I'll never let go..| A titanic inspired story 🚢

Introducing Joel (Chapter 10)

Boat deck
2:00pm
"So to be just like a man, you've gotta spit like a man." He said with a grin. We were leaning off the top floor balcony meaning that all of the people from every class could see our foolishness. I couldn't say no.

"Okay! Fine, show me how it's done." I said, matching his smug grin that was plastered across his face.

"Alright. So you've gotta focus on not only mass, but distance. Watch closely." He started to unappealing gather saliva from the back of his throat, inevitably making a disgusting noise along with it. Immediately after, he shot the spit ball from his mouth and it plopped into the blue ocean below. It was truly disgusting but I did want to try.

"Your turn." He said.

Following his example, I gathered the spit from my throat and spat it out. The spit ball wasn't nearly as big as Joel's but I got pretty good distance.

"What was that? That was pathetic. Let me show you again." He started to hawk back the spit and something must've distracted him because the spit ball didn't create much distance and didn't land in the ocean...

The pair of us nervously peered down and watched the spit slowly travel down the side of the boat and eventually land on the deck below. But not only that, it had landed on a bald head. The man grunted angrily and wiped off the spit from his head. Following that, he glanced upwards and saw the two of us sheepishly peering down at him.

"ISOBEL? IS THAT YOU? AND WHO IS THAT?" The voice boomed. It was then I realised it was my father.

"Oh my. Joel! That's my father." I whisper shouted at Joel and ducked my head. I knew my father would be coming up onto the top deck at any second to scold me.

"Relax. We can blame some kid or something ." His eyes scanned the top deck and he spotted a young boy who looked around 7 or 8. Cautiously, I approached the boy and so did Joel. He looked up at us with a confused stare, the gap in his teeth showed as he made a peculiar face.

"I don't know about this. He may be a kid but are you sure he is THAT gullible?" I said. Joel ignored me and started speaking to the boy.

"Hey, kid? This woman here is a REAL princess. Don't you think you could help us out? There might be something in it for you!" Joel said, a little too enthusiastically.

The boy's eyes lit up and he immediately got to his feet.

"Of couwse yourw highness. I've nevew met a weal pwincess befowe!" The boy said while peering up at the two of us. He had a slight speech impediment that was quite noticeable. Joel smiled and folded his arms as if to mock me for thinking it wouldn't work.

"Alright! If you tell a man that you were the one who spat, we will give you a penny! Maybe you can buy something for your ma or pa? Or maybe you can get yourself some sweeties in America?" Joel knew exactly the right things to say. It was a bit manipulative but very impressive. I had always had one set of social skills and that was manners and only speaking if spoken to.

"I guess I can do that." The boy said whilst tapping his chubby foot on the wooden deck.

A booming voice shouted and could have probably been heard from New York.

"ISOBEL GRAHAM. FOR THE LAST TIME I FORBID YOU FROM HANGING AROUND WITH THESE HOOLIGANS!" My father roared, aggressively gripping at Joel's collar who seemed to be terrified.

"Daddy! Stop. It wasn't him. It was that little boy." I lept forward and tore Joel away from my father's grasp. Wheezing angrily, he let go of Joel and turned his attention to the little boy who looked terrified for his life.

"Hm? This little scoundrel?" My father spat whilst grabbing at the boy's collar. His face slowly changed from scared to petrified as he screamed out for his mother and father.

"MUMMMYYYYYYYY DADDYYYYYYYYYYY!" The boy wailed, he wriggled and squirmed to break free but my father's angry grasp was much too strong for him.

"Well. If I never. A young boy spitting from the boat? Do you confirm or deny these actions?" My father interrogated the boy? And all he could manage was an inaudible sob of gibberish.

"Listen up, boy. If I see you spit one more time I will have you thrown from this boat, understand?" My father roared in his ear. The young boy nodded vigorously. Meanwhile, Joel and I stood idly, not wanting to take the blame for our actions. I sort of felt like an evil genius.

"Good. Now run along." Freeing the boy from his grasp, the little lad scampered off with tears pouring from his eyes.

"And I didn't even have to give him that penny, I guess he was just loyal to the monarchy, princess." Joel winked.