A Confession

Lucas snorted. "Wow. Thanks for the vote of confidence."

Maya grinned. "You're welcome!"

He shook his head but held onto the shell.

He didn't really believe in luck, but... something about it felt different.

Maybe it was the way Maya had found it, or maybe it was just the memory it stirred in him. Either way, he wasn't going to argue.

The two of them stood there in silence for a moment, listening to the waves.

The sky had darkened even more, the stars growing brighter.

The constellations he had once traced with his mother were out there somewhere, waiting to be found again.

Maybe tonight, he'd look for them.

#####

Lucas ran a hand through his hair as he trudged back toward his tent, his head feeling heavier with each step.

The conversation with Maya had been nice — fun, even — but something about it had stirred up memories he hadn't thought about in years.