~Brian’s point of view~
“Man, your brother is awesome, Cassie!” my best friend, Nick, smiled, looking around.
“Yeah, this was really nice of him,” Michelle agreed. She sat down on the deck next to Cassie.
The four of us were on a Disney Cruise ship that was about to set sail. The sun was shining high in the sky. Some younger children were leaning over the rail feeding some seagulls. The heat was intense. A typical Florida day.
“I didn’t believe him a few months ago when he said that this was where he’d be working all summer,” Cassie said.
It was because of her we’d be living in luxury. Her older brother, Kevin, could get us on the cruise for cheaper rates since he had been working on the ship, and her family, who are very well off since her mom is an orthodontist and her dad owns a law firm, took care of the rest.
“You guys wanna go swim?” Nick wondered, getting bored from sitting too long.
“Sure,” I agreed. We went over to a Mickey Mouse shaped pool.
Nick jumped in first. I peeled off my shirt and threw it on a nearby chair.
“Nice shorts,” Nick looking at my suit.
“What? It was on sale at Wal-mart, what can I say?” I defended my blue shorts with a Mickey Mouse icon on them. “And besides, it’s a Disney Cruise!” I did a cannon ball right beside him in the water, giving off a big splash.
Cassie and Michelle got in a moment later. Michelle, jumping in like we had. Cassie, getting in slowly to adjust to the water. It’s funny how they can be best friends and be so different.
I’ve known Cassie for about three years, since 9th grade. Her family moved to Orlando from California. She’s got long, blonde hair and blue eyes. She’s 5’7- almost as tall as me. She’s a “total babe” as Nick would say, and one of the most popular people in school. She’s the kind of person who likes to be able to take charge and be a leader. And Cassie likes to get what she wants. The girl sure has persistence.
Michelle is a few inches shorter, with auburn, slightly-curly hair going an inch or two past her shoulders with no bangs, making it easier to see her green eyes. She’s not the swim-suit model type that Cassie is, but when she flashes a genuine smile, no one could be any prettier. Like Nick, she’s always full of energy. She even wants to be a dancer when she grows up.
“Yo, Bri!” Cassie waved a hand in front of my face. “You in there? You keep zoning out on us.”
“Huh? Yeah, sorry. Just thinking.” I smiled, sheepishly.
“Hey, do you guys wanna check out the Teen Club tonight?” Michelle wondered.
“Sure. Hopefully it won’t be all Disney music. And hopefully we won’t be the oldest people there,” Nick mentioned, trying to dunk Michelle. She dodged him and pushed his head under the water instead.
“The club is for people from like 13 to 18, so there should be some people our age or at least a year or two older than us, and a lot of people younger,” Cassie said.
“Hey, is that Kevin?” Michelle asked, pointing nearby.
“Yeah, he’s a lifeguard during this shift,” Cassie followed her gaze to the lifeguard stand.
“I think he’d make a better Goofy,” Michelle laughed. “Hey Kev!” she shouted and waved. He smiled and nodded.
I laughed. I hated waving to somebody and having them nod. Like raising your arm and moving your hand is the hardest motion in the world! And your saying “hello” with a wave and they’re saying “yes” with a nod. It’s not a yes or no question!
I know, I think about random things, but what can I say?
“Watch this,” Nick said from the diving board. He ran, jumped, and got pretty good height as he did a flip.
“Carter, your such a show-off!” I called with a smile as he reemerged.
“Hey, when your good your good.”
“And when your blonde your dumb!” Michelle called to him.
“Excuse me!” Cassie gave her a playful push.
Michelle shrugged. “Sorry, I only meant him.”
“Gosh, Mich, always gotta put a brother down,yo,” Nick faked an offended look.
“ ‘Always gotta put a brother down, yo,’” I mocked. “Trying to pretend your from ‘da hood’ or something? You know you’d make a better surfer dude. Especially with your ‘dude, man, and yo’ vocabulary range.”
