Fishy, fishy, fishy, come swim in my sea.

Chapter 5: Secrets

"Then that settles it." Caswell said smiling triumphantly, "Shark must have given Ray his black eye for taking a prank too far. It makes sense, since Shark has a short fuse."

"Yeah, Shark is a hot head." Yuma said unthinkingly as he set the now tuned guitar down and put the Allen key back in the guitar bag, "but he isn't violent." The others looked at Yuma suspiciously. Shit, Yuma thought, how do I get out of this?

"Yuma, Shark was a thug and a bully when we met him," Bronk pointed out, "push his buttons enough, of course he'll slip back into old habits."

"I'm just saying," Yuma said, trying to think quickly, "that it's just as likely Ray tripped over, or slipped over and landed on something that gave him his black eye. He's always acting like a clumsy idiot."

"Yuma have you had an argument with Ray?" Tori asked noting that Yuma's words were very carefully chosen.

"No, I don't know what you're talking about." Yuma said a little too fast. Tori scowled at him.

"Yuma, if you're finished," came Rio's voice from behind them, they all turned, "can I borrow you a moment." Bronk's face lit up like a Christmas tree faster then a firework exploded.

"Hi Rio." Bronk said loudly. Yuma couldn't help his amused smile. None of them could.

"Hi Bronk." Rio smiled. Bronk's brains turned to mush, as the world's cheesiest grin spread across his wide face, and he hugged the clarinet to his chest.

"Sure." Yuma said, following Rio away from the group with a wave, glad to get out his friends' crosshairs. Rio turned to face him, about half way towards the exit, and next to a wall.

"I just want to say, I'm so happy for you and Reginald." Rio suddenly beamed, throwing her arms around Yuma, not seeing Yuma's friends' heads poking around the stage curtain. Bronk couldn't have looked more jealous, even if he tried.

"We just kissed." Yuma said, gasping for air, "Rio, can't ... breathe ... sque....ezing ... too tight."

"Sorry." Rio said with a chuckle, releasing Yuma, who gasped air back into his lungs while rubbing his rib cage, "I just got a little carried away."

"You can say that again," Yuma quipped still rubbing his ribs, "I think my rib cage will be feeling that hug into next week."

"Also it looked a lot more than just a kiss, Yuma." Rio said smiling darkly, "It looked like a confession to me."

"So what if it was?" Yuma asked.

"That's not a denial, so I'm right!" Rio screeched excited, jumping up and down.

"God Rio," Yuma said looking and sounding out right alarmed, "can you say that any louder, I'm not sure they heard you in Spain."

"Relax, Yuma," Rio giggled, "I won't tell a soul. It's for you and Reginald to tell people when you are ready. Also, you sounded just like my brother. Too cute."

"Rio!" Yuma hissed embarrassed.

"Who sounds just like me?" came Shark's voice as he approached them.

"Yuma." Rio said, watching as the pair smiled softly at each other, "Because I was jumping up and down, screeching loudly about being right about you two confessing. Yuma told me if I was any louder, they would hear me in Spain. Or words to that effect."

"I would say that." Shark agreed with a laugh, "But only because you can be annoying, nosey and loud sometimes."

"Watch it, Reginald Kastle," Rio said a dangerous look in her eyes, "or I'll tell everyone one of your embarrassing secrets."