what I’m supposed to do about my failed trial. I certainly can’t talk to my mom about it. She might not even know what my dad is. What I am.
I head towards it and ascend the long spiral staircase slowly. By the time I get to the top, I’m dizzy. I lie on the platform and focus on the beautiful starry night above. For once, the stars don’t relax me. My nightmare continues to infiltrate my thoughts and I’m plunged back into the memory of the murky depths.
It has to mean something.
I grab the paper from my pocket and unfold it. I run my hand across the drawing of the necklace I made for Professor Nerida. I trace the curves of the strange symbol. I’ve never seen anything like it. What is it? Why am I dreaming about it? Is this necklace the key to my Destiny?
There’s a noise on the stairs and my heart speeds up.
Footsteps, coming this way.
I swear under my breath and scramble to a stand, tucking the paper back into my pocket.
The footsteps are closing in. I bite my lip. The professors and staff do nightly patrols to catch wandering kids like me. I can’t imagine what the punishment would be for leaving my dorm at night, not to mention in my pajamas. I can’t imagine it’s anything good.
I scramble to think of an excuse for why I’m here. Nothing comes to mind.
And then, another thought comes to me. My blood turns cold. Professor Nerida spoke of some unknown danger around Deep Cove. Am I in danger here?
I need to hide. I run across the platform to the control room and press myself against the door. I hold my breath and hope the shadows conceal me.
A dark form walks around the corner. My heart pounds in my ears and I think I might be sick. Then, the person steps into the moonlight. I almost gasp aloud when I see that it’s Reef.
What is Reef doing here? And what do I do now?
He’s wearing his faded-out burnt orange hoodie, sweatpants and sneakers. He’s dressed for the weather. In horror, I look at my own pajama-clad existence. He can’t see me like this.
Reef lies on the platform, almost exactly where I was lying seconds ago. His face is creased and he’s staring at the stars.
I have no idea what to do. My palms are clammy. I’m relieved that I haven’t been caught by a professor, but I also have no idea how I’m going to get myself out of this situation. I weigh my options, standing still and silent. My jaw is clenched from the cold and I wrap my arms around myself.
Eventually, I concede that there’s no way around it — I need to walk past him to get to the stairs, and he’s clearly not moving anytime soon.
I take a deep breath and clear my throat gently, stepping out of the shadows. “Uh, Reef?”
He makes a noise like a strangled cat and jumps. I burst out laughing, keeling over. I’ve never seen anyone jump so high.
He squints at me in recognition. “Maya? What the hell are you doing here?”
I stick my hands on my hips. “I could ask you the same thing.”
His mouth twitches at the corners, like he’s trying not to laugh. His gaze moves up my body, taking in my bare legs, shortie pajamas and wild bedhead hair. My insides turn to jelly when our eyes meet, and blood explodes under my cheeks. I hope it’s too dark for him to notice.
He raises an eyebrow. “I assume you’re here for some other reason than to scare me half to death.”
I shrug. “Couldn’t sleep.”
Reef nods slowly, his expression full of questions. I blush, wishing he wasn’t so ridiculously, inhumanly good looking. Even in this dim lighting, he looks like some sort of a Greek god.
He seems to want to ask something, but decides against it. Instead, he smiles. “Me neither.”
I smile back tentatively, grateful that I don’t have to come up with an explanation. Reef turns away and sits on the platform. He seems preoccupied, not his usual too-cool-for-school, standoffish self.
He stares at the stars. “Sometimes, I come here to think.”
Feeling bold, I sit next to him. “It’s nice here.”
“Nicer with company.”
He smiles at me sincerely, and another blush explodes across my face. What’s this about? Doesn’t he hate me? I gape at him, confused, but his expression gives nothing away. As usual, Reef is completely unreadable.
“You’re being so kind right now.” The suspicion in my voice is apparent.
He tilts his head to the side, and a flash of confusion flits through his eyes. “Is that unusual?”
“You usually act like you hate me.” I hug my knees to my chest. There, I’ve sai
d it. It's out there.
“Are you kidding?” His mouth drops open and he stares at me incredulously. “I should say the same thing.”
I’m taken aback. “What do you mean?”
