Hearts At Sea

Chapter 5: June 13th, 11:30 pm

I just wanna know you better, know you better, know you better now

("Everything Has Changed")

- - -

I finally gave up trying to sleep.

I open my bunk curtain to listen for evidence that the others are awake. I can't hear Sean and Beau, but Emily is sound asleep and I think Carter is too. I slide out of bed, put on my shoes, and creep out onto the balcony.

The first thing that hits me when I walk outside is the brisk wind. I shiver, hugging myself, and settle into a nearby loveseat. I stare at the ocean in all its shimmering dark blue glory. We're far enough out in the sea that there aren't any waves, just little ripples here and there. I'm so engulfed in the ocean's beauty, I don't realize someone's behind me.

"Boo!" Someone plops down next to me and I let out a surprised squeal. "Oh, sorry. Didn't mean to scare you," Carter laughs. "Can't sleep?"

I shift my gaze away from him so he doesn't see that my face matches someone who just saw a ghost. "Yeah."

"Me neither. Must be the waves or something." The funny thing is, on this large of a ship, you can't feel the rocking unless you concentrate really, really hard. So the "or something" is probably more accurate.

"Yeah."

He pokes my shoulder teasingly. "You just gonna keep saying 'yeah?'"

"Maybe." We sat there in silence, watching the water. I mean, what do you say to the best friend you haven't seen in two years? Hey, what's up? What did I miss? How did you get this hot in just two years?

Yeah, no.

I feel Carter shift next to me and he must be turning my way because he pulls his leg onto the cushion, his knee brushing my thigh, causing it to tingle. "Look. I know we haven't seen each other in two years," Carter begins. Oh, so he knows what to say. Okay. 

"But I don't want this to be awkward. You're my best friend. Or, were, I guess." Were we still best friends? We have barely talked in the time since he moved. In the beginning, we were texting every hour, but as time passed, we only texted to wish each other a happy birthday and a merry Christmas. So can we just hop back into our friendship?

Honestly, why didn't they make an instruction manual for this stuff?

I stayed silent, still turned away from him. "I mean, we could still be. I don't know," he goes on. "My point is, let's break the ice. Like, let's be friends again. Be comfortable with each other. You know?"

"Yeah." Oops. "I mean, um, yes? That was an instance where 'yeah' was acceptable," I explain, finally facing him. He laughs, causing me to crack a smile. God, I missed that rumbly, contagious laugh.

"Let's play Five Questions," he suggests.

"I haven't played that game in forever." I think the last time we played Five Questions was right before he moved. And it revolved around his worries and fears about moving.

He jumps right into it. "One: uh, are you still an avid reader?"

"Yes. I'm up to two hundred books a year."

His eyebrows shoot upwards in surprise. "Shit, for real? It went up a hundred in two years. Wow." I smile a little at his shock. "Okay, two: are you still friends with Celia?"

"Yep. She's the best BFF in town." Celia has been my best girl friend since forever. It was always Carter, Celia, and I. Three peas in a pod. But, of course, Carter and I were closer than Celia and I were. With a friend group of three, it's inevitable that there's a third-wheeler. I do feel bad, though, looking back on it.