by Mia Carson
Evan looked at his watch again. “Probably best if we go check in for orientation,” he said. “Then we'll be in a good position to watch the launch, and we can go from there. Sound good?” We agreed and set off to the designated meeting space.
Zach
I wasn't surprised Annie and I were sharing a room. That didn't mean I was entirely happy with it, though. Normally, I wouldn't have minded, but the obvious tension between us made me feel all kinds of awkward. Maybe I would be able to properly apologize, though, even if she spent all day avoiding me. My fingers tingled where I had touched her back. I'd never thought her to be squeamish when it came to water, and it wasn't like there wouldn't be people to fish her out of the bay if she did somehow manage to fall in. It felt nice having an excuse to touch her, at any rate. But now she walked too far ahead of me. I had a nice view of her ass but tore my gaze away almost as quickly as it had settled. I doubted Annie wanted anything to do with me after what I had done to her, even if our parents were dating. At least I could take advantage of the situation to tell her how sorry I really was. And I could do that without staring at her ass.
We headed to the orientation area, and Dad checked us in before we loitered and mingled with the handful of other people who had the same idea. I stuck close to Annie's side with my hands in my pockets. I didn't want to pressure her at all, but I needed to be close, which was the only way I could satisfy the tight bundle of tension in my stomach without pulling her into my arms and holding her like I was never going to let her go again—which wouldn't have been acceptable even if our parents weren't standing right behind us.
Twice, I opened my mouth to say something only to have my words stick in my throat. No one could manage to turn me into a stuttering mess like Annie did. My hands stayed in my pockets, my eyes on the ground, until the orientation started. It was a basic overview of the ship and her crew and the different amenities available for the guests to use at their leisure. Someone passed around the same pamphlets Dad had already gotten. I grabbed two, one for me and one for Annie, and handed hers to her with a smile. She smiled back at me, and my stomach twisted into knots. Following the orientation was a quick safety demonstration in which we all stood around looking silly in deflated life jackets.
“This color makes me look like an oompa loompa,” Annie said, playfully tugging at the straps that would cinch it around her waist.
“You look great,” I said at the same time Donna commented, “You won't care what you look like if we have to abandon ship.”
Annie's attention went to her mom and away from me, which was better because I had a blush creeping up my neck and threatening to take over my face. We handed our life jackets back in, which were subsequently stacked in the storage closet behind the majority of the crowd, and were dismissed with a friendly, professional “thank you” from the crew.
“Well, guys,” Dad said, “Donna and I are off to explore and watch the ship launch. You guys are free to do whatever you want, but please join us for dinner. Remember, you need to dress nice for it.” He slung his arm over Donna's shoulders and led her away.
I folded up my ship map and tucked it into the back pocket of my jeans. It was a nice day out, but I was excited to be down in warmer weather. I hoped Annie was, too, even if she had to deal with me.
She looked at me like she was waiting for me to say something, so I bit. “Wanna explore without adult supervision?”
For a few seconds, Annie just stared at me; then she laughed, a full-bodied laugh that reminded me of the girl I'd known in college, and nodded. “Yeah, that sounds like fun. You wanna go ahead and get some drinks, too? Complete the naughty children picture?”
“It's five o'clock somewhere,” I joked, to which Annie chuckled and shook her head. We set off, walking side by side, Annie with the map unfolded in her hands. I was looking forward to having time alone with her, to try and put some semblance of normalcy back into our relationship.
“Come on,” Annie said, pointing to the map. “They have an arcade, and I have money in my wallet for change.”
“You're going to try and beat me at video games?” I snorted. “You know I still have the high score on Mario Kart.”
“And you still haven't beat me at a game of pool,” Annie replied.
“We can fix that,” I replied. “There're a couple of pool tables on this floor here.” I pointed. “Probably have to pay to play, but isn't that what vacations are for? Irresponsible spending?”
Placing my finger against the map had pressed my chest into the back of her shoulder. We'd stopped walking to step off to the side to decide where we were going, standing against the ship railing. I might have just been imagining things, but I could have sworn she leaned into me a little bit. I gripped the railing with my free hand, reveling in the gentle heat of her body seeping into mine.
She pulled her phone halfway out of her pocket to check the time. “We could do both,” she said. “Pool first, arcade second. I think that bar or pool hall or study or whatever they wanna call it has pretty nice windows. We passed it earlier, didn't we?” I hummed in the affirmative. “Well, then we can go play pool and watch the launch from there.”
“You're on,” I said.
The cool air rushed in when she pulled away from me, tugging at the front of my shirt. I fell into step beside her again. With the signs displayed around the ships walls, there was no need for her to use the map. She patted herself down, trying to push it into one of her pockets, but I carefully plucked it from her fingers and tucked it away with mine.
“Thanks,” Annie said. “I should start wearing guys' jeans. This lack of pockets is really starting to irritate me.”
“I could probably fit you in one of these,” I replied. Annie stuck her tongue out at me and smacked my arm. It didn't feel quite as normal as it had before, but her ability to smile and laugh while she was alone with me was better than a birthday gift.
