I open my mouth to answer that I don’t. I know that I should keep what I’m going through private. I know that even though Hugh says he wants to be friends, he still doesn’t think the wrasse is alive. I know that I should be surrounding myself with people that will help me, that believe in me.

But I also do want to talk about it. I desperately want someone else to know why I’m so worried. I want to share my burden with company so that I don’t feel so alone in this great big ocean. And if that person is Hugh, on a sailboat, with a Great Barrier Reef sunrise in the background, then so be it.

‘It’s my sister Mi—’ I stop myself just in time. ‘My sister,’ I say quickly. ‘She got some weird news a couple of weeks ago, that she has a gene that predisposes her to breast cancer, and she got a double mastectomy this morning. I knew it would be hard not knowing how her surgery has gone, but I didn’t realise it would be this hard.’

‘Woah. I—I’m really sorry to hear that.’

‘Yeah.’

‘Was this what you were talking about the day you got that not-bad-not-good news?’

I look up from the frayed hem I’m tugging on the sweatshirt sleeve. Hugh and I have been so hostile since we met in person that sometimes I forget we actually know a good bit about each other. His message that day making fun of Americans was the only thing that brought a smile to my face.

‘Yeah,’ I admit. ‘Well remembered.’ I feel like I should say something else, but I have nothing to add. I’m worried if I share too many details, I’ll slip up worse than before and say Millie’s full name.

‘I’ll be right back.’ I turn my head in time to see Hugh push himself up and head towards the cabins. I watch as he disappears out of my sight. Have I been completely naive? Why did I think Hugh could handle my problems? Why would he care about my sister? He doesn’t even know me. So much for being friends.

Grumpily, I get out of the hammock and sit on the platform, crossing my arms over my chest. I don’t feel like swaying in the breeze anymore.

I stare at the water, hoping for a turtle or a pod of dolphins to appear so that later I can make Hugh feel bad for leaving me after I opened up to him, but no matter how hard I stare at the ocean, nothing appears.

‘Millie?’ I hear Hugh call softly.

‘What?’ I growl. I purposely keep my face angled away from where his voice is coming from.

‘A little help?’