A Dolphin's Cry

Chapter 19

Ryan sends me a text in the morning, telling me to bring my swim suit. He doesn't tell me why, but I figured maybe we were going out on the water to see Cleo after school. I pack it in my bag and then join Dad for breakfast.

I'm about done with my cereal when there's a knock at the door. Dad goes to answer it while I gulp down my food and rinse it in the sink.

"Good morning, Mr Berry," Ryan answers from the door. My heart does a dance in my chest when I hear his voice. "How are you today?"

"Good morning, Ryan. I'm good thank you."

I set the bowl on the drying rack when Dad calls me. I make my way over to them.

"Morning, Ryan. What are you up to?"

"I was wondering if you could help me with something before we head to school."

"Sure I can." I turn to Dad to double check with him since he is my ride to school. "Dad, is it okay I go with Ryan?"

He nods his approval. "It's fine, Ashley. Just make sure you both get to school on time."

"You have no reason to worry, Mr Berry," Ryan says.

I grab my bag from my room, and then kiss Dad goodbye, leaving with Ryan. Out on the front lawn I searched for his car, but it was nowhere to be seen.

"Where's your car?" I ask.

"There's no need for it."

"How are we getting to school then? By bus?"

We reach the path and headed in the direction of the main street.

"We aren't going to school today."

I glance at him with puzzle look. "Of course we are going to school today. It's Monday, isn't it?"

Ryan smiles. "Of course it's Monday. Would you rather spend it in a classroom and having Kishi say nasty things, or would you rather spend it out on the water, swimming with Cleo and the other dolphins? I know we swam with them yesterday, but do you want to do it again?"

How could I not say no to that choice?

"I woke up with this bad feeling," he continues on. "It's a Red Cove day, and I feel something awful is going to happen. So I thought going out on the water with you will be a good idea."

"Sounds good. What about Alexis or your parents?"

"Alexis is at school and doesn't know what I'm planning. So far my parents don't know I had taken the boat last time, so hopefully they won't notice again. They are at work, and we can get out of the marina before ten o'clock so they will thankfully not notice when they take first tour out."

I hope they wouldn't notice either. What worries me more is being caught skipping school again.

We make it out of the marina without getting caught. While Ryan steers the boat, I keep an eye out for Cleo. It was cloudy this morning, and it seemed quiet out on the bay. Ryan suggest we could go out of the bay and out at sea where we could hopefully see humpback whales that could be swimming by the coastline. Now that it was November, whale watching season was almost over. It was something different to what we normally do when we were out on the water.

When we thought we wouldn't see any dolphins or Cleo, I spot a dorsal fin in the water. The dolphin swims over to us and I see that it's Cleo. Ryan cuts the engine.

"Hi, Cleo," Ryan says, joining me at the front of the boat and leaning over the railing. "How are you today?"

Cleo squeals happily.