Page 20 of One True Loves

But she presses a shiny quarter into my hand before I can get away.

“I can’t watch you waste this opportunity. You’re young, you’re beautiful! Do it before you’re tethered forever to a man who doesn’t pick up his dirty socks and spends his evenings playingCall of Duty.”

“Um... okay.”

While she watches eagerly, I throw the second coin into the fountain.

“Now there you go! It’s settled, honey. Oh, Italy is the perfect place to fall in love.”

Chapter Six

I had no intention of ending up at theMediterranean Majesty’s teen mixer on our first night on the ship, but somehow, that’s where I am.

Earlier today, when we were on hour two of waiting for our group number to be called to board, a white man with dreadlocks made his way over to our family, and I swear I saw him take us all in and come up with a game plan. He leaned back a little more and started to walk with a hitch in his step. Because of course.

“Yo, Bennett family! My name is Chad, and I’m the director of teen events. I’ve got a flyer here with some dope activities we got going on the ship these next twelve days.”

I didn’t respond because I was too busy throwing up a little bit in my mouth, but Mom takes the flyer, further encouraging him.

“It all starts tonight at the teen mixer. You’re still a littletoo young, little mama,” he said, pointing to Etta. “But this’ll be the perfect way for big bro and big sis here to start the party. Responsibly, of course. It’s gonna be lit!”

“That sounds like fun!” Mom said, looking alarmingly sincere, but as soon as Chad made his way to the next family, Wally and I burst out laughing.

“I would rather swim along the cruise ship to our next destination,” he said.

“I would rather wear those matching purple Sail Away shirts that Dad tried to buy earlier.”

“Hey!” Dad shouts. “He said he would add our names on the back for free! That’s a deal!”

“I can’t believe his name is Chad,” Wally continued.

“Of course his name is Chad. That guy could only be born a Chad.”

“Be nice,” Mom said, swatting me half-heartedly.

“Be nice?” I laughed. “That guy burped up the entire Urban Dictionary on us.”

“We are not getting lit with Chad, Mom,” Wally chimed in. “Nobodyshould be letting their impressionable young teens get lit with Chad, all right?”

For the first time on this trip—hell, for the first time in a while—Wally and I were getting along. Laughing like we used to. On the same side. It made me hopeful for the rest of our time here, for the future once we’ve returned home.

But that hope was short-lived. Because once we finally got on the ship, stood inanotherline to get on one of the tenelevators, and walked down the navy crown-patterned carpet to our room, Wally was back on his bullshit.

“I have to share this tiny room with you?”

“Hey!” I said, but I was thinking the same thing. The room was tiny, basically the size of Mom and Dad’s closet at home. I’m pretty sure I could reach the tiny bathroom sink from my tiny bed. Oh, and there were no windows, let alone a veranda, like the room we dropped Mom, Dad, and Etta off at on the way here. Here I was thinking their room was pretty small, but I would swap with them in a second.

“Well, do you want to watch something?” I flicked on the TV, but every channel was playing a safety demonstration. “Or we could go walk around, find something to do. Our bags aren’t supposed to get here until later.”

“Nah, I’m going to sleep until the stupid Sail Away dinner.” He turned off the TV with the remote, and then turned off the light.

“Are you kidding me?”

“It’s not my job to entertain you, Lenore. We may be sharing a room, but you’re on your own for this trip. I’m going to be busy.”

I huffed, trying to think of my response, something to hurt his feelings as much as he’d just hurt mine. But with the lights off, I could feel the boat rocking, and a wave of nausea hit me.

“Okay, well, I’m leaving,” I said, standing up.

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