81 Days of Summer

Day 31

"Ever been on a cruise before?" Someone with a thick, foreign, accent asked me as I was in the line to get my cheeseburger in the cruise's empty buffet.

I turned around, and saw someone look at me, like he had been expecting an answer to his question.

"Sorry?" I managed to say.

"It's fine, have you ever been on a cruise before? Oh, your burger's ready."

"Thanks, and yeah, a couple times. Well, I've got to go, but it was nice talking to you!" I said with a smile.

"Aw, come on, this is my first cruise! Could you give me some light on the subject since you're experienced? Come on, will you stay with me? I bet you you're here because you don't want to attend the kickoff of the boat moving and your parents will make you get up there and dance with all the little kids so they can show their friends and family back home, trust me, it's happened to all of us.. And if you want to sit alone, there's wifi for your phone, but it's expensive, so communication is the best way to go! Sooo would you stay?"

"True, I can't use my phone for anything except editing pictures, which doesn't need internet, but it gets a little uneventful sometimes. Sure, why not? I have nothing to lose but some pounds!"

We walked over to an empty booth, and sat down.

Since the restaurant is at the top of the ship, it is located in the back, so it has a lookout towards the water.

"Okay, so, expertise is what you want, huh? Okay. The kickoff begins right when the horns blow, and we heard the horns blow about two hours ago, so we should be moving quite quickly I guess. You can still see a bit of land over there, where I'm pointing, but in about thirty minutes we won't. The water's so beautiful, isn't it?" I stated.

"You're beautiful."

What?

My mind flashed back to where Stefan and I were on our way to the cafe in New York.

I said the same thing, didn't I?

Or something similar, and Stefan had the same response.

"So, what's your name?" I said, changing the subject.

"Hmm, what's yours?" The mysterious guy asked.

He looks super familiar, but I can't quite put my finger on who he is or at least who he looks like.

"I asked first, okay? Just tell me. Pleaseeeee?" I smiled.

"My name's Connor. I'm from Brisbane, Australia and I came to Disney and a cruise to the Caribbean for my winter break. I have a sister named Charis, she came too. I'm not fully Australian, I'm Greek Australian. I wasn't going to come to the Windjammer Cafe right now, but so far it's the best decision I've made on this trip, because I got to meet you, the pretty girl with no known name. So far, that is. What's your life?"

"Well, my name is Amber Carter and I live in Texas. I have British and Spanish blood; it's confusing but weirdly true. I love my ethnicity because it's so diverse, and I'm proud of it. I love life because there's so much to do. I really don't know what kind of person I am, I feel like a good one, but a bad one at the same time.. I don't know who I am, but I'm slowly getting there.. hehe, I'm going through an identity crisis. So yeah, that's me."

I sighed.

"Wow, I just did a 'Hello, I'm from here' and then you dug a hole so deep with your words my thoughts fell in and couldn't get out." Connor said.

"Well, I mean, it wasn't really deep, but, if you say so, then, sure." I responded.

Breaking the silence, I started by saying, "So, what do you think will be the best stop and worst stop on this cruise?"

"Personally, I think Jamaica will be the worst, and the Grand Cayman Islands the best. I don't know.. Hey there are these little phones in every room that you dab text other people on the ship so you can communicate more easily, here's my number, its 3304-01. Maybe we can chill sometime? I hear they give free coffee at the Starbucks downstairs, that's the only free thing they give, hehe, you have to pay sky-high prices for everything else. Whats your number?"

"I don't know, really. I think the grand Cayman will be the best, I've heard it's really beautiful, but at the same time, all the stops are! Haha, I haven't seen the phones on this cruise cause I just put the luggage in the room and left, but yeah, I'll get a hold of you."

•••••

"Thanks!" Connor and I said at the same time.

After finishing our burgers, we had headed over to the smoothie station at the very top of the deck right next to the balcony, since the buffet started to fill up.

Making our way over to the edge of the boat looking out over the water, I said,
"Man, I don't judge, but who likes a banana smoothie? Bleghhh."

"Well, who likes a strawberry kiwi smoothie? Hmmph!" He said as he defended his banana smoothie with pride.

"I do!" I replied with a sheepish grin.

"How do you think this cruise is going to pan out, Amber? Like Titanic, or what?" said Connor.

I turned to him, lifted my bronze aviator sunglasses off of my eyes, raised my eyebrows, put my aviators back on, and turned back to looking at the ocean.

I took another sip of my smoothie, sighed dramatically, and said,

"Let's just wait and see."

••••••••••••

Okkkk so here's my weekly update and stuffff! So I'm gonna write a sequel but I think I'm gonna write it as an original and my plans are to publish that one :) sorry guys I know this one was kind of a filler but it was important cause you got to meet a new character in 81DOS and yeahhh! If you didn't already know his name is Connor and he's actually Greek Australian! (Well duh cause why would you read this is you haven't read the chap) ANYWAYS so I'm rambling again! But big things are coming for 81DOS and the end will be soon but not as soon as you think :3 but yeah enjoy loves! I can't believe it! I now have 426 reads! I'm proud of the success of this book and I hope it goes very far; I don't think it will but I'm keeping a good attitude about it :) THANKS I LOVE YOU ALL DONT FORGET TO SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT THIS

thanks for all the support!

XO,

A. 💭🌌🌴🌚