Somewhere Between Water and Sky (Shattered Things #2) by Elora Ramirez Page A

night sky and falling stars and running from trains and kissing to beat the storm. A tear trickles down my face and I bury my head in between my legs before raising it again to watch the sun dip below the horizon, the waves gaining intensity and rush as the tide moves inland.
    Never leave me, he said. I roll my eyes and feel the anger brimming beneath the surface. If only I knew that “ never leave me ” meant more for job security than true love. The fissure within cracks a little more and I let my shoulders slump inward to mind the pain.
    Sometimes, a broken heart needs to see the darkness take over to know she ’ s not alone.
    I hear steps behind me and bristle involuntarily.
    Please don ’ t come sit next to me.
    The steps continue toward me and I groan.
    Ren laughs quietly.
    “ Easy, killer. It ’ s just us. Wouldn ’ t want you jumping off the edge or anything. ”
    Jessa skips next to me and pops down on the rock.
    “ Oh. It ’ s damp over here. Have you been sprayed? ”
    “ A few times. ”
    “ Wow. The view is incredible. ”
    She points toward a small enclave in front of us.
    “ See that fire? ”
    The flames light up the darkness blanketing the atmosphere. I nod even though she can ’ t really see me anymore.
    “ If you listen closely, you can hear voices of surfers camping out tonight. Technically, that beach is off limits but they come down and hide in some of the caves so they can catch the morning waves. ”
    “ They stay over night? ” I watch the flicker of campfire in the distance and feel a pang of jealousy.
    “ Yeah. Can you imagine? I ’ m sure they have grains of sand in their shorts for months. ”
    Ren snorts.
    It grows quiet and sure enough, the distant sound of laughter reaches us. I wonder what it would be like to feel that sense of adventure again: the rush of adrenaline moving in your veins.
    Jessa falls on her back and lifts her arms toward the sky.
    “ Ren, will you be my Moondoggie? ”
    He ’ s quiet for half a second before bending at his knees next to her head. She drops her arms and tilts her head in his direction. He stares at her and brushes a strand of hair off her forehead.
    “ Only if you ’ ll be my Gidget. ”
    And then they kiss.
    “ Are you guys serious right now? ”
    They don ’ t answer me, too lost in each other ’ s tonsils.
    “ Seriously? This is happening? ”
    Jessa raises her arm and gives me the finger.
    I don ’ t even admit I have no idea what the hell they mean by the Moondoggie and Gidget references. But it ’ s annoying as fuck and I kind of want to push them over the edge. I sigh audibly and scramble to my feet.
    “ I ’ ll be waiting in the Jeep. ”
    Walking back to the street, I hear Jessa calling after me. “ Don ’ t act like you didn ’ t want this, Stephanie! ”
    “ Glad you came up for oxygen, asshole! ” I holler back over my shoulder. And then without even thinking, I smile. A pure, genuine and unadulterated smile. I don ’ t even care that I ’ m going home to an empty hotel room.
     
    .::.
     
    We take a different route home, winding down side roads and back streets. I spend a majority of the trip with my head against the backseat, looking up at the stars. They ’ re like shards of broken glass against a black sheet out here — vivid and crystal to the touch. I blink and let my eyes grow heavy with the rhythm of the wheels on the road and the wind at my face and the beauty around me.
    I ’ m jostled awake by the Jeep going off road.
    Opening my eyes I fight to to make out what ’ s going on.
    “ What are we doing? ”
    “ Jess needs to use the restroom. ”
    I nod and close my eyes again, barely noticing a building in the distance behind some of the shrubbery. After a few moments we hear Jessa ’ s voice calling out to us.
    “ You guys! Come here. Check this out. ”
    Ren groans and rubs his face with his hands before answering with a muffled voice pressed in by his fingers.
    “ Jessa. Come on. It ’ s