We’d just dropped off our stuff in our room, which was much bigger than I’d expected. But not big considering I’d be spending the next two weeks in it with my parents, my younger brother, and his best friend.
And had mom and dad let me bring a friend along? No!? Guess I’ll stop asking who the favorite child is. I’ve got my answer. So while the parental units will be celebrating their anniversary a month early and Alden and his best friend, Kenny, are having a blast, I’ll be bored out of my mind by myself!
Normally I couldn’t be happier to be on a Disney Cruise. But not under these circumstances. Why’d they have to pick now to go on one? I’ve only been begging for, what? Ten years! That’s like 3600 days!
“Come on, August. We’re going to get something to eat and watch the ship leave the dock,” my dad broke my thoughts.
We went up to the deck. We went into some place called “?” and ate lunch. Nothing really excited. The food was very overpriced, but that’s a Disney trademark. It was a little early for lunch, so the place wasn’t very packed. There was another family nearby with twins who were throwing french fries at each other. I laughed.
On the other side of them was another group of teens, looking around my age, who were getting up to leave. One of the guys, a brunette, had also noticed the french fry fight occurring. He smiled, then the blonde grabbed him hand and led him out the door.
“Hurry up, August. The ships about to set sail,” my little brother said, snapping me back into reality. My family was getting up, and dad was pulling out some money to leave a check.
“I’ll be there in a minute,” I went over to what had been the teens table as my family left. One of the girls had left her purse. I picked it up, and made for the door, to see if she was still nearby. I opened the door just as the brunette was about to. But he wasn’t facing my direction, and when the door wasn’t behind him as expected, he fell backwards. He hit me, and landed on the ground.
“Oh, sorry,” he smiled sheepishly, getting back up.
“Um… your girlfriend left her purse,” I handed it to him.
He laughed for some reason, but just said, “Thanks, I was coming back to get this.”
“Welcome,” I said. He held the door open for me, and we went our separate ways.
**********
“Do you want to come to dinner with us?” mom asked that night. Alden and Kenny had gone to see “Tarzan” at the movie theater.
“No, thanks. I’m gonna look around the ship.”
“Alright, you’ll know where to find us if something happens. Or call us on the cellphone. Be back here by 10:30,” she gave some last minute instructions before heading out the door.
I sat on my bed for the time being and grabbed a book about the ship. The movies I wanted to see had started 20 minutes ago. I wasn’t in the mood for swimming. So I decided to head to some Club-well, a Disney version of it. Maybe they’d play some Disney music.
To my dismay, Disney music wasn’t currently on when I got there. But since it was a Disney Club, at least they wouldn’t be playing the music where every other word would have to be bleeped out. That’s always a plus. I sat down at the bar. I laughed. Most bars served Budweiser and Coors Light. This seemed more of a lemonade and orange juice type of place. Which was perfectly fine with me.
The bartender came up. “Hey, how you doin’?”
I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Wow, usually people wait for some more of my pick-up lines before they start laughing at me. Thanks a lot,” he removed his sunglasses.
I blushed, not really good at talking to people I don’t know. “No, it’s just that you sounded like Joey on ‘Friends.’”
He put on a sly smile. “Hey, I learn from the best. I’m AJ, what can I get you?”
“Umm… do you have any sweet tea?”
“Sweet tea for a sweet girl, coming up,” he went to get it.
~Brian’s point of view~
We arrived at the club. Most of the people were probably middle schoolers, but there were a few other high schoolers. Destiny’s Child was blaring over the speakers as we headed onto the dance floor.
“Can’t we go see a movie or something?” I don’t really like to dance, unlike the rest of the gang.
“No, Bri, stop complaining,” Michelle smiled, getting into the rhythm of the song.
“Come on babe, let’s dance,” Nick grabbed Michelle’s hand and let her to the center of the floor.
“Good idea, come on, Brian, let’s dance,” Cassie said, starting to grab my hand.
“Oh, no thanks. I don’t really like to dance. Get ya on a slow song, later?”
She looked disappointed for a second, but covered it quickly. “Sure,” she went to look for some other guy. I knew that she, like Nick, was an expert flirt and would have no trouble finding a dance partner.
