Author's note: Hey guys! I hope you enjoy this chapter. I have never worked so hard on one chapter before! I literally have been working on it since like 10 o'clock last night until about 7 PM tonight. Hopefully, you can tell because it's a little bit longer. This chapter has a lot in Brandon's POV, so I hope you guys like that too. Leave you feedback and let me know. :)
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March 2009
*BRANDON POV*
My mind was racing as I sat outside my stateroom on the balcony. Any minute, I thought to myself. She is going to text me. Just wait for it. I wiped my sweaty palms on my shorts. The very thought of seeing Victoria made me nervous.
"Hey lover boy," Mike called, snapping me out of my reverie. "If you sit there staring at the water much longer, I might have to push you in. Come on, let's go play ping-pong." He opened the door and pulled back the curtains. "Well?"
I took a deep breath. "Fine Mike," I grumbled. "Let's go."
As I was walking down the hallway towards the elevator, I stopped in front of a photo encased in a glossy, reflective frame. I checked my braces for bits of food and ran my hand through my hair to make sure I looked my best in case I ran into Victoria on the way up to the sports court. My new glasses hung a little sideways, I thought dismally. I looked like such a dork with glasses and braces, but I was due to get my braces off in two months.
The elevator doors opened and I stepped forward the as the girl on the elevator did. "Oh, sorry," we both said simultaneously. I noticed the girl's luggage, brown with pink polka-dots, and looked up quickly. "Victoria?" I offered up, my voice cracking.
"Brandon? Is that you?" She asked, her green eyes twinkling.
"Um, yeah." I tugged at my shirt.
"You got glasses?" She wrinkled her nose.
"Well, uh, yeah." I stammered. I probably sounded like a bumbling idiot. I couldn't really help it. She had changed so much from when I had last seen her. She had gotten a few inches taller, her green eyes framed with a black liner, her dark brown hair was long and straight, her lips now shined with a pink gloss, and she had...well, developed. I always thought she was cute when she was just a kid, but now, she was so pretty, I couldn't take my eyes off of her. "C-can I take your bag or something?" I asked, extending my arm.
Victoria handed me her bag hesitantly. "Okay," she said, looking at me curiously. Her phone began blasting "Our Song" by Taylor Swift from her pocket, and she reached in to see who was calling. "Oh, it's my boyfriend, Ethan. I have to take this before we get out to sea." Boyfriend? She flipped her phone open and put her hand over the mouthpiece. "My room is to the left, it's the one with the big, red duffle bag out front. Just leave my bag there. Oh, and if you see my parents, tell them I'll be back later."
"Sure thing." I said, quietly as she walked down the hallway. I turned away quickly and tried to drown out Victoria's voice, talking about how much she was going to miss Ethan, and how, if she could, she would rather be back home in San Francisco with him. Was it really that miserable to be around me? I thought we had fun together. And last year, I could have sworn she liked me. You know...liked me, liked me.
"She got girlier," Mike chirped. "I guess now I can understand why you like her so much."
"Let's just go play ping-pong, okay?" I asked, desperately trying to change the subject. That Ethan kid had no idea just how lucky he really was.
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We had already been on the cruise for two days and I had hardly gotten to spend any time with Victoria. Though she sat next to me at dinner, I felt like she hadn't noticed me at all. Instead, she spent the entire time talking to my mom across the table, speaking enthusiastically about her boyfriend, waving her hands around for emphasis. Apparently, he was tall, played basketball, had blonde hair, blue eyes, was "so cute" and was a freshman in high school. I hated the guy; the one time a year I got to see Victoria, and she wanted nothing to do with me because of him.
YOU ARE READING
The Cruise Ship Chronicles
Novela JuvenilBrandon and Victoria have both been traveling since they were young, and when fate brings their families together, they become friends at age 11. Things are fine when they're only friends, but as the two grow up, everything begins to change. A touch...