“Dude… I mean, man, I mean… oh, shut-up! Stop ganging up on me!” he swam over.
“You guys hungry?” Cassie changed the subject.
“Yeah, let’s get some lunch,” Nick agreed.
We got out of the water and dried off.
“I’ve gotta get my money back at the room. So go ahead and get a table and we’ll catch up,” Michelle left, and took Cassie wither her.
We went to some place called “Sunset Shacks.” We ordered some drinks.
“Wow, did you see her?” Nick asked, referring to the waitress after she went to another table.
“What about her?”
“Man! Are you blind or something? She was hot! I think I need to get a job on the ship next summer!”
“Carter, do you ever think about anything besides girls?”
He put on a confused look. “Why do you think about anything else?”
I laughed. “She’s way out of your league anyway.”
“Hey, I’m awesome at getting dates. No one is out of my league. Unlike you, some guys actually have a flirting method.”
“I’ve had plenty of dates. And I’m sure that girl would much rather go out with someone like me, than someone like you.”
Nick rolled his eyes. “No way. A tall, gorgeous blonde, or a short, brunette that can never even muster up the courage to ask anyone out?”
“What? I ask any girl who’s worthwhile out.”
“You’ve asked out like two people in your lifetime! How pathetic can you get?”
“Hey, when’s the last time you had a relationship that lasted over three months?” I retorted.
“So what? It’s not like your still going out with any of those chicks.”
“But it was worthwhile while it lasted. Haven’t you ever actually been in a relationship that wasn’t a fling?” I asked, incredulously.
“Yes!”
“Whatever.”
“Any of those two week relationships were more significant than all your six month long ones. It doesn’t take years to figure out if you really like someone. If I like someone, I’ll know right on the spot. And so will they. It’s as simple as that.”
“You’ve never really been into someone.”
Nick smiled. “True. I’m just saying that I would know right on the spot. But plenty have been into me.”
“Sure, I bet all your girls have totally been in love with you, for the whole two weeks you dated.”
“It doesn’t take time for a girl to fall hard. Or a guy, for that matter.”
I laughed again. “So your saying that by the end of this cruise, you could have some girl in love with you?” He nodded.
“You still don’t believe me? Let’s make a bet then.”
“Of what?” I asked.
“ You say it takes a long time to fall in love, I say it doesn’t. I say it just hits you in a short amount of time. So let’s see who’s right. We each find a girl and test it out.”
“What? That’s stupid. How do we even know? And there’s no way I’m gonna fall in love in a 14 day span.”
“Brian, Brian, Brian. Do I have to explain everything? We say the magic word, ‘I love you,’ they say it back, and seal it with a kiss. That’s how we know. And we don’t have to be in love. Just them. And it’s not like we’ll ever see them again anyway.”
“That’s dumb. What is this? A ‘She’s All That’ type thing?”
Nick put on a smug smile. “Fine. Your just afraid you’ll lose.”
He always pulled that. And I always backed away. Or lost. “What are the stakes?”
“Let’s make it worthwhile… $150?”
I groaned. He knew that’s how much money I still needed to save up for a guitar I’d been wanting forever. Of course if I lost, I’d have to start all over again. But It’d take to long to raise it. This would be so much easier…“Fine,” I said finally.
“And just for the record, you have to find a girl to test. You were probably just thinking you wouldn’t try to even find anyone to try it on so you’d win. You have to get a girl, date her, and near the end of the cruise, say the phrase. Both of us do, or else we automatically forfit?”
Darn. That had been my plan exactly. How could a girl fall in love with me if I didn’t talk to any? I'd figure out something. I needed the money. I hesitated but finally held out my hand. “Deal.”
We shook on it.
I could see more people lining up by the rail. The ship would set sail soon. I’d been worried we wouldn’t have anything to do for the two weeks. But it looked like it’d be more interesting than originally perceived.
Chapter Two
Drowning
Frick's Fairytales