Sail (based on a true story)

Discovery

She awoke the next morning as her head banged hard against the wall. She attempted to stand, but failed as the ship rocked viciously back and forth. The clock on the nightstand read 4:30 am. She groaned in annoyance as she was the only one up.

She barely managed to make her way three doors down the hall to her grandparents cabin to get some motion sickness pills, and warily made her way back, holding onto the walls for support.

The next 4 and a half hours were spent watching a water bottle roll on the floor from one side of the cabin, to the other. She ship stopped swaying around 8:30 or so. But she was unable to use her phone. They must have made it so far out over night that her phone was turned on roaming.

As her sister and parents woke up, Jenna got dressed in the pair of skinny jeans she snuck into her bag and a gray tank top and announced she was going to explore and that she would be back by 1.

She roamed the halls for quite a bit, eventually finding a small secluded library across from the chapel on the third floor. The light purple walls and antique looking book cases provided comfort for her as she browsed the few books they had aboard.

She retreated back to her cabin around 11 to find a note from her family that they were on the lido deck.

She changed into the only swim suit that actually sort of flattered her body, a maroon and white stripped string bikini. She topped it off with black flip flops, a white cover and her aviators and made her way to the lido deck.

Once she found the group of about 20 people that came on the cruise with her family, she informed them that she was going up to the sun deck to tan.

The view was gorgeous, laying on a lounge chair with an exotic drink as you looked over the blue ocean was incredible to her. After she fell asleep listening to music, she woke up around 4, realizing there was a formal dinner tonight and she had to be down there soon.

She raced back to her room and applied her makeup. She fixed her shoulder length, pink hair and changed into a maxi dress. She kept the flip flops and slid her phone into the band that went around her chest and under her arm and made her way down to the second floor.

After dinner, she watched the sun set from the top deck and decided to explore some. She explored most of the lido deck, found out what food and pools were where and other important things.

She took a seat on a comfy couch by one of the floor-to-ceiling windows that surrounded the lido deck. As she stared out at the reflection of the moon on the water, she started to wonder.

"What will I have to do when I'm finished exploring?"

"Will I meet any friends?"

"I hope my family doesn't force me to swim in the gross pools on the ship"

Still in her floor length dress, she started to shuffle her feet on the glossy floor, but was soon interrupted but a soothing sound coming from a few couches over.

She recognized the sound as a ukulele. A boy that appeared to be a few years older than her strolled down to the couch opposite to her.

He stood in front of her as he stopped strumming.

"Hey, are you okay? You look a little down" he asked. His voice was deep, but smooth and calming all the same.

"U-Uhm yeah" she stuttered. "I just got lost in my train of thought I guess" she shrugged and laughed softly.

"Ah, okay. Well what is a pretty girl like you doing out here all by yourself?"

He cheeks flushed a light shade of pink as she responded "well, I really didn't feel like listening to my family argue and I decided to explore. I guess this is where I ended up"

"I see. Well I'm gage, and you are?" He stuck out his hand for her to shake.

"Jenna" she answer. They shook hands as he took a seat, setting the ukulele down next to him.

They talked for a while, but not too long. She found out that he was 17, he played bass in a band, he liked to sketch and he enjoyed bashing all of her favorite musicians. But something about the boy fascinated her. She just couldn't place her finger on it.

"I uh, I should probably get back, my family is probably wondering where I am" Jenna waved as she bid him farewell and left.

She got back to her cabin to see her family was no where to be found. She changed into some leggings she accidentally (😉) packed and an American flag shirt. She left a note in case her family came back and ventured back up to the lido deck to meet once again with Gage. She was nervous and excited, but she didn't really know why.

She was filled with disappointment as he was nowhere in sight when she arrived back. She sighed and decided to look more for the under 18 club, deciding to look for the boy tomorrow.

She heard some kids around her age talking about some place called Circle C and decided to follow them, for one of them knew where it was.

They reached the third floor and went down one of the long hallways that stretched the length of the ship. The hallway was filled with murals and gorgeous tile mosaics. Port holes lined the wall and small tables and benches were found every so often. They finally came to a red spiral staircase. She climbed the stairs to be met with many teenagers. Lights flashed and music blared from all directions as she made her way to a corner and sat with her knees to her chest.

Many nice people came up to talk to her, all her age as well, except for a few. There was one boy that seemed to stick out to her though. She believed his name was Ted.

Ted had similar music taste to her, he was into art as well and he was incredibly sweet. He wasn't 3 years older than her like Gage was, and he seemed to be more understanding as well.

But alas, she had to make her way back to her cabin for it was nearing midnight.

And as she laid down in bed for the second night, she new that this cruise was going to be more than she bargained for.