The bar with the pool tables was open, but despite our earlier joking, we settled for non-alcoholic beverages, me a Coke and Annie a water. They didn't have the kind of orange soda she liked, which was a shame. I had my wallet out before she could get her cash out of her pocket, so I paid for the drinks and for a game of pool despite her protests. She gave me a look, a slight narrowing of her eyes, but her lips turned up at the corners and she fought to keep the smile from taking over her face.
“It's good to see you can smile around me again,” I said as she set up the balls. She glanced up at me. “I mean, it's just nice, you know. That you don't totally hate me.”
“I never hated you,” Annie replied softly. There was no malice in her tone, but she didn't exactly sound thrilled, either. I wished I hadn't said anything. “Life's too short, yeah? Now, are we gonna shoot some pool or not?”
“Yeah,” I replied, and lined up my stick to take the first shot. “Stripes,” I called before hitting the cue. The balls clacked and thumped around the table, but I didn't manage to pocket any. Annie had a couple nice shots lined up, thanks to me, which she promptly took. There were a few other people in the room with us, and a fairly steady stream passing by and popping in and out, pushing away any extra tension that Annie and I being alone together would have brought. She was loosening up, so I vowed to be careful about what I said so I didn't disturb the fragile balance I was trying to rebuild.
“Back at that super awkward dinner you said you got your own place. Are you living in town, or...?”
“No,” Annie replied in an easy, comfortable voice. “About forty minutes away, fewer if the traffic is light. Do you?”
I circled the table, trying to find a decent shot, but the layout Annie had left me with wasn't exactly forgiving of my earlier mess-up. I tried a shot for a corner pocket and missed.
“You know, usually it's the guy who's good at pool,” Annie teased. “And the girl who's absolute shit. Then the guy has an excuse to get up behind her, show her how to hold the stick...”
“Are you saying yo
u want to hold my stick?” I jested, just as Annie was taking her next shot. She jolted and swore and sent the cue ball popping up into the air and landing a few inches away, rolling slowly until it bumped the end of the table without having hit anything. I laughed so hard I bent over myself, leaning on my pool stick for support. Annie whacked me in the back of the head with her hand.
“That shot doesn't count!” she said. “You screwed me up! And no, I don't want to hold your stick. Perv.” She huffed and rolled her eyes, but after a few seconds, she smiled. I let her retake her shot, even though it put me another point behind.
“You thought it was funny,” I said. “Admit it.”
Annie rolled her lips to try and keep from smiling but ultimately failed, showing me her teeth in a broad grin. “Yeah, it was,” she said. “I did leave myself open for that one, didn't I?”
“Just a little bit,” I replied.
Annie chuckled. She leaned her pool stick on her shoulder and ran her hand through her hair before putting it up in its customary ponytail. My gaze fell on the length of her neck. I licked my lips and looked away before the desire to kiss her could grow too strong. I had to stop thinking about her as the girl I was still in love with and start thinking of her as a friend—and possibly as my stepsister. Neither of us could say if marriage was in the cards for our parents, but we both knew it was a strong possibility.
I managed to pocket one ball and pumped my fist into the air in a rush of victory. Annie shook her head, smiling as she rubbed chalk on the tip of her stick. “What?” I asked.
“Nothing. You're... you're just as ridiculous as I remember you being.”
“You're exactly the same, too,” I said. I felt like a love-struck schoolboy, gazing at her like she held the moon in her hands.
She gave me a brilliant smile that made my throat close up, then made a slick shot that pocketed her last two balls. “Eight ball to side,” she said. She missed, but it didn't matter. I knew she'd won the game anyway, and I didn't care. I was just happy I was spending time with her. Besides, I'd totally kick her ass when we went to the arcade.
“Hey,” Annie said, looking up from where she'd checked the time on her phone again. “We still have enough time to get up to the top deck to watch the launch. Do you want to go up and watch?”
“Sure,” I said. “This game is yours, anyway.” We cleaned up quickly and joined the stream of people heading up to watch the ship leave the dock. There was no sign of our parents, not that I expected there to be. Using my height to my advantage, I found a spot where we could squeeze in against the rail and watch. There was no one to say goodbye to, but it was a bit surreal to watch the city shrink as the ship pulled away. Annie's hands clutched the railing next to mine, our pinkies touching. I bit my lip, heart pounding, and sneaked my finger out to curl around hers. Annie either didn't notice or didn't care. I wished it was the former and hoped it was the latter.
Soon, New York City was lost on the horizon, and the crowds around us thinned. Annie looked at her phone again, then pulled it out of her pocket. I assumed she was clearing up a final few things with work and friends and minded my own business, waiting patiently for her to finish. I'd brought my phone with me as well, for the same reasons Annie had, I expected, but mine was powered off and tucked away in my bag. I wore a watch on my wrist, the same as Dad, and was more accustomed to look at it for the time rather than to pull my phone out.
“We still have ages until dinner,” Annie said, “and I really don't want to find Mom and Evan. Arcade?”
“Arcade,” I agreed, and pulled one of our maps out of my pocket so we could reorient ourselves.
