The Rookie Pirates (Parts 1-6)

30. Logan the Nomad

Jessica found herself at the stern of the ship and found Alex sitting with his legs between the railings. He was looking over the edge, down at the rudder below that sprayed the sea up into his face. He didn't seem to mind. In fact, he looked content with the feeling of the salty water splashing up against his face. A soft smile was evident on his lips. It was a stark difference from the scowl he usually wore.

Jessica cleared her throat, and he gazed up at her, his scowl returning. "What do you want?"

"Umm..." She blushed. "To give this back to you." Jessica handed him the white t-shirt he had given to her earlier that evening.

She was now back to wearing her usual black shorts and long-sleeved purple crop top. Alex took the shirt from her with an acknowledging nod and looked back down at the rudder, watching the water bubble and splash white foam up into the air.

Jessica sat down next to him, and he let out a soft sigh before he spoke, like he was contemplating what he was about to say next. "How much do remember?"

Jessica frowned. "I don't know what you mean."

Alex's cheeks reddened as he rephrased his question. "Do you remember your time as a pig?"

It was Jessica's turn to let her cheeks glaze with a red hue. She stuttered before answering, remembering everything that had happened between the pair of them as pig and friend. The temple guard she had saved him from, the drinking contest at the bar, and him telling her about his past. Alex tickling her, him confessing how he honestly felt about her without realising she was Jessica at the time. When Levi had tried to eat her, and he saved her from their drooling captain. Her heart strained when she remembered that Alex had let the mayor take her away so he could protect his friends, which she wholly understood, but it still hurt to think about it. Then he came looking for her in an attempt to save her but failed, and Levi saved her later on.

As she looked over Alex's expression, she could tell that he didn't want her to remember. To save him from embarrassment, she shook her head.

"No. I don't remember anything."

Alex heaved a sigh in relief. That was good. He had told her things about his past he had yet to tell his crew, and he especially didn't want Jessica to know that he liked her. However, he had connected with her when she was a pig, but already, he found himself at a loss for words. How could he retell her such intimate things? It was easier when she was an animal.

"All I remember is Levi punching the mayor in the face and saving me," she mumbled.

Alex's chest tightened, and hatred slowly started to boil up within him towards his captain. Now he wished she had remembered. Then she would know how much they had bonded and what he went through in an attempt to save her.

It should have been me that saved you, not him.

Alex stood up and clicked his tongue as he walked away, leaving Jessica confused by his sudden change of mood. She would never understand him.

☠️

The next day, Jessica was stood on the main deck. Her hands gripped tightly onto the railing of the ship, and her eyes closed shut as she let the soft salty sea breeze grace against her cheeks. A smile slowly formed on her lips. For once in her life she felt free, free from the horrors of her past.

A throat cleared behind her. Jessica turned around to find Vulcan next to her. He always seemed to have a stern look on his face, like something was bothering him.

"Can I help you?" Jessica smiled.

"You can." His face lit up a notch but still, he looked bothered by something. "We don't have a compass, and your friend Elena told me you had a Mr Compass. May I borrow it just until we get to Halfway Point?" he asked awkwardly.