I lift the Chest up and out of the water, holding it aloft so they can all see it. I don’t even care the most revolting, mucky water is pouring off it and onto my head. I’m grinning so wide, my face hurts. I love the looks on their faces, mouths agape and eyes wide. I’m enjoying it so much I use my telekinesis to float the Chest over to Eight and Six and leave it there, in midair.

‘Look what I found, Eight!’

Eight disappears from the grass and reappears up in the air next to the Chest. He wraps his arms around it and hugs it. Slime and all. Then he teleports back to the edge of the lake, the Chest still in his hands. ‘I can’t believe it,’ Eight finally says. ‘All this time, it was right here.’ He looks stunned.

‘It was inside a Mog ship at the bottom of the lake,’ I say, walking out of the water.

Eight disappears again and teleports directly in front of me, our noses practically touching. Before I can register how nice his warm breath feels on my face, he picks me up and kisses me hard on the mouth as he twirls me around. My body stiffens and I suddenly have no idea what to do with my hands. I don’t know what to do at all, so I just let it happen. He tastes salty and sweet at the same time. The whole world disappears and I feel as if I’m floating in darkness.

When he sets me down, I pull back and look into his eyes. One glance and I know this huge, romantic moment was a spontaneous and grateful gesture for him. No more, no less. I’m an idiot. I really need to let this crush go.

‘I never swim over here. From the start, I always dove off on the other side there,’ Eight says. ‘Stuck in the same area.’ He shakes his head. ‘Thank you, Marina.’

‘Um, you’re welcome,’ I whisper, still dazed by the first part of his thank-you.

‘Now that you’ve hugged it hello, don’t you want to open it?’ Crayton asks. ‘Come on, already!’

‘Oh! Right, of course!’ Eight yells, and he teleports back to the Chest.

Six walks towards me. ‘Marina! That was so awesome!’ She hugs me, then pulls away to shake me by the shoulders, smiling at me meaningfully. In a low voice, she whispers, ‘And am I seeing things, or did you just get kissed?’

‘Kind of weird, right?’ I whisper, watching her for any signs of jealousy. ‘But I don’t think it means anything.’