Classless

Chapter 5- Things keep happening

Chapter 5- Things Keep Happening

I froze and slowly faced him, "In what sense? Like swim above my problems because I am good at that."

Chief wasn't amused, "Fedor, I was asking if you could swim, water, swim. You know?" he talked to me like I was five.

"No, I don't"

"You don't know how to swim or you don't understand what the word swimming means." He gave a look of disbelief, I knew it was far-fetched to see an Adult that couldn't swim but in my defense I did not have the time to learn and I did not think I was going to ever need that as a skill. I made all of my decisions based on what they could do for me. How was I supposed to know that I would one day work on water?

A loose hair had escaped my bun, I slid it to the back of my ears; Chief was distracted by that move and paid attention to my hair like it was a strange creature, "No Chief, I don't know how to swim."

He glowered at me, "What did you say?"

"I said, I can't swim."

Chief chuckled at first, then gave me another look; "Then why... why are you on the ship?"

"You said to come on the ship and I did." I exclaimed, how this was my fault, I could not understand.

"What kind of Adult doesn't know how to swim?"

"This one." I muttered.

"Why did you not say anything?"

"It did not come up."

"I see, Let me get this straight; did it not occur to you that you'll be going on water? And that you don't have the basic skill that could save your life." He gave me that look Ms. Cecilia did when she thought I said something unbelievably stupid. From him, it was more annoying which was odd considering that I had met him a little under 24 hours.

I shrugged, "I have never been on sea, and it never occurred to me that I would one day be here. I applied to work in engineering but somehow here I am."

"Do you think that makes sense?"

"What part in particular?" I frowned.

He took a deep breath and said to himself more than to me, "Okay, okay, okay." Chief seemed to think that talking to me was a waste of air but I was distracted by how the wind blew his hair, I watched them fall softly on his forehead. How did we go from that intense atmosphere to this? Chief opened a cabinet and handed me a life jacket. "Do you know how to put that on or do I have to teach you?"

I stared strangely at the blue thing with ropes, surely, I could figure it out. How difficult could it be? Chief got impatient and took it back, he put it through my head and explained how it worked, I tried, I really tried to pay attention but he was so close and he smelt divine. Soap, spice and salty; okay maybe the sea had something to do with that, he tightened a rope and it all came together on me fitted but it also pulled me closer to him. Our eyes met, his hands still on the ropes at my waist as he stared at me deeply.

"Green, so green... "He mumbled to himself; the lock of hair that had escaped before escaped again whipping through my face. He released a rope and held the lock of hair and put it behind my ears, my stomach clenched and instead of the wind, all I could hear was my own heartbeat. This man was dangerous, dangerous, and dangerous but I couldn't pull away and I don't think he could either. He took a step back and inhaled. "Can you even take care of yourself at all?"

Good, let him keep doing that, being a prick I mean; it would be better for my heart and whatever was happening here. One thing was sure, I could not afford the repercussion, I came up with a plan immediately, I was going to avoid Chief Song as much as I could, I did not need this kind of attachment. It was alright when I thought it was mere attraction but he had way too much power over me and that was something I could not accept. "Don't worry, Chief Song, I can take care of myself. You don't have to worry about me becoming a burden, although at least for this trip, I will be one considering it's my first one but I am a quick learner. I will stay out of your way as much as I can."