"That was, if not, pure hell riding in that car with you, Zac." I stated, jumping out of the rental van that took us to Port Canaveral and walked to the back to grab my suitcase and backpack.
"Thanks. Really," he said sarcastically, following me and collecting his stuff once I got out of the way. "I'm just glad that I didn't ride with Celeste." he finished, slinging his backpack over his shoulders.
"I know, poor Taylor." I commented, looking for the other identical van we rented to get us all here that carried him.
Just then, the other can pulled up in the parking space next to us. Taylor jumped out of the van before my dad parked it and ran right to me, forgetting about his belongings, hugging me really tight.
"Hey baby, rrraarrrhh." I said, doing a flirty tiger impression, hugging him back and giving him a quick peck.
"S-save me from that...that girl." he said, pointing to Celeste. She waved at him, smiling a dirty smile.
"What did she do to you?" I asked poutily, touching his lips.
"Aren't you the least bit concern that she likes me like crazy and can't keep her eyes and hands off of me when I'm within a ten foot distance? I mean look at her." he asked, gesturing towards her. She was swaying her rear over to the back of the van to get the least bit of his attention.
"Oh, come here." I said and pushed his head on my shoulder, still hugging him. "Taylor, I've lived with that girl for twelve years, and ever since she met you when I brought you home, she's been head over heels. Taylor this, Taylor that. I hear it everyday. And I'm not the least bit concerned or jealous because obviously she annoys you too much and you wouldn't date someone like that, would you?"
"Hell no." he replied, bringing his head up and kissed me. "I just hope Celeste saw that." he said, and smiled, referring to our kiss.
Our parents returned the keys to the rental place, and we took a ten-minute ride to Port Canaveral Bay on a Charter bus along with other people going on the cruise.
When the ship was in sight, the first thing that came to my mind was, "Holy Jesus, Mary and Joseph." I never said that in my life.
If you thought the Titanic was big...Oh boy. Titanic was a tugboat compared to the Ocean Maiden. I had to take three pitures to get the whole thing in view!
"Oh, Taylor..." I breathily gasped, taking his hand. He clutched mine back, gaping at the sight before us.
At first, I thought we would just get in a line, check our tickets, find out rooms, and bon voyage! Well, it was kind of like that. We did get in a line, but it took forever. Approximately an hour or so to check our tickets and our baggage alone. I know that doesn't sound long, but boy, it sure was.
Then of course, it took awhile to find our rooms. At first, we had gone through the inside staterooms hallway instead of the oceanview staterooms hallway, until Isaac realized that at the door we came from said, "Inside Staterooms: Deck 5." So we had to walk back out of that door and go into another hallway that had our rooms, also noted, "Oceanview Staterooms: Deck 5."
Earlier on the second plane ride, before Taylor's and my sexual encounter, I had spoken to my parents and Walker and Diana about the room arrangements, and they couldn't agree more on them.
We had gathered in front of our rooms, and a commotion had started. I handed Walker my list of people and rooms, and he tried to get everyone's attention, but his voice was like a whisper compared to everyone else's.
Taylor stepped up to his father and stood next to him. He took his index and middle fingers on each hand and put them to his mouth, and sent out a piercing whistle. Everyone stopped what they were saying and turned their attention to Walker.
"Alright, listen up. Here are the room assignments. Room 5500, that's there on the end," he pointed to the end of the hall, "will be Isaac, Zac, and Tay-"
"What?! I have to share with them at home!" Zac whined.
"Well Zac, after four days, one of you will trade out, okay?" he said.
"With who?" he asked.
"Just listen. In Room 5502, Avery, Molly, and Mackenzie will be in there. Mackenzie will trade with Isaac or Taylor or Zac after four days. Room 5504 will be Diana and Zoe and I. Room 5508 will be Celeste and Jessica. And Room 5510 will be Colleen and David." Walker finished, giving us our room keys.
I felt something tugging at my shirt. I looked down and it was Mackenzie.
"Molly, how come I'm with you and Avery and not with Mommy and Daddy?" he asked, a hopeful look on his face.
I bent down so that I was facing him. "Because your Mommy and Daddy think it's best that you stay with me. But they are in the room next to us, so it won't be so scary." I comforted him.
He put his hands on his hips. "I'm not scared; I'm a man." he said in a drill seargant voice.
I laughed as Avery walked over to us. "Come on, let's go in the room!" she said, excited.
We walked down to our room as everyone was doing too. I slipped the card into the lock and opened the door.
The room was...Wow. I stood there in amazement as Avery and Mackenzie bounced into the room as I remained in the doorway. Slowly, I made myself in.
There were two bathrooms. One had a toilet and a sink, and the other had a shower, a whirlpool bathtub, and another sink. On my left there were two closets and a dresser with plenty of space.
I walked further into the room and saw a queen bed that could be split into two. There was another dresser, two doors going into different cabin rooms, and a wet bar. There was another section that a curtain was cutting off. I pushed the curtain back and saw a TV and a desk area that looked like a vanity, along with a coffee table and a pull-out couch.