He smiles bitterly. “Come on, Maya. You’ve been acting like you hate me since we first saw each other. Remember Opening Ceremony? You looked at me like I was repulsive and when I tried to help you, you shot back like I hurt you. And then, when I jumped after you through the upper year entrance, you pushed me away like I did something wrong.”
Reef trails off and runs his fingers through his hair. His expression is frustrated as he looks at the sky. “I thought I offended you somehow. I couldn’t figure out why you hated me.”
Oh. The blood drains from my face. I never thought about how our interactions looked from his perspective.
“When you put it like that...” I open my hands apologetically. I’ve never been good at hiding my emotions and I guess they came across, but in the wrong way. “I’m really sorry. I thought it was you who hated me. Every time I saw you, you looked at me like you couldn’t stand me.”
“I was trying to figure you out, Maya.” He pauses for a moment. “I still can’t figure you out.”
I blush and my mind spins. He can’t read me either?
“I definitely didn’t mean to come across that way. When I saw you for the first time… It’s complicated.” I furrow my brow, hoping I didn’t say too much. I’ll sound like a stalker if I tell him the actual truth — that I’ve been dreaming about him for months.
“And you’re not repulsive, by the way.” I add in a mumble.
To my surprise, Reef laughs. “Thank you. I think.”
I sneak a look at him and his eyes sparkle. My stomach explodes with butterflies. He’s even beautiful when he’s mad.
“I’m glad you don’t hate me,” he says quietly. “I definitely don’t hate you, and I’m sorry if it seemed like I did. Friends?”
He holds out his hand and I shake it with a smile. “Friends.”
“So, friend.” He stretches his legs out. “What are you really doing here in the middle of the night?”
“What do you come here to think about?” I counter.
“It’s like that, is it?” He teases. “You ask all the questions but give no answers?”
I return his grin. “Maybe.”
“I’ll make you a deal — if I tell you, you have to answer my questions too.” He cocks his head to the side, a challenge in his eyes.
Despite not wanting to confess my nightmares, I nod. I don’t want this magical interaction with him to end.
He exhales slowly and his shoulders slump. “I come here to think about my mom. She died when I was a baby. It sounds weird but the stars make me feel closer to her.”
I’m so sad for Reef that I can’t find the words to answer. I can’t imagine losing my mom. As annoying as she can be at times, I can't picture my life without her.
“I don’t know why I told you that.” He presses his mouth together. Then, he adds, more to himself than to me, “I never talk about her.”
“Reef, I’m so sorry,” I finally manage. I want nothing more than to reach out for his hand.
“It’s fine. It was a long time ago and I’ve never known any different.” His eyes glaze over and his walls go back up.
Then his expression turns mischievous as he eyes my attire. “My turn. Tell me, is it a normal cure for insomnia to run around campus in your pajamas in the freezing cold at 2am?”
I cross my arms over my chest defiantly. “Yes.”
He bursts into laughter and I laugh with him. My body feels light and free. Sitting with him, laughing with him, feels so right. I barely notice that I’m shivering.
But he notices. He shrugs off his hoodie and hands it to me. “Here.”
His warm fingers touch my skin and the electric current runs through me.
I shake my head. “No, you’ll be cold.”
“I’m fine, believe me. You’re covered in goosebumps. Take it.” He leans forward slowly and deliberately to wrap the hoodie around my shoulders.
I offer him a small smile of thanks, embarrassed. “Are you sure Kendra won’t mind me wearing this?”
“Kendra?”
“I thought you guys might be together.” I try to keep my tone light.
“No, we’re definitely not. We were together for, like, a minute at the beginning of the summer. It wasn’t for me, so I called it. I guess we’re friends now.”
I don’t dare ask any more. For now, I’m content in the knowledge that he’s not dating her.
“My dad used to come here at night,” I say, my voice quiet. “I guess Professor Nerida knew him when they were students at Deep Cove years ago. I’ve never met him. He left before I was born and I never heard from him until my mom told me he insisted I go here. Now, I know that he must’ve been a siren, but I don’t even know what he looks like. Or how he knew to send me here.”
I feel Reef’s gaze on me. “I’m sorry, Maya.”
I turn and give him a small smile. “It’s okay. It was a long time ago, I’ve never known any different.”
As I meet his gaze, an understanding moves between us — an acknowledgment of shared pain and loss.
