Strange Tides [Bree Davenport]

Chapter Eleven

Spinning back and forth in my seat, I scroll through my phone. It's nearing the time that Maggie said she would call, and I'm waiting for her to actually go through with it. In the seat next to me, Emmie is quietly working on her lung prototype, the same one she was working on a few years ago. I quickly glance over at her to see a pained expression on her face. I know that she's thinking about Carla.

"Do you need any help with that?" I ask her, gently setting my phone down on the table in the common area. She doesn't bother looking away from the prototype and is completely silent. "Emmie?"

"I need to finish this," she says through gritted teeth. "My deadline is fast approaching, and I'm nearly there."

"Where are Chase and Davenport? Aren't they supposed to help you with it?"

"Chase has been helping me with it." Just by mentioning her boyfriend, she loosens up a little. She lets out a sigh, slumping down in her chair. The metal of her lung prototype clatters on the table, forgotten. "Davenport has been busy with the academy and my internship and upgrading this place in Centium City, so he hasn't really helped me with my prototype." She chuckles to herself, her eyes flashing open. "He doesn't even know the basic human anatomy, so he isn't much help anyway."

I know I should be focused on her words about her prototype, but the words 'Centium City' catches my attention. I want to talk about that place because I swear, I've heard it before, but I don't want to be rude. "So, are you going to go to college to be a doctor or something? Because you said you don't want to teach or anything like that, and I doubt you want to play piano for the rest of your life."

Emmie laughs, pushing her prototype out of the way. She still looks a little anxious about not being able to finish her prototype, but a happy light has entered her eyes. "I'm going to be a doctor, but not one that looks at patients and things like that. Too germy."

"Right," I say, rolling my eyes. "I forgot about you being a germaphobe and all."

She hits my shoulder, reminding me of the other day with River. A shiver works its way through my body, and I look down at the wrist he grabbed when holding me back. There are slight bruise marks all the way around, so I move my hand beneath the table. I don't want anyone questioning me about where those bruises came from. 

"Anyway," she says, shaking her head, "I think I'm going to take a gap year or something before heading off to college. I want to focus on my internship here, finishing my prototype, and bettering myself and my mental health."

"And spending time with your bestest friend in the world."

"And that too." We smile at each other, and I notice that she isn't wearing her glasses right now. I remember her telling me that she only needs to wear them when her eyes are tired, but she's been wearing them the entire time she's been on the island. She must have been doing a lot of things that I didn't know about. "Hey, do you want to know something weird?"

"Duh. As long as it's not about human anatomy."

She pulls her phone out from her sweatpants pocket. While she is scrolling through it, she says, "You know, since I'm dating Chase and am friends with the rest of you, I decided I would search you guys after your secret got out. In the beginning, there weren't much information of you out there, but as time has passed, more things have appeared." Emmie turns her phone to face me, and I nearly gag at what I see. "There are fans of you and your siblings out there that think you and Chase have a romantic relationship."

"Excuse me while I go puke," I say, looking away from her phone. The particular photo on the screen was an edit of Chase and me kissing. My stomach rolls at the thought of Chase and me. "We're siblings! Why would I ever want to date him or kiss him or -- Ugh!" I shudder when thinking about all the possibilities of a romantic relationship. Emmie starts laughing, so I say, "Why do you think this is funny? They are literally shipping your boyfriend with your best friend, and they are siblings! Don't they know that Chase is dating you?"