“Yo, Brian! If your just gonna stand there, get me a Pepsi or somin, would ya? And a Mountain Dew for Mich,” he said.
“Alright,” at least that would get me out of standing there by myself looking like a loser. I started going towards the bar. I turned around, still walking, “You better pay me back though, Carter. Not all of us are made of money.” Suddenly, my back ran right into someone. I fell to the ground, knocking her of the chair with me.
“Crap, I am so sorry,” I reached to help her up, and then noticed it was the same person as this afternoon.
“Do you ever walk forwards?”
I started to apologize again, and then noticed she was joking, by the hint of a smile on her face. “Nah, why be normal?”
She laughed, and sat back on the stool. I sat next to her.
“Here ya go,” the bartender came up and handed her a drink.
“Can I get a Pepsi, Mountain Dew, and an Sweet Tea, please?” I asked.
“Sure,” he went to fetch it.
“Thirsty?” she asked, with a hint of sarcasm and amusement.
I nodded. “All that walking backwards can make a guy get thirsty.” She slightly smiled again.
“Here ya go,” AJ, according to what his name tag said, gave me the three drinks I’d requested. I got Nick’s attention and he and Michelle came over.
“Where’s Cass?” Michelle asked, scanning the area.
“If your referring to the blonde you came here with, she’s over there dancing with my best friend, who unlike some of us who have to work, got the night off,” AJ explained, trying to sound sad.
“Who’s that?” the straight-forward Michelle pointed to the girl next to me.
She’d been looking the other direction, but felt our gazes on her. Her face turned a light shade of red. She had a blank expression on her face.
“Michelle wanted to know what your name was,” I smiled, amused at her shyness.
“Oh, um, August,” she said, quietly.
“You’re the girl who Brian ran into earlier, right?”
“Which time?” August wondered.
“I’m Nick. And I’m done with my drink, so come on, Michelle. Let’s go dance over there near that hot chick,” Nick somewhat introduced himself, as he finished his drink and pulled Michelle away.
“Nick doesn’t like staying in one place for very long,” I explained. She nodded.
Her hair was as long as Cassie’s, but cut into layers and a little wavier. Her eyes were the same shade of bright blue as my own, and the same shade of light brown.
A slow song came on. “Hey, do you want to dance?” I asked before realizing it. What was I doing? I didn’t even know her. But I smiled, warmly, to cover my hesitation.
August hesitated. “I don't know...I don’t really like to dance.”
I laughed. “Perfect, me neither.”
She looked at me funny. And shrugged. “Okay, uh, sure.”
We went onto the dance floor and I put my arms around her waste. All 4 One’s version of “I Can Love You Like That” was playing.
“Won’t your girlfriend mind?” she asked, looking like she’d been comtemplating asking that.
“Huh?” I wondered, confused. “Oh, Cassie? She’s not my girlfriend. Just a friend.”
“Seriously? Because she’s staring at me and not looking very happy.”
I glanced over. August was right. “That’s weird. She’s probably looking at something else.”
She nodded, but I don’t think she totally believed me. Although I couldn’t read her expression. Her eyes were the type that didn’t give away much besides a statement like “Wouldn’t you like to know what I’m thinking?” or “Go ahead and try to find out, but you’ll never learn my secrets. Ha!”
The thought made me smile.
“What?”
“Nothing. Don’t you ever randomly smile?”
“All the time,” she said, matter-of-factly, but she kept her expression serious.
“Haven’t seen that happen yet," I commented.
“Well, I’ve had a weird day. I seem to be attracting the attention of all these people I don’t know,” she seemed almost nervous.
“What? We’ve bumped into each other twice… literally… and we’ve been talking for at least a half an hour. We know each other.”
“We're not even on a first name basis.”
She was right about that. “Oh, sorry. August, I’m Brian Littrell. Nice to meet you.”
“You, too,” she smiled, slowly.
“Good, your relaxing some.”
“How do you figure that?”
“Because that time you actually, truly smiled.” And it was a beautiful smile.
She looked past me. “Oh, crud, I’ve gotta go! I’m supposed to be back at the room in five minutes.”
I nodded. “Oh, okay. I’ll see ya around.”
“Bye,” August left the club.
Chapter One
Chapter Three
Drowning
Frick's Fairytales