where the water meets the moon | e.d.

two

ethan

i frown down at the text messages on my screen as a small chatter of excited interns floods my eardrums.

kendall: e, i'm sorry. i have to join halfway into the trip. i thought you'd understand?

me: i do, i promise. it's just that we planned this together? the only reason i said yes is because i knew you were coming. i thought it could be romantic.

kendall: i know. i'm so sorry. i promise i'll be on the boat sometime in july. my family just needs to work some things out right now. i'm flying back to california tomorrow night. i promise i'll be there to  say goodbye before you go.

me: okay. i love you, i'll see you tomorrow.

kendall: love you <3

i pocket my phone with a sigh, feeling utterly useless for being here now.

the only reason i signed up for this exploration is so that kendall and i could be on a boat together for the summer and work out some problems we've been having. they're very minor, but there nonetheless.

but at least she'll be flown into the island in the middle of the trip, and we'll still have two months together.

dr. cornell claps his hands on top of the elevated platform and everyone shuts up, turning their focus to him in his long white lab coat.

he flashes us all a smile, scanning the room happily. "i'm so excited to be surrounded by a group of young geniuses. summer that lies ahead of us will
be filled with science, the ocean, data, research... and most importantly— friendships."

i hide an eye roll. probably my thirtieth of the day.

"we've assigned each of you a boat, two partners, and a captain. those who signed up without partners will be selected at random with other floaters," he announces and i feel a hole in my chest.

kendall was supposed to be with me, but now i'll be getting assigned to a random people that i've never met.

my eyes wander over the crowd as i try to pick out who i could possibly be paired up with.

they all seem normal, but inside they could be actual deadass psychopaths.

"all of today, tomorrow, and the first day at sea will be filled with intense training. so..." dr. cornell rubs his hands together eagerly. "are you all ready?"

someone raises their hand, but starts talking before being called on. "when do we get our assigned partners?"

"tomorrow before you leave," he says casually, brushing off the question like it's not important. but to me, it is. i would like to know who i'll be spending my summer with.

"i'll split you up into three groups. one talks about boat safety, the other recaps your knowledge on data collecting, and the other gives a brief rundown of what exactly will be happening on the exploration. we'll rotate through these, and then i'll let you go."

we get divided up by a couple of lab assistants, and i find myself in a group on the far left— the exploration rundown.

a couple people smile at me, and i try my best to reciprocate the same feelings. but honestly, i feel like doing anything but smiling. kendall was supposed to be here with me.

"so, let's start with names," an advisor i vaguely recognize says. his name tag says jake. "i'm sure a couple of us know each other, but my name is jake. i've been working here for five years as an assistant microbiologist, and a mentor here."

"hi jake," we all chorus back in dull voices.

he chuckles, and motions to a girl beside him, who blushes. "take it away, addison."

she has long, wavy brown hair and blue eyes, but i also notice that she fidgets. like, a lot. she balances on her toes, then plops her feet back down flat.

"i'm addison," she slightly raises a hand that i notice has a couple of rings on them, all relating to the ocean. "i've been interning here for a couple years... i go to the university of miami— like probably most of you— and i'm studying marine biology right now... like probably most of you," she finishes with a slight laugh, causing a ripple affect among the group.

she smiles and then the person next to her starts their introduction. we go around the circle until it's me— the very last person.

"i'm ethan," i nod. "this is my second intern year. i go to u of m as well, and... yeah. studying biological oceanography."

jake grins at all of us. "all right. well, now that we're mildly familiar with each other, how about we begin the presentation."

all of us nod and begin to listen to his speech about how we could make a discovery that goes in books, and how smart all of us are.

but i feel like i'd be enjoying this much more if i was with my girlfriend.