I walked back into the bathroom and found a gift basket filled with soaps, bubble baths, shampoos, conditioners, lotions, sewing kits, shoe shines, chocolates, and more. It was so cute. There was a hair dryer in the bathroom too. There were three phones, directories, a safe box, a coffee pot with cups, filters, and coffee packets, drinking glasses, an ice tub, a VCR with the TV, and cute mints on the pillows.
"Avery, Mackenzie, let me put your suitcases away." I said.
"This room is soooo cool!" Avery exclaimed, jumping on the bed.
"Can I have a chocolate?" Mackenzie asked, holding up a mint.
I let them both have a candy and I put our suitcases in our closets. I was starting to unpack Kevin's suitcase when there was a knock at the door.
Avery ran to go answer the door, and Zac was standing there. I peeked out from the closet.
"Go on the patio deck outside your room. The ship's about to leave!" he cried, running back into his room.
I ran to the sliding glass door and unlocked it, letting Avery and Mackenzie out before me.
There were two patio chairs and a little table on our little deck space. Isaac and Taylor and Zac were already outside next to us, waving to the large crowd below the ship. Everyone else that we were with was outside too.
"Goodbye!" I yelled, waving wildly to the people.
"I'll miss you!" Kyle yelled.
"Who are you going to miss?" I asked.
"I'm just saying it." he said. I shrugged my shoulders.
Taylor leaped over the bars that separated the two deck spaces. He took me in his arms and we made out as the ships whistle sounded and was pulling away from the dock by a little tugboat.
Pretty soon, the crowd turned into a melted blur and it finally disappeared.
"Come on. I have to show you something." Tyler said, breaking away from me. I had Avery and Mackenzie come back inside with us.
Taylor opened up the top cabinet that the TV was in, and there was a stereo there! "It plays CD's, tapes, and it holds a radio." he informed. I was amazed.
He led me over to the wet bar, and pointed to a microwave. Over on the edge of the bar was a set of keys.
"What are those for?" he asked.
"Can we watch TV?" Avery yelled from across the room.
"Yes!" I replied, and went back to Tyler. "Probably for the mini-bar and the safe box."
There was a knock at the door once again. I went to answer it, and Walker was standing there. "We're all going to meet for dinner at Chez Francois on the third deck at six o'clock. You have two hours." he said, and left.
"Help me unpack, Tay." I said, and lead him into the closet.
We finished unpacking Mackenzie's and Avery's suitcases. I put their backpacks on the queen bed and Taylor helped me separate it into two.
It was almost six o'clock when Ike, Tay, Zac, Avery, and Mackenzie and I all headed down to the third deck to meet everyone for dinner. Everyone else was there already in line, waiting to be seated. A waiter finally led us to a table fit for thirteen people.
We really didn't have a full dinner, just small things, and there was a salad bar. That dinner was really a meeting because my parents and Diana and Walker wanted to discuss some basic plans for our eight day cruise that would start tomorrow.
Celeste and I decided to share a salad bar plate since we weren't that hungry. I thought about sharing with Taylor, but since I saw that his plate only consisted of meat things, I thought I might throw up. I can't stand meat. That's because I'm a vegetarian. Sometimes I would eat chicken, but that's it.
We were all sitting down and chatting until my dad got everyone's attention.
"Alright, listen up. I'm going to explain some basic rules and an itinerary for our eight day cruise." he started to say.
"Awww, Dad, an itinerary?" Celeste whined.
"Celeste, shhh. We've decided," he gestured to himself, my mom, Walker, and Diana, "To put Mackenzie, Avery, and Jessica in a play club that the ship provides for younger kids. It's called the Seagull club. It's a three to eleven year old club, and every other day, Mackenzie and Avery and Jessica will stay in the club from ten in the morning until two in the afternoon. Jessica, you have a choice if you want to stay in the club or not. If you're not going to, I'd like you to stay with someone older." he said.
"Okay." she compromised.
"That's the main itinerary. I said the younger ones were going to be in the club every other day because on the days that they aren't going to the club, that's when the ship will dock and we'll all explore that island on those days. You don't have to explore the islands if you don't want to; we just think you should because it will be fun and interesting.
"There are some basic rules, too. Breakfast will be a nine o'clock every morning, and dinner at seven every night, and we'll meet by the elevators at those times, unless we decide beforehand where we will be eating. Remember your room keys, passports, traveler's cheques and cards; take them wherever you go. There is a safe in your room, please use it. You pay for what you buy the mini-bars in your rooms. I don't mind you exploring the ship or the islands by yourselves, but it would be nice if you went with someone. That's about it. Things you know not to do, don't do them." he concluded, and sat down.
"To our vacation." Isaac said, hosting a toast, raising his glass in the air.
"To our vacation." the rest of us said, tapping each others drinks with each other.
"To our vacation." Taylor whispered into my ear, and we kissed.