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Chapter 1

Eleven Years Ago

The bright sunshine sparkled on the blue water, turning the sea into a giant twinkling ge caresses, begging us to stay out on the ocean just a little longer I wanted to stay out on the water with Robbie forever Today was my last day with my best friend

I played with the end of a rope, hoping that the day would just freeze and that I wouldn't have to leave My dad had quit his job with DS Oil and Gas to start out on his own and noere having to ood the way they were I was happy I liked hborhood, butto take all of it away

The other boats fro class were already tied at the docks and the students and instructors were getting ready to go home Robbie and I sat out in our sailboat, sails down and bobbing gently on the waves, pretending that the class wasn't over yet Our instructor, Mr Henderson, was still out on the water in the boat next to us, but he understood why Robbie and I didn't want to go back to shore This was the last tiether Mr Henderson just sat in his s There was a reason he was my favorite teacher

"Hey, Robbie, co down at the water There was no fish, but I knew Robbie couldn't resist He fell for this every time

"Really? Coainstat As soon as he leaned over the edge, I gave his shoulders a strong push, and he toppled into the blue water with a yell

"Yup, it's a Robbie-fish!" I yelled, laughing as he surfaced He sputtered and wiped the water out of his green eyes Heto the rear of the boat where he could climb back up Our boat was a simple two-person sailboat It didn't have a ht size to teach two kids how to sail

"Hey, help me up," he called fro, but I reached my hand out toward his This was tradition with us Our hands ers around my wrist His ser than he looked, and he easily toppled me off the boat and into the water

The cold waterwith cold, salty brine I surfaced and wipedout a mouthful of ocean at Robbie's face The two of us looked at one another and giggled As we tread water, he splashed me and I splashed him back I loved this; I didn't want it to end

"Come on, you two, it's tihed Robbie lifted hi the water out ofa trail of water across the deck

Robbie raised thethe se the tricky maneuver into the dock with only one sail to worry about I took the tiller and began steering the boat back to shore