Page 68 of Why Cruise

Before he could answer, I turned and caught my reflection in the floor to ceiling windows of one of the smaller meeting rooms. The top of one sock was pink from where Justice had washed my bloody knee. I had a bandaid on. My other leg was smeared with mud up my hip and to my butt. And my hair. Oh my god, my hair. I was never wearing a helmet again.

“Theo! How could you let me run around the ship looking like this?”

“You’re perfect.” He chuckled and threw his arm over my shoulder.

“I’m a perfect mess.”

Theo started walking us back to our room.

DAY 7 - ST. JOHN’S, ANTIGUA

TODAY’S TIDE

FROM THE CAPTAIN’S DESK

Antigua greets us with its rich history and 365 beaches - one for every day of the year. Today offers both cultural exploration and unique shopping experiences in the heart of St. John’s.

AFTERNOON TIDE

Vendor Alley Sponsored by Nesting Needs - (11:00 AM - 7:00 PM)

Pirate’s Lunch - Redbeard’s Restaurant Featuring interactive entertainment (12:00 PM)

Nelson’s Dockyard Historic Walking Tour (1:00 PM)

Dickenson Bay Beach Transfer (Hourly departures)

Historic Town Walking Tour (2:00 PM - 4:00 PM)

Ren

Walk the fuck away. Do it. Make your feet move in the other direction. No, stay exactly where the fuck you are.

They had had a leisurely breakfast and then a long goodbye. I hid in the shadows and watched, sipping my coffee like the pathetic fool I was. I had time before Gaston required my presence so sure, why not creep on them during breakfast?

Pressed up against Justice in that closet. I had known better. I should have walked away. It wasn’t just leveraging our past and his panic attack to get what I wanted. It wasn’t going to be enough. It would never be enough. I didn’t think I could go back to surviving off of gossip columns and annual reports. And Theo. I never should have touched him. I should have walked by that sushi class. No regrets, but I shouldn’t have done it.

I’d been tortured for 10 years. None of this would make that better.

Finally, they parted. Justice and Theo went left, hopefully off the ship for some adventure. Better yet, to his bed. Mackenzie went right.

At least you won’t have visions of threesomes haunting you all day.

Don’t do it, you jackass. Don’t.

Fuck.

My feet went right.

She walked slowly through interior passages of the ship. Down by the theater where nobody would be at this hour. She swung her arms, listless, ran her fingers along the edge of picture frames as she swept past, played with the hem of her skirt like she wanted to feel the fabric brush her body. She was the physical embodiment of wandering thoughts.

She slowed and cocked her head, stepping up to a door, reading the sign “Vendor Alley sponsored by Nesting Needs” and then peeked in the window. Her hand hovered over the doorknob, but she snatched it back. She tried again, but looked to her left to make sure the coast was clear. I leaned against the wall casually. She looked right, and I smiled when she saw me. She put her hand behind her back.

“Are we doing crime and stuff?” I asked

“I think it’s closed,” she said, smiling.

I prowled down the hall towards her and peeked in the window myself. Some lights were on, but it was deserted.

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