MIO FIORE

AIDEN'S FRIEND

We were on the tenth floor, having a veranda as well and what looked like a jacuzzi on the other side of the room. Why is there a jacuzzi physically in the room, what if the water went everywhere?

The bathroom was attached and probably just as big as our room. I sighed, this was going to be a long trip. Aiden dropped out things off and immediately left the room, probably heading to the bar.

I opened the door to the veranda and looked out, there were still heaps of levels on top of us, but each level was staggered so you got the beautiful sunshine directly on your veranda. I could see the pier from here and what looked like the last of the stragglers getting on.

Below on one of the main levels, I could see numerous pools, some passengers already in bikinis getting a tan. I headed back inside. I wasn't going to get a tan. I Was going to work.

I didn't see or hear from Aiden and dare I say I was getting a bit worried? The cruise had left the dock nearly six hours ago, the sun had set a long time ago and all I could hear was waves crashing into the side of the boat and the podcast I was playing.

I wasn't worried for his safety as much as my bank account and money. Was he gambling it away like normal?

I grunted kicking the chair of the table on the deck and closing my temporary laptop. I didn't want to go find him, but if he was just going to be spending my money I ought to know.

Locking all the doors I grabbed my jacket, wrapping it around me as I headed out of the room. Now that I was walking, I felt quite uneasy. The cruise was massive in fact it was one of the biggest vessels on the water I had ever seen.

Yet the ocean was bigger and every wave that slammed into it sent a tiny rocking motion, but for my stomach, it felt like a tsunami. I placed a hand against my lower abdomen, I had felt nothing when I was sitting which was weird. I headed down the very long corridor and to the elevator, heading straight down to the main part of the cruise. As soon as the elevator doors opened I knew I was going to have a tough time finding him.

I was assaulted with loud music, smells of all kinds, and people all over the place.

I started walking through the crowd, it was taking me an awful lot of time to work my way through the crowd.

“Excuse me," I muttered as I was pushed past a lot of drunk bodies, and I wasn't even in the 18 plus section yet.

I grumbled losing my patience and pushing my way through towards the deck where it was a little bit quieter, but still very chaotic. Perhaps all the new cruise lifestyle vibes will wear off and everyone will be more settled in the next few days.

The fresh air was chilly, the smell of salt from the ocean somewhat calming down as I walked towards the railing.

I wasn't feeling that well all of a sudden. I leaned against the railing looking down at the ocean, thinking that the big waves would calm me. Except they did the opposite.

“Oh dear" I whispered gripping the railing, it was icy cold under my fingers relaxing me a bit, but not much. I closed my eyes, the wind howling in my ears as I was starting to feel dizzy.

"Are you going to vomit?" A voice asked from behind me.

My eyes flew open at the familiar voice and I looked over my shoulder "Ethan." I said, remember Aiden's friend from the bar.

“Oh you remember my name!" he said smiling his pearly white teeth as bright as the moon behind him.

I turned away from him and looked back at the waves. Didn't they say that you felt motion sickness when your body felt like you were moving but your eyes didn't see that, making your brain confused? So why am I still feeling sick when I was staring at the big waves, trying to tell my brain that I was in fact moving.

"Are you okay?" Ethan took a step closer, placing a warm hand on my shoulder.

“Yeah, I think so," I replied.

“Did you eat?" He asked.

“What?" I asked confused.

"Sometimes you need to eat heavy carbs, that settles the stomach. So, did you eat?"

“Uh no," I said shaking my head, not in the past few hours anyway "What are you doing here-wait, don't tell me your entire gang is also on this cruise."

Ethan chuckled, his hand still on my shoulder, “Yeah I should have known that Aiden was going to actually trick you into this. Damn now he wins a hundred bucks from me." Ethan shook his head, his blue eyes matching the water around us.

I frowned is that how Aiden was getting money now? Of course, he wasn't going to spend an entire cruise with just me, not that I cared anyway. I knew somehow he was going to manage meeting up with his friends but I just didn't realize they were on the cruise as well.

“Here." Ethan shrugged off his jacket handing it to me. “You have goosebumps."

"No thanks," I said not really wanting to wear someone else's jacket.

“I insist, take a seat I’ll bring you a soda or something. It'll help with the sickness.``

I frowned looking at the warm cashmere coat he was holding out and eventually succumbed to it. Wrapping it around my shoulders I sat on the deck chair as Ethan disappeared through the crowds leaving me once again alone with my thoughts and the cold air.

I laid down fully on the deck chairs, staring at the passing stars. The sky was so beautiful out here, that was one good thing about the cruise. There was also a lot more fresh air than back at home, it just felt and smelled different.

Ethan returns half an hour later holding a glass of coke, "Sorry the lines are crazy." He had a beer on the other hand "This one for you." He said handing me a glass of coke.

"Thank you." I eagerly sipped the fizzy drink, bubbles landing in my stomach. Ethan sat on the end of the deck chair and I moved up to allow him to have space without being so close to me.

“Why aren't you with the others?" I asked, "Where are they?" and by they I really just cared about where Aiden was.

“I was till I got bored of playing poker three hours in a row so I was leaving when I thought I saw you." Ethan took a sip of his beer, tossing the lemon into the water.