Cross Currents by John Shors Page A

here.”
    â€œAre you serious?”
    â€œOf course.”
    â€œTell me you just didn’t say that.”
    â€œI did say it. I am saying it.”
    Ryan squeezed the wooden plank again. “I can’t believe it.”
    â€œIt’s the right choice.”
    He stood up, rocking the longboat. “You happy now, Patch? Maybe you can get Brooke thrown in jail too. Hell, why don’t the three of us just go in together?”
    Patch held up his hands. “Ry, let’s calm—”
    â€œScrew you, Patrick,” Ryan said, removing sunglasses. “And thanks for your support, Brooke.”
    â€œYou have my support, and I didn’t mean to blindside you. I just think Patch is right.”
    Ryan took off his shirt. “Well, he’s not. And you blindsided me in the worst possible way.” She started to reach for him, but he shook his head, sat down on the side of the boat, and rolled backward into the sea. He surfaced, treading water. “I can’t talk about this now.”
    â€œSo you’re going to swim back to shore?” she asked. “You’re going to leave us?”
    â€œWhy not?”
    She turned to Patch. “Is it safe?”
    He nodded. “But, Ry, I don’t want to fight. Why don’t you just—”
    â€œI don’t want to fight either. That’s why I’m leaving. Because I’m about to blow my top, and I don’t want to do that. No matter how much you piss me off, I don’t want to do that.”
    â€œDon’t leave.”
    Ryan shook his head, squinting from the sun’s glare. “You know, you’ve always taken the easy way out. Always. That’s why you’re in Thailand. That’s why you’re in trouble. Don’t you understand that we all have to make sacrifices? I’ve made them. Brooke’s made them. So have Mom and Dad. What makes you so freaking special?”
    â€œI’m not special.”
    â€œI don’t want you to die. Do you understand that? I don’t want you to try to escape and end up with your throat cut. I came here to save you, not bury you.”
    â€œYou won’t bury me.”
    â€œIt’s time for you to leave Fantasy Island. And it’s time for me to take a swim.”
    â€œCome on, Ryan. Let’s—”
    â€œSee you later.”
    Brooke watched him turn on his back and kick toward shore. “Do you want me to come with you?” she asked, raising her voice. “I’ll swim with you.”
    Ryan didn’t respond. A brief gust of wind caused the surface of the water to ripple.
    â€œI’m sorry,” Patch said. “I’m really sorry.”
    â€œIt’s all right.”
    â€œNo, it’s not. This is your first time overseas, to a place like this. And I’m ruining it.”
    â€œIt’s not your fault.”
    â€œIt is my fault.”
    â€œTrust me. It’s not a big deal. We’re good at fighting. We excel at it, actually. So let’s leave it at that.”
    He shook his head, feeling as if he had betrayed her as well as his brother. She sighed and closed her eyes. Suddenly he needed to make her smile, to redeem himself once again. “Let me show you something,” he said, reaching down, picking up a mask and snorkel and handing them to her.
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œPut those on. And hop in the water.”
    â€œBut . . . are you sure he’ll be all right? That’s a long way to swim.”
    â€œRyan? He could swim the English Channel. We’re only a hundred yards offshore.”
    â€œYou’re positive?”
    â€œHe could tow this boat back to the mainland.”
    She nodded, taking the mask, putting it over her face. Though she was tempted to ask Patch to start the engine and follow Ryan, she’d seen him in such moods before and knew that he wouldn’t want to talk. He needed space. And so she glanced at the water, remembering how Ryan had left the