Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
•••••
The calm before the storm
Tw: thalassophobia
Two weeks had passed and we were in the height of summer. I'd known Lloyd six weeks. More crap had happened in these past six weeks than in the seventeen years I'd been alive. It was. Troubling.
To ease that (and to have a sweet, sweet escape from the city heat) we decided to take the Bounty on a short weekend getaway. Well, the ninja decided. They just let me tag along - after some A++ convincing mum on my part. So, bags packed, I sat outside the front door. Even in the shade, I was sweltering.
Lloyd pulled up in his car and I hopped up, giddy and excited. I'd never been on a trip without my mother before and this would be my first with Lloyd. Sure, I don't really know his team all that well, but that's nothing a little bonding can't fix! Mum followed me to the car and waited while chucked my bag in the back and hopped shotgun. "Hi, Mrs. L/n," Lloyd said, only a tad nervous. "Hey, Lloyd," mum replied, brighter than the last time they'd spoken. "How are you?" "Oh... y'know," Lloyd shrugged. Mum nodded. "Yep," she replied.
My gaze jumped between them. "Well, that was painful," I commented. "He needs to join us next family movie night." Mum rolled her eyes. "Sure, sure, whatever." Then she straightened, eyeing me seriously. "Alright, you two make sure to be safe. No funny business, ya hear?" "Yes, ma'am," Lloyd saluted. I nodded. "I want pictures!" she added. "Yes," I sighed. "We're gonna be late!" "Alright, alright," mum raised her palms and stepped back. "I'll see you Monday." I smiled. "I'll call tonight." "If you don't, you're grounded." "Mum!" "I'm kidding," she chuckled. "... mostly."
I shook my head in exasperation. Lloyd started the car and we took off, pulling out into the street. "Excited?" Lloyd asked, glancing at me with a smile. "Yeah!" I beamed, nodding eagerly. "I've never been on a big boat before. It's gonna be weird." "You'll love it," he grinned. "It recently got refurbished. There's now a blow up doll Dareth. It... it was Dareth's suggestion." I sent him a look out the side of my eyes. "And you ran with it?" Lloyd shrugged. "It's the autopilot feature." "That's terrifying." "Oh, absolutely. Especially when's it's flying us through the sky."
I giggled, just imagining the sight of it. A familiar song started playing on the radio and I hummed along to it, content in the gentle silence of the car while Lloyd drove. But then the chorus hit. "Gotta keep your head up OHHHOHH AND YOU CAN LET YOUR HAIR DOWN EHHHHEHH." "Oh my gOD-" I snorted at Lloyd's boisterous voice, which had initially scared the skeleton out of me. He laughed loudly, one hand on the steering wheel and the other mimicking a microphone as he continued to sing along to the words. I tried to sing along but my giggled kept cutting my words short. I couldn't do it in the end, failing to keep my laugh in check.
