Found (Book 1 of the Haven's Army Trilogy) [COMPLETED]

Chapter 8

We boarded the ships. I was on the largest of ships, called the SS Safe Haven. I was stuck with Nathan and Naomi, but also had Laura, Percy (a boy from The Shore), Peter and Andrew from The Gear, Katie (a girl from The Hospital) and a few others.

We learned soon enough that people from The Hearth got seasick, as evident from our two resident *Hearthians (just joking Andrew made that up), Christina and Adrian. Katie had to heal a bunch of sore throats and noses from the wind and pulled out many splinters from the wood (Peter's excuse was that they all hadn't built anything in a while besides weapons, so they were a little rusty. Like, Andrew laughed, their gears.)

[*As well as: Victorians, Gearlandians, Gardinians, Shadowdonians, Shorelanders, Needlers, Hunters, Hospitilians, Bookworms, and the Baddies (aka Halovillesmen). Then there's Nina, the Magnifying Glass.]

I mostly spoke with Peter and Andrew when I wasn't working, my evidence being all their ridiculous jokes and such.

I noticed them both (mostly Andrew) looking at Katie quite often. One day, I flew over to the boat Kathryn was on, the SS Warrior. I found her on board and pulled her aside to talk for a while, catch up and such.

"Okay," I said, "I have a few questions, because I'm new at...socialization and things."

"Ask away."

I asked about "girlfriends".

"Oh that means as in...well...you know..."

I stared at her. "No, actually, I don't know."

"Okay like...you know...love?"

"Yeeaaahh...."

"Well...like that but...a lower level of it. Not quite that."

"Ah." I was still confused but I pretended to understand.

Next I asked her about the thing with Andrew and Peter watching Katie.

"Oh that? Same thing, but that one is most definitely one-sided."

"Meaning?"

"They think she's beautiful (because they both think the same way) but she doesn't find them attractive in any way."

"Oh. Then why do they still try to please her?"

"Because there's that one sliver of hope that they think she'll like them."

"Like?"

"As in like like. As in not-quite love."

"Right." I still didn't understand. "And Andrew stares more because...?"

"Peter probably isn't as interested."

"How does that work? They have the same DNA."

"The DNA is always slightly altered, remember?"

"Yes. Sorry."

Finally, I asked about Dennis.

She gasped. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Why what is it?" I asked nervously.

"Someone likes Dennis," she said sing-songingly.

"I'm assuming you mean...the "like" like?" I asked.

"Yup!" she said happily. Then her expression turned darker. "But that's no good. That's no good at all."

I had to think about it. "Oh right. Because Cecilia is supposedly his girlfriend..." Whatever that means... I thought.

"Sorry," Kathryn said, patting my shoulder. "There's really nothing you can do about it."

I nodded.

The bell began to chime.

"Oh great," I said sarcastically. "It's my watch."

"Who do you serve watch with?" Kathryn asked.

"Andrew, Peter, and Katie. Sorry, I have to go. See you later."

"Of course you do," she said, shaking her head. "Alright. Bye."

I waved and jumped back to the ship I had come from.

I liked Dennis? Really? I thought he was handsome? I guess everyone did but still, that was weird. I had never liked someone before. And why him, rather than Percy or Lloyd? They all looked exactly the same except their age and their haircuts were different. In fact, Percy and Lloyd were closer to my age than Dennis was. I looked over at the boat Dennis was on, the SS Ruthless, which someone had painted over to say "SS Toothless". I watched Dennis as he walked across the deck. There was something different about him.

"You like him, don't you?"

I turned around. There stood Peter and Andrew. I opened my mouth to object.

"Don't try to deny it," Peter said.

"I can tell you a secret, since I'll keep yours," Andrew whispered. Katie walked by and he looked over for a split second then turned back. He opened his mouth.

I sighed. "That's no secret. Everyone knows."

His eyes widened. "Did Kathryn tell everyone?"

"No," I said, laughing. "Why trust her anyway?"

"She's been a friend of ours for a long time. We trust her. Mostly."

I laughed.

"But seriously," he said. "How do you know??"

"You aren't very subtle."

"Ah..." he said, trailing off.

Katie was standing on the other side of the boat, alone.

"Well," I said. "Now's your chance."

"For what?" he asked.

"To ask her."

"Ask her what?"

"Oh my gosh how thickheaded can you be??" I asked, frustrated. I lowered my voice back to a whisper. "Ask her to be your girlfriend." I said this even though Kathryn said she had absolutely no interest in him. I knew nothing of infatuation except slightly liking Dennis, but that wasn't the same. According to Kathryn, he had liked her a while.

"Are you crazy??" Peter whispered to me only. "Even I can see she obviously doesn't like him!"

"It can't hurt to try, can it?" I asked.

"Sadly, it can," he said. "For a healer, that girl sure can inflict pain!"

"Okay, sorry," I said, putting my hands up in surrender.

"I'm going to do it," Andrew said from behind Peter.

Peter turned. "Are you sure?" he asked.

"If I don't tell her how I feel now, I never will," he said. "I have to."

"Well then, let's go," Peter said.

"Nononono," I said, pulling him back.

"What?" he asked, his voice cracking.

"I know," I said, "You do everything together. But this, Andrew needs to do on his own."

"But..."

"No!"

He nodded quickly. "Whatever you say."

I was confused. He had suddenly been persuaded to let go. He hadn't been too keen on it before. I shook it off.

"Go on," he said.

Andrew looked confused too. He shook his head and turned away. He took a deep breath and walked over.