The arcade was small, but pretty nice. There were a couple arcade staples, a zombie shooter, a pinball machine, and in the middle, an air hockey table. I clapped my hands together and rubbed them, grinning in what I hoped was a wicked manner. Annie might be good at pool, but she didn't have the reflexes for air hockey. She saw the look on my face and shook her head.
“No way.”
“Oh, come on, don't be a spoilsport. I played pool with you. It's only fair.”
Annie sighed and reached behind her head to fix her ponytail. I recognized her game face. She beat me to the change machine, not that I intended fighting her for it. I held my hand over the table, feeling the little spurts of air coming from the tiny holes in the surface. Annie paid for the game to start, and the sounds of a puck being smacked back and forth across the table drowned out the music playing from the speakers. Annie could track the puck, but she just couldn't make her hand move quick enough to guard her goal. I racked up point after point without her managing to get so much as one on me. It was the perfect revenge for her whipping my ass at pool, and worth it for the easy camaraderie that formed between us. I found myself grinning at her without realizing it until she gave me a questioning look.
“What's that look for?”
“I just missed this, you know?”
Annie played with her mallet. “Yeah. I did, too.” She looked at the final score that flashed on the side of the board. “Rematch?”
“You're on,” I said, and slipped in a dollar.
We played until a quick glance at my watch revealed it was time for us to head back and get changed for dinner. I left my goal open for Annie to finish off the game. Even after several free shots, she still couldn't win. I felt pretty good as we made our way back to the right deck and down to our room. The atmosphere between us seemed better. I wasn't naïve enough to think she had forgotten what I had done, but at least she was friendlier towards me. I took that as a good sign and counted my blessings.
Annie got her key card out before I did and opened the door to let us in. I knocked on the door to our parents' cabin and received no answer in response.
“Hope they didn't get lost,” I commented as I followed Annie into our room.
“Well, we know what time dinner is and what dining room to be at,” Annie replied. “Worst case, we go and wait for them to show up.”
The door swung shut behind us, and suddenly, the air filled with tension again. The room was very quiet. When I cleared my throat, it seemed extremely loud. Annie moved first, turning her back on me and unzipping her suitcase. I slipped carefully past her and reached up for my own bag. I hadn't brought black tie attire, but Dad had made sure I had nice slacks and shoes and a couple button-ups.
“I'll go first,” I said, my clothes in my hands before Annie had even found hers. “If you want to change out here just...shout, and I'll stay in the bathroom until you're done.”
“Yeah, that'd be great,” Annie replied as she pulled a dress out. “Thanks.”
I hummed and squeezed past her into the tiny bathroom. I caught my reflection in the mirror and sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. Hopefully, it would be better when we were back with our parents again and not alone in a room we had to share. I changed slowly, giving Annie plenty of time. She'd always been pretty quick to get ready, but I wanted to make sure I didn't make things more awkward than they already were by walking out on her while she was half-dressed. I had enough images of that burned into my mind to last a lifetime.
I checked myself in the mirror and smoothed down my shirt, considering for a second whether to tuck it into my pants or not before deciding it was a good idea. Finished, I knocked on the door and called out, “Annie? You ready?”
“Almost!” she shouted back. After a couple seconds, she said, “Okay, you can come out now.”
I cracked open the door and peeked my head out. Annie leaned over the desk in front of the large mirror in the room, applying makeup. She was barefoot, wearing a simple, form-fitting black dress that fell to her knees. Her shoulders were exposed save for slim straps that hugged the dip of them. My throat closed around a lump provided by my heart leaping up and lodging right in the middle. I tried to swallow over it and stepped out of the bathroom, balling up my clothes under my arm and shoving my other hand into my pocket. Annie glanced at me and smiled.
“You look great,” I said before I could stop myself. A light flush colored Annie's cheeks. She looked away, her gaze going back to the mirror. I tossed my clothes onto my bunk and sat on the lower one next to Annie's suitcase. “I wonder what the food's like.”
“Probably really good,” Annie replied. I picked up on a note of gratefulness in her voice that I had changed the subject. “I'm looking forward to seeing the menu.” She capped her makeup and turned, bending to pick up her shoes and giving me a full look at her cleavage. I looked away, stomach tight and face hot.
Annie slipped her heels on and walked past me towards the door. I followed, patting my pockets to make sure I had put my key in my pocket before letting the door shut behind us. I leaned back against it as Annie knocked on the door to our parents' cabin again.
“Guess we're meeting them there,” I said.
“Guess so,” Annie replied. “Ready?”
I almost offered her my arm but thought better of it at the last second. Her heels added a few inches to her height, putting the top of her head at my nose. I'd only seen her wear them a few times, and each time, I thought she looked better than the last. I should have recognized the signs earlier than I did. It would have saved both of us a lot of heartache.
We weren't the only people waiting outside the dining room. The doors hadn't opened yet, and the people who had the idea to show up early like we had were milling around and talking. I scanned the crowd but saw no sign of Donna or Dad. Annie sighed next to me and shook her head, a light scowl on her lips.
“Ridiculous. I bet they're making out somewhere.” Disgust flashed over her face. “Ew. God, why did I say that?”
I snorted out a laugh. “Hey, it's their loss if they don't show up, right?” I nudged her shoulder with mine and got a smile.