Reef lays flat on the platform and I lie next to him, feeling surprisingly comfortable in his presence. Together, we look up at the sprinkling of stars, blinking at us like we’re the only two people in the universe.
27
Under the watchful eye of the night sky, Reef and I talk about everything. I ask him about growing up as a siren and he answers every one of my burning questions with a smile. He tells me about the wild and colorful siren festivals and carnivals, and about elementary school where he learned about life beneath the ocean.
It blows my mind. I’m wrapped up in every word that spills from his mouth, wrapped up in him.
He also talks about his grandmother, Anthia, who raised him. His father works for the Sirenis Force —the police department for sirens.
“Kinda like the FBI?” I ask in wonder.
He laughs. “Something like that.”
In turn, I tell him about regular high school — about homeroom and social studies and yearbook. All of the things that seem mundane to me, but truly interest him. I crack up at his genuine curiosity about social media. He repeats the word “Influencer” to himself like it's a foreign language.
He places his arms behind his head. “No one on the island even has a phone.”
I feign being horrified. “Think of the selfie opportunities you’re missing out on.”
He chuckles. “Well, aside from that, why would I need one?”
His eyes are full of genuine confusion and intrigue. I’m beside myself giggling but inside, I’m buzzing with energy. Electricity runs through my body, like being this close to him ignites a fire in my veins. I wish I wasn’t so painfully aware of the bare skin of his arm next to mine.
Finally, I get the courage to ask the question that’s been on my mind for days. “What happened during your trial?”
His brow darkens and then immediately clears. I blink, I must’ve imagined it.
“Our trials happened before you Landwalkers arrived,” he says dreamily. His tone matches Casey’s on the day after the trial. “Professor Halloran brought us to the beach and we heard a beautiful melody—”
“You heard it too?”
He smiles and nods. “I fell asleep, we all did. It felt like I was laying in warm water. My muscles were tired and sore in the best way, like after a good day of surfing. And then, the water lifted me towards the night sky. It covered me and I felt warm and relaxed. Shooting stars formed a path and I felt like I belonged. And, in the clouds, I saw—”
“Happy, smiling faces.” I finish for him, refraining from rolling my eyes. Of course, it’s always the same — these incessantly happy people.
Reef pauses and shoots me a strange look. His eyes cloud over. “Something like that.”
I bit
e my lip. “I didn’t mean to pry.”
“You didn’t.” He knocks his leg against mine. “To be honest, I feel like I can tell you anything.”
My heart flutters in my chest and I smile back at him.
I don’t know how long we’re up there. The conversation flows so easily, it could be five minutes or hours. Either way, it’s not long enough. I feel like I’ve known him forever, yet want to still discover everything about him.
I even go so far as to tell him about my fear of sharks.
Reef laughs. “Marlowe ran into a great white shark on a surf trip once. He was—”
He freezes and the story dies on his tongue. Then, I hear it too.
Footsteps.
He holds a finger to his lips and scrambles to his feet. He helps me up and my breath catches in my throat.
There’s the unmistakable sound of footsteps climbing the lighthouse stairs. We’re not meant to be here in the middle of the night as it stands. But we’re especially not meant to be here together. We could get expelled for this.
For the second time tonight, my blood runs cold with fear. The odds of it being another student are low, which leaves only Mr. Seaver or a professor.
The distant glow of a flashlight appears in the stairwell.
My heart stops. What do we do?
In one swift movement, Reef grabs my hand and yanks me across the platform. He pulls me into a small alcove near the control room. It just barely conceals us. His arms circle around me, shuffling me into the alcove and further out of sight.
The footsteps are close.
I’m frozen but it’s impossible not to think about his muscled chest beneath my cheek, or the smell of salt on his skin. My traitor heart races. It’s pounding so loud that I’m worried he can hear it too. I urge it to relax, to stop beating so hard. It’s a pointless exercise.
The person reaches the top of the platform and the beam of the flashlight moves across the area. I risk a look at Reef’s face. He widens his eyes and, for some reason, we both start cracking up. Tears run down my cheeks as I try to stay quiet, try to keep from laughing hysterically.
The Destiny: A YA Paranormal Academy Romance (Deep Cove Academy Book 1) Page 9