Lost At Sea

Chapter 8

The next day, Claire woke up before Roman. She climbed down the ladder. Roman's blonde hair was in all different directions, splayed against his pillow. His eyes fluttered beneath his lids; he seemed peaceful. Claire tore her eyes away. Why was she staring? The boat and lack of good food was making her crazy.

Luckily, today was shopping day. She thought out a list of things they would need for this trip. First on the list: food with nutritious value. After that, clothes (both of them were in dire need of this), shampoo and conditioner that didn't smell like boy, a toothbrush, tampons (not a good thing to be without in the middle of the ocean), and a few other things like toilet paper, cleaning products (the one rag Roman was using around the boat was black with filth), etc. etc.

"Ughharghhhuhhh," Roman made an unintelligible sound. Claire jumped onto his bed, making him groan again.

"Shopping day!" She put as much pep into her voice as she could muster.

"Go away," he turned over and covered his head with the blankets. Claire pulled the blanket off him. He sat upright, sleep still in his eyes. She grinned at him and stood, pulling him from the bed with her.

"C'mon, I'm starving and I refuse to eat another bag of chips for breakfast. We need to shop til we drop."

"Alright, alright, I'm up." She dropped his hand.

"You change out here, I'm gonna go in the bathroom and wash up."

Claire threw on her clothes from yesterday. She felt gross again. Detergent was one thing they needed, then she could wash her clothes in the sink and hang them to dry.

When she stepped out of the bathroom, Roman was still shirtless. He faced her, so she couldn't see the bruising on his back, but that thought flew to the back of her mind. He was seriously chiseled. He had broad shoulders, and a fit frame with a v-line that ran straight towards his– she blushed furiously and turned to the stairs as he put a green t-shirt over his head. Fresh air was needed, this room was unbearably stuffy.

She made sure Roman let the ladder down all the way this time so she could actually get off the boat without nearly falling into the water. Once they were well into town, they took off for the markets.

"We should start with the most important: food." Claire said. Roman nodded in agreement but she knew he was just going along with whatever she said.

They made their way into a food store. Roman grabbed a cart, and handed it over to Claire. The minute she started pushing it, he leapt forward and gracefully landed in the shopping cart. He sat back against the edge, facing her. She refused to push the cart

"Are you five?" Claire put her hands on her hips. He grinned up at her, and her stomach swooped.

"Is that some kind of rule or requirement to be pushed around in a shopping cart?"

"No, but a good life suggestion." He didn't bat an eye. Claire groaned in response and let him stay in the cart. He let his head tilt back, closing his eyes.

She threw in all kinds of colorful fruits and vegetables. The cart still wasn't full so she went to the deli section (what she failed to realize was while she was loading vegetables into the cart, Roman was putting some back). She got a few meats, some bread, and condiments (for sandwiches), some cereal, yogurt, milk etc. etc. etc. She also got some healthier snacks she loved like veggie straws while Roman put doritos and fruit snacks in the cart which got a good eye roll from her. Then they went to to the self care section. She got herself a few bottles of sweet smelling shampoo, conditioner, and soap, which got her a snarky comment from Roman ("What? Mine's not good enough? I thought Old Spice smelled good on you."), lots tampons and pads ("Grooosss."), some toothpaste and a toothbrush, detergent, and a whole bunch of other necessities she thought of (towels, nail clipper, sunscreen etc.).

Just as they were leaving the self care section, Roman grabbed a box of something and threw them in nonchalantly. Claire jerked the cart to a stop, her jaw dropped, and her face went redder than the tomatoes she got. Condoms. "Roman! What the hell?" She hissed.

His eyes went wide at her reaction, and he put his hands up. "No, no they're not for you," he exclaimed.

"Well, clearly," she scoffed. "I'm a girl." She lifted an eyebrow.

He rolled his eyes. "I m-mean they're not for me and you," he blurted out. If her face could get redder, it would have. Even he was blushing now, the tips of his ears a matching shade of crimson with his cheeks.

"Then. Why. Did. You. Get. Them?" She reiterated.

"Well, we're going on a long trip. To a lot of different places," he explained. "I might meet a girl or two..or three. I mean the girls here are different, they're like...free with their bodies," Claire wanted to pull her hair out in frustration. What the fuck goes through teenage boys minds?

"Are you insane??" She grabbed the condoms and threw them back on the shelf.

"Hey! Chill out!" He snapped. "It's none of your business what I get up to," he put them back in the cart.

"And where do you think you're gonna get up to this business?? We're on a fucking boat, Roman! Together! You think you're just gonna sex it up while I'm sleeping above you??"

He blinked at her in silence. She wanted to scream. "You make a good point." He threw the box back onto the shelf. "Anyways, there are plenty of places to get those if the opportunity presents itself. Or should I say, when the opportunity presents itself." He closed his eyes, lips breaking into a smile of satisfaction. Claire stood still. He carefully opened one eye at her waiting for her to move.

"Get out of the cart."

"Wha-"

"Ah ah ah!" She put her finger up. "I can't listen to you anymore, just.. Get out of the cart. Dumbasses don't get to ride in the cart. You've lost your privileges."

He groaned and pulled himself out of the shopping cart, just as she smiled at him and jumped in herself. "That's not fair!" He whined.

"Too bad. Now push me! Onward, to the checkout line!" She lifted a fake sword into the air, and he laughed, shaking his head. As he pushed her (and the food) to the checkout line, Claire couldn't help but feel a little disappointment in what they just argued about. Other girls? I mean they weren't dating, God, they didn't even like each other like that, but it still made her feel a little weird. She pushed the thought to the back of her mind, and the feeling to the bottom of her gut. He was just a boy who had a boat which she was forced to be on because of her family. Nothing more.

They proceeded to checkout, and Roman paid cash even though it took him a few moments to figure out how many euros it was since he was only used to american money. Once they were finished, Claire made him carry all the bags (her excuse was that the person who made the dumbest comment in the past 24 hours, gets to carry the bags. In this case "they're like..free with their bodies," won).

"It's clothing time." Claire said, as they walked into the nearest apparel store. They didn't have any top name brand stores where they were, so they settled for a little shop that carried both male and female clothes.

"Clothing time," Roman broke out into song. "One last call for alcohol so finish your whiskey or beer," He shut his eyes, continuing his rendition to the tune of 'Closing Time' by Semisonic. "Clothing time, you don't have to go home but you can't stayyy heree," he was wagging his finger in the air dramatically.

"Alright, can we just––"

"I KNOW WHO I WANT TO TAKE ME HOME. I KNOW WHO I WANT TO TAKE ME HOME. I KNOW WHO I WANT TO TAKE ME HOME. TAKE MEEE HOMEEE." He was practically shouting, and she was laughing hard while she grabbed his arm trying to get him to be quiet. People were staring, and she was in a fit of giggles.

"Roman!!" She finally caught her breath.

"Okay, okay, I'll stop," he smiled at her. "I think you should start shopping here, and I'm gonna go back to the boat to put this stuff away. I find a store around the corner I liked, so I'm gonna get stuff there. Let's meet back at the boat by," he checked his phone. "Four."

"Deal," she replied. He handed her a stack of money, and she felt a little guilty in taking it. "Thanks," she murmured. He turned around with the bags and left her at the entrance.