SINCERE APOLOGY

"What were you thinking?" Zoe scolded Erin as soon as Azra was out of sight.

She was still lovingly waving at him even though he was not looking at their direction anymore.

In fact, he was at present a mile away from Lord Howe Island.

"What do you mean?" Erin flicked her hair and rapidly twinkled her eyes at Zoe.

Zoe rolled her eyes at this flirtatious look of Erin.

"Stop it. He's not here anymore."

She crossed her arms and ranted out."Why did you invite them?"

"Why not?" Erin abruptly responded as she whirled her arm around Zoe.

"Come on, let's talk with another hunk over there. I think his name is Koby."

"Koby?" Zoe furrowed her eyebrows as she shifted her eyes to where she was pointing to.

It undoubtedly was Koby, the tour guide from the Reeftastic Eco Tour.

But Zoe wouldn't cast Erin lose.

"Is it okay to invite him? I mean he was not part of our school."

"Don't worry. I figured that out."

She pointed her forefinger up as they advanced toward him.

"For sure, it will not be a decent game if the judges are all from our institution. That's why I will produce him as one of the chief judges that would give an unbiased chance for all."

She explained in a factual tone.

'As if it will be impartial if I will be one of the participants,' Zoe muttered to herself confidently.

She remembered how he saved her time and time again. She tightened her lovely lips to suppress her whimsical smile.

"Do you think he will agree to that?"

She asked her with a faint hope in her tone.

"You like that, don't you?" Erin taunted her. "You want to see him again, don't you?"

She kept on pulling her leg until they reached the private boat.

Koby was talking with some local crew but stopped when he identified them coming towards him.

He jogged to narrow the space between them at a more rapid rate.

"Greetings, Ms. Cheng. How are you? Are you alright?"

He cross-examined her nonstop.

"And now you're asking me?"

Zoe was somewhat annoyed at him for not being present when she was being attacked underwater.

But when she recalled that it was Raigon who spared her and not him, her annoyance somewhat flew away.

"I'm good, thank you for asking."

She answered formally with her hands, clasped behind her back.

"By the way, I'll just have the scuba gears scoured and return them to you later."

"That's awesome! You can surrender them back later after your free tour."

He commented with an expression of earnest hope that she would agree to his suggestion.

"What free tour?"

Zoe glanced at Erin reflecting on what he conveyed by that.

Erin shrugged her shoulders as if informing her that she had no idea about it.

"Look, I sincerely want to apologize for what happened in Ball's Pyramid. I dove and searched for you. But I couldn't see you or Mrs. Gong. I even called up the rescue team for help. We were on our way there. But I'm delighted that you showed up first."

Zoe scrutinized him and sized him up if he was telling the truth or not.

'If he thoroughly searched for me or Mrs. Gong, why didn't you see any of us? Or the one who assaulted me?'

She was about to interrogate him when Koby butted in to pacify her apprehension.

"So to make it up to you, I want to offer you a free tour. My treat. You could also return the equipment then."

He flashed his most convincing smile, hoping he could persuade Zoe somehow.

Zoe was still on edge after her terrible rendezvous just a few miserable hours ago.

She felt like she was not primed for another tour again.

But she wanted to grab the offer since he was sincere in his personal apology.

'I also have a few days left on this island.'

And she discerned it would be another year of exhausting days and sleepless nights.

Her ultimate goal is to achieve her dream of becoming a chairwoman of her own hospital.

Sensing the dilemma of her long-time friend, she responded to her behalf.

"That's not a terrible idea! As long as you won't leave the island."

She crossed her arms and beamed at Koby.

'Maybe it's just okay.' Zoe muttered to herself.

'I will feel safe as long as Erin is nearby. And in the land, I can be wary of impending danger, just in case. Unlike in the frigid waters. Except when Raigon is present, which is impossible right now.'

"Sure! We don't actually have to leave the isle."

Koby responded in enthusiasm.

"If you're interested in bird watching, I think I can be of help. Lord Howe Island remains to be Australia's premier bird-watching destination. It houses 14 species of seabirds breeding here in the hundreds of thousands. I'm sure you're going to love it."

Koby clapped his hands in evident eagerness.

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Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.

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