Cerulean Found

Chapter 85 - Lighting a Match and Playing with Fire

I wake up the next morning alone, wondering if I had dreamt the previous night. I couldn't tell if my encounter with Josh was real or fictitious. Something my mind made up in the wee hours of the night, surely caused by sleep deprivation.

Was he in my room? Did I fall asleep in his arms? Did he really say we only had one more item to get? Was our trip to Cerulean Bay actually happening this week? Is my mom going to live?

It isn't until I see his text that I realize everything I had just questioned was indeed true.

6:30am Good morning, Mila. Just wanted to tell you that you look beautiful while you sleep. I love you. Will be in touch later.

The rest of the day flashes by at lightning speed. I babysit Matty while Gram and Abbo go into town to grocery shop. Justin is gone most of the day, at the resort with Amber. I am glad to be alone. I am able to focus on what is going to be happening in a few short days. It plays out in my mind just like a fairy tale. Josh and I will be setting out on an adventure to find the island of Mennakenna. Once there, we will dodge the Erycon and seek help from the Morreaya tribe, who will guide us to Cerulean Bay. Once there, we will retrieve the water for my mom to drink, and in doing so will be cured of the cancer that threatens to take over her body. Everyone, of course, would live happily ever after. I can't believe this is real. That this is my life. I smile at the revelation. It seems so easy now. But looking back, it took so much to get here. And it's not over yet.

I am in such a good mood. I can't remember the last time I felt this carefree and elated. Even the presence of Amber at dinner does little to alter my cheeriness. She does still try to get under my skin with her backhanded compliments and unwanted sass. None of which phase me. Not even when she brings up "Joshy," do I flinch. Gram is the best. She proudly shares about the dinner that Josh and his dad had made me, I'm sure in hopes of shutting Amber up. It didn't, because she then proceeds to one up me and mention that she too has eaten on Josh's boat, "many, many times."

Yea, but how many times has he said he loves you? I think to myself as I roll my eyes when she isn't looking.

When Josh calls after dinner, I make sure to inform everyone in the room that I have to excuse myself because "my boyfriend wants to chat." The look on Amber's face is priceless.

"Hey, What are you doing?" He asks.

"Just finished dinner with the family, and Amber," I groan.

"Really? She's there?"

"Yep. What about you?" I ask, as I make my way to my room.

"I'm about to head out. I'm meeting up withSAMMY."

"Oh," is all I can muster out of my mouth. I am crushed. I was planning on spending the rest of the evening talking on the phone with him. I'm also slightly bummed that he didn't invite me to tag along. "What are you guys going to do?" I ask curiously.

"I don't know, honestly. Hey, sorry to do this... But I have to go. My mom is calling. I'll call you later I promise."

"Okay," I mumble.

"I love you," he says, before hanging up.

"Love you too," I say into the phone.

Despite what he has said about how he knows I will love his mom, I really despise her right now. Why did she have to call at this particular moment?

I don't know what to do with myself. I can't go back to the living room with my family and have Amber ask why I am off the phone so soon, which would of course lead to her finding out that he has other plans for the night. Plans that don't involve me. I'd rather her not know about my life, or his, so I decide to shower and do some school reading. I picked up The Hobbit and get completely lost in Middle Earth. Before long it is almost midnight. I can't believe how much I have read, and how much I actually really am liking the story. Despite the late time, I still haven't heard from Josh. Except the text he sent at 10:07pm with a smiley emoji.