Isamaria had seen someone in the water, and yes, she was certain it was a someone. It was a boy: at first, she’d thought he was a tourist who’d fallen out of the boat, but she knew from the moment she’d laid eyes on him she’d never seen him before in her life. He was different— and he was justlikeher.
She didn’t know how she knew that, but she was ultimately convinced that the two of them were the same, and nothing anyone could say would change her mind. Their souls just connected on impact. She could feel it, and she bet hecould,too.
But then the boy panicked, and before she could say anything more to him, he’d dived. Isamaria had expected to see legs, but shedidn’t.
She sawatail.
Isamaria convinced herself she was crazy. She had to be seeing things. There was no boy in the water. There couldn’t be. A triathlon swimmer couldn’t keep up with the waves and the undertow out here, so far away from the shoreline… not for long, anyway. They’d drown. Unless he’d hung onto or hidden away in the boat somehow… which was unlikely… there was no such boy out here. Her eyes were playing tricksonher.
Isamaria dropped off the tourists at the dock. She tapped her fingers on the steering wheel of the boat before backing it up and whirling itaround.
She steered the boat out to the same spot she saw the boy. She dropped the anchor, then pulled off her shorts and tank top. Isamaria always wore a bikini, never underwear or a bra-- she didn’t see the point when she’d always end up in the ocean at one point or another intheday.
There was a harpoon on the boat. It was an antique, one her uncle only used to exaggerate fishing stories. It had been an old weapon to kill sharks and whales hundreds of years ago. Isa considered taking it with her to defend herself just in case there was something scary down there, but she berated herself for being crazy. Unless it was a shark, she really had nothingtofear.
Isamaria fastened goggles to her face, then dived in. She held her breath as she swam in wide strokes, not really sure what she was looking for… ifanything.
In each direction she looked there was nothing but an expanse of blue water. She couldn’t even see any fish. Isamaria dove down farther, but she didn’t accomplish anything. She was fighting the current, and getting tired. Isamaria returned to the boat before she became too exhausted and the sea claimed her foritsown.
Disappointed, she climbed back onto the boat.I don’t know what I was thinking.I’mnuts.
Isamaria closed her eyes and pictured the boy in her head again. She could still see him; water dangling from his dark lashes, and soft waves in his brown hair she could imagine running her handsthough.
Cut it out, Isa. He’s not a Disney prince. He doesn’t evenexist.
She must’ve been out in the sun for too long. Or she was so pissed at her dad she was imagining running off with some hot dude just to sayscrewyou.
Isa guided the boat back to shore. She docked her uncle’s boat at the marina, then once it was secure, headed to the office and got herlongboard.
Her dad had bought her a car, but Isa enjoyed skating around Coral Bay more than she did driving. He didn’t like it… thought it made her look like a punk. Isa just enjoyed the exercise. She had too much energy. Every day it felt like she was going to jump out of her skin. Working out made that feeling go away, at least for alittlebit.
Isa put her helmet on and glided down the street on her board. She did some ollies and skimmed down some stair rails, then took a few minutes to do some jumps at the skate park before she realized how late it was. She hurried home from there, and threw her longboard in the garage once she got to her three-storystucco.
“Dad, I’m home!” She loped into the massive, open-concept kitchen, but he wasn’t there. The only person around besides her was their maid,Guadalupe.
“He’s not here, chica,” Lupe said when she noticed Isa poking around the too-large rooms, pristine in appearance. It was as if the house was a living magazine and not a place where people resided. “He’s stillatwork.”
“Do you know when he’ll be home, Lupe?” she asked. She breathed a sigh of relief, but also, disappointment. He was supposed to be here so she could make grouper tonight, his favorite. He’d been gone since five that morning. Isa knew, because she was up at that time and couldn’t sleep. She could never sleepthesedays.
Lupe shook her head. “No. But I took the fish out of the freezer, justincase.”
Isa’s lips downturned and her stomach rumbled. But she shook it off. “It’s okay. I’ll wait upforhim.”
“Don’t wait too long, chica. Remember to eat.” Lupe kissed her forehead while she gathered her purse. Isa wanted to beg her to stay so she wouldn’t be alone again in this big house, but Lupe had her own family to go home to and she was a big girl. She could take care ofherself.
Isa busied herself with homework at the island in the kitchen, looking out the window every few minutes. When her father finally pulled into the driveway at eight, Isa jumped up from her chair and went to start battering the fish. It was soggy inthesink.
Colson walked into the house with a fast food bag, and Isa froze. “Hello, Ria,” he said, using her old nickname from when she was a kid. It irritated her. “I stopped fordinner.”
Take-out again. Oh well. At least it was somethingtoeat.
“I… was supposed to make dinner for you,” Isa trailed off. “Remember?”
Her father’s face was blank. “Oh. Sorry, honey. I got you asalad.”
He’d forgotten. She’d even left a note and texted him. How could he have forgottenagain?
“It’s okay,” she said, and she threw the fish back in the freezer. “It’s too late to cook,anyway.”
