She smiles, looking down at the play in her hand, Othello, saying, "I can't believe we're docking in Stratford upon Avon! That's where Shakespeare was born, you know. It's supposed to be amazing. And the theater is gorgeous. I can't wait to visit it!" She squeals, sipping at her raspberry smoothie, to which he shrugs.
"Eh, whatever. I never understood the hype of the guy. Oh, hey, Pigeon?" He asks, wiping down the juice he had spilled on the counter, looking at her with big bright eyes.
"Yeah, Hero?" She looks up from her fingernails, not wanting to see the look in his eyes he got every time his phone would buzz.
He is, after all, texting his wonderful girlfriend.
"How about, since I'm off tomorrow, you and I shoot some hoops? Remember that deal we made? And you already started teaching me to draw landscapes. So now it's my turn." He is charming, sweet, hopeful in his request.
How can she deny him?
"Sure, Hero. Tomorrow you and I will play basketball." She smiles, leaving him at the Easy Squeeze to his cell phone and wonderful girlfriend whom she will never be.
Her heart wrenches at the thought.
"Hey, Geni. You look upset."
"Oh, God! Professor, you scared the crap out of me! And I'm just fine, silly. Why do you ask?" She giggles shrilly, something Lo would recognize as her nervous habit.
Stupid older sister.
"Your fingers twitched to your bag ; where you keep your cigarettes when you aren't wearing pants. And you only smoke when you're nervous or upset." The towel boy points this out like he's been observing her, as though she's some science experiment, and she sighs. No point in lying now, she rationalizes.
She's never been good at it anyways.
"Yippee, you found out my bad habit. You deserve a Nobel Prize." She bites, sarcasm dripping from her mouth; her mouth that's usually smiling. Her fingers twitch to her bag again, and she internally grimaces.
What's wrong with her?
"While your sarcasm is noted (and appreciated) it's unnecessary. Look, Geni, we're… Okay, I know we aren't the best of friends, like you and Bailey, but you know you can trust me. I'm great at keeping secrets if need be." He tells her gently, and she nods. She knows he's good at keeping secrets, knows she can trust him, and also knows he tells his brother everything.
This means she won't be confiding in him any time soon.
"Thanks, Professor. But really, it's no big deal. Don't worry about it." She smiles reassuringly, mustering all her strength to make those muscles move.
"Whatever you say, Geni. But remember, if you ever need anybody, you know my cabin. And its door is always open." The twin to the boy she is hopelessly in love with pats her shoulder, and she just keeps smiling.
Ohmyfuckinggod, she needs a cigarette.
Fingers fumbling into her bag, she pulls one out and lights it up. Taking a drag, she closes her eyes and tries not to cough. Fucking gag reflex.
She shakes it off, taking another drag and blowing the smoke out slowly. She flicks the ash away, rubbing her forehead.
"Excuse me, miss, smoking is not permitted on the sky deck."
Oh, shit. Mr. M.
"Sorry, Mr. M, I'll put it out now." She whispers, extinguishing the cigarette and sticking it in someone's napkin.
