Chapter 2

Bryce's POV

The boat trip had been Lauren's birthday gift to me.

I'd told her not to go to so much trouble, especially since she was already busy with her work at the hospital.

But she'd looked me straight in the eyes and said sincerely, "Frank's heart has never been in good shape. While he's still able to get around, I want to take him to see every natural wonder on earth. Just the other day, he said he wanted to see what the northern lights looked like over the ocean."

I'd been so excited for my birthday, never imagining it would be the day I lost Grandpa.

I collapsed to my knees, biting down hard on my lip to keep myself from crying out.

On the deck, Lauren draped her jacket over Desmond's shoulders and stood beside him, watching the northern lights flicker faintly across the night sky above the ocean.

Unfortunately, Grandpa would never get to see them.

As Desmond leaned over the railing to retrieve some floating supplies, an unknown fish suddenly bit his forearm. Blood immediately started running from the wound.

He drew a sharp breath, then moved his arm behind his back as though he hadn't been hurt at all. "Oh… Lauren, it's fine. It's just a little blood. Don't worry about me. Go check on Bryce and his grandpa first."

Lauren frowned in concern and grabbed his hand. She wanted to wrap his wound, but there were no bandages on board.

Not knowing what else to do, she turned toward me, her eyes settling on my clothes. "Bryce, your shirt is pure cotton. Take it off and let me use it to bandage Desmond's arm."

I looked up at her in disbelief.

Not long ago, Grandpa had saved up his own money to buy matching tops for Lauren and me.

I'd worn mine for this trip because I was so excited to spend time with her and Grandpa. The shirt meant a lot to me. And now, she was asking me to take it off.

"Lauren, do you really have to do this to me? You know how much this shirt means to me!" My voice cracked with emotion.

When Lauren saw that I didn't move, an impatient scowl crossed her face. "Just do as I say. I don't have time for this. Frank bought me one too. You can wear that one when we get home. I'll give it to you."

What a joke.

When I'd happily put the shirt on, I'd hoped she and I would both wear our matching outfits on the trip. But the moment Desmond remarked that the color made her look washed out, she'd taken hers off without a second thought.

Now I understood how obvious her priorities were.

Desmond let out another muffled groan of pain, breaking the standoff.

Lauren no longer cared how I felt. She strode over, seized the hem of my shirt, and ripped off a long strip to bandage his arm.

The icy ocean wind cut through the tear in my shirt, leaving me numb with cold.

Only after Desmond's wound stopped bleeding did Lauren remember Grandpa. "Frank wanted to see the northern lights. The sky looks amazing right now. Where is he?"

I clenched my fists, hesitating over whether to tell her what had happened. Before I could speak, Desmond suddenly broke into another violent coughing fit and dropped his water bottle.

"Why does my stomach hurt so much? Bryce, how could you replace my fresh water with seawater? Are you still mad at me for taking your grandpa's medication? I'm sorry, okay? Please stop picking on me!"

I stood frozen in shock, but before I could explain, Lauren said sternly, "Bryce, our fresh water supply is already running low, and you still replaced his water? If he drinks that much seawater, he's going to get dehydrated! Apologize to him now!"

We'd been stranded on the boat for an entire day and night, and my lips were cracked from thirst. Why would I waste precious fresh water by replacing it with seawater?

It was only then that I realized Lauren had distilled an entire bottle of fresh water just for Desmond.

I glanced at the bottle he'd dropped and instinctively licked my dry lips. I couldn't help a bitter, self-mocking smile.

"I didn't know you'd distilled fresh water for him. I'm so thirsty I can barely speak, let alone apologize."

Lauren, who'd been shouting at me just moments earlier, fell silent. A flicker of guilt crossed her eyes.

By then, the northern lights had vanished from the sky, leaving the night as hollow and empty as I felt.

Lauren softened her tone. "Once Frank has had his stent procedure, I'll bring you both back here. If you don't want Desmond to come along, I won't bring him."