Mateo points down, and peeking its head out of a crevice is a moray eel, warily watching us like he’s going to yell at us to get off his lawn. I salute him, moving on my merry way. I would prefer to make it to land without being attacked again.
When I spin around, I spot Amy and Oliver farther down the reef. He’s pointing at something on the coral, though she’s floating away. He drags her back but doesn’t let go of her hand. I snap a photo of them, in case their circumstances change, then leave them to have their underwater moment.
I wish Sofía could scuba dive so we could have our own little moment beneath the waves. I’d encourage her to get her certification if I didn’t think she would get claustrophobic underwater.
Mateo signals for us to do a safety stop—a break at five meters to prevent decompression sickness—and while we hover, Doug swims in circles, snapping photos of us in various poses. Charlieand Mateo pull out their regulators and kiss, and Amy wraps her arms around me like I’m a tree and she’s a koala taking a nap.
Once the stop is over, we all ascend, taking our first breath of fresh air in an hour.
“Did you see the nudibranch?” Charlie asks to no one in particular. “We’ll have to look at the species ID sheet after breakfast.”
They’re chatting away, but I’m focused on something far greater.
Because on the top deck, wrapped in a sweatshirt and holding a steaming mug of coffee, backlit by a beautiful sunrise, Sofía stares down at us, a tiny smile on her face. She wiggles her fingers in a wave, and my heart clenches in my chest.
Not quite waiting in my room for me to return, but waiting for me, nonetheless.
It could be so easy to make her the end of my road.
If only she saw it the same way.
“What are your plans after this?” Sofía asks the group, slipping into the empty seat beside me in the lounge.
Her hair is wet from a shower, and the soft cherry scent of her body wash and perfume wraps around me as she tries to burrow into the worn-down leather.
Charlie and Mateo share the loveseat across from us, while Oliver and Amy sit on opposite sides of the floor, a coffee table covered in a puzzle separating them. Energy is low after a day of diving, and Molly and Doug ditched us the moment they were done eating.
I can’t say I blame them. I’d much rather hang out with Sofía alone than sit next to her and pretend I don’t want to hold her hand in mine. She shifts, and her feet wiggle beneath my thighs.
“First to Sydney for a few days, and then we’re headed to New Zealand,” Charlie says, kicking her feet into Mateo’s lap. He lays a hand over her shin, kneading the calf muscle beneath, and she sighs.
“First stop: Hobbiton,” Amy says. “I have the most beautiful dress I’m going to wear while we frolic through fields.”
“Doug and I went there a few years ago. It was incredible.” I swallow a yelp when Sofía’s foot presses against my ass. Her eyes glitter with mischief. “Are you going, too, Olly?”
He shakes his head, sliding a puzzle piece into its spot. “I have to head back to England. My brother is graduating, and I’m expected to make an appearance.”
Oliver does not seem thrilled about it, and Mateo grimaces in a way that suggests we shouldn’t press the matter. After the sloppy make-out session in the pub, he’s been reserved far more than normal. I tap him with my foot.
“You good?”
He hums. “I don’t want to go.”
“A graduation party sounds fun,” Sofía says, trying to defuse the tension in the room. “Where did he go to school?”
“Oxford.”
“Where are you guys heading next?” Amy asks, changing the topic and offering Oliver a half smile.
Even after everything, she’s still there, saving him. I think that’s what love is—recognizing that the person you love will make mistakes, and sometimes they’ll hurt you, but to choose to love them anyway. You acknowledge the flaws, but you don’t let them define the relationship. No one is perfect, and to assume so does everyone a disservice.
Amy seems to understand that better than anyone else. I think she embodies love in its purest form.
“We’re staying in Cairns. We have a few tours scheduled for the Daintree Rainforest and a crocodile cruise.” Sofía pulls open the calendar on her phone, her brows scrunching together at the surprise I scheduled. “We also have a…surprise shenanigan that blows all others out of the stratosphere,” she drawls.
“What’s that?” Charlie asks.
“Uh, I have no idea,” she responds, blinking at me. “Jett scheduled it on our calendar.”
