THE BOAT TRIP: Stampy And Squid

Concentrate.

--STAMPYS POV--
I felt like I was on acid.
As we walked back towards the harbour I couldn't concentrate on the ground and the sky. They both looked the same. All I knew was that David's hands gripped tightly around my arm.
He slipped his hand into my pocket, taking out my phone I assumed.
"Hi Beth, this is David can you call me back please, it's important. Thanks, bye."
"B-Beth.. Y' you called her?" I managed to stumble out, still trying not to pass out.
"It went to voicemail, I'll try again later." He said, I felt his fingers grip around my hips as I limped my way towards the quay.
I tried to imagine what this was like for David, he wasn't well himself, but having to comfort two uneasy people in the middle of New York would not be easy.
The road ahead of me blurred. I felt incredibly lightheaded,
"D-Dave.." I stumbled, stretching out my arms. I felt blind.
"Okay Joe. You need to focus. Concentrate!"
I widened my eyes on the road ahead of me, trying to fix my eyes on where the road ended and the sea began.
"Concentrate. Concentrate on where you're placing your feet, okay Joe. Do this for me. Just concentrate."
I looked down at my feet. Plain, leather black shoes, I was almost walking on the sides of them. The thin laces were untied, trailing loose on the ground.
"Concentrate Joseph."
I tilted them back into the correct position, but my breath was short. I couldn't keep walking.
"Come on Joe, think of something you want, think of someone, you can do this, we'll get you into bed alright?"
Something I want.. What do I want.. I don't want anything.. Beth, I should want her, I should want Beth.. But..
The motivation wasn't enough.. I needed something stronger, I wanted someone more than I wanted Beth.. Who could I want more... Who could I miss more..?

Eva.

******

I woke up onboard in bed. I heard people talking in the lounge. Beth, David and Nicole. I turned and looked on the table beside the bed. There was a tiny black box. I rolled over and opened it, there was a ring and a sheet of paper.
Don't worry Stamps, I bought it with your credit card, hope she'll like it.
-D
My mouth dropped and I hid the box in my blazer.
I felt much better, I didn't have a clue how long I had been asleep for, I hoped not too long. I walked out and was greeted by them.
"Hi guys." I said,
"Hey. " they said, Beth walked up to me, "are you alright?"
"Yeah, just gonna get a shower, I'm all smoky." I told her.
"Hey Stamps, Nicole and I are going out for a bit, we'll be back in a couple hours." David said, winking at me.
"Alright see ya." I replied, feeling nauseated.
After they left I opened the bathroom door but Beth put her hand on my shoulder,
"What you doing?" She asked,
"..having a shower?" I replied,
"Mind if I join you?"
"It's a tight squeeze."
"It's enough to keep you talking." She said, I gave up, rolling my eyes I stepped into the shower, turning on the tap.
"You feel any better?" Beth asked me, massaging my back as the warm water steamed my face.
"Yeah. Much better." I said, exhaling. Feeling comforted.
"You saved someone's life today." She stated, I nodded, "her name was Lauren Porter, New York citizen. She said she can't thank you enough."
A feeling of pride rushed through my stomach, "so she's alright? She's alive?"
"Yeah, course she is!" Beth said, turning around and smiling at me, I put my hands on her face and put my forehead against hers, "I love you." I whispered to her, she put her hands on my cheeks, closing her eyes, "I love you too." She replied, water dropped down her cheeks onto her red lips that locked with mine.
The first couple seconds of this kiss were romantic and emotional but the rest was incredibly awkward as I had a tingling sensation in my throat, and the massive urge to cough. While her tongue and lips slipped so perfectly with mine, I just really needed to cough. I can't cough at the same time, she'd notice surely? She'd be put off if I passed on this smoky cough virusy thing to her, especially through coughing in a kiss. Also, I can't cough just after the kiss, she'd be offended, I'd have to wait a good minute or two after the kiss until I cough so she doesn't know that I've been holding it back this whole time.. In which case.. I better end the kiss as soon as possible or else I'm going to choke.
I pulled away, turning off the tap, I felt like if I spoke I would just cough. I had to hold it in.
"That was nice wasn't it?." She said, wrapping a towel around herself and turning to me.
I just smiled and nodded, don't cough Joe, don't cough, you have to wait until she's sort of forgotten about the kiss. Another forty seconds or so.
"What do you think Dave and Nicole are doing?" She asked, drying herself off.
Why all the questions?!
I shrugged my shoulders, blankly smiling, "God knows." I managed to squeak out. Holding my breath, any second now the cough would come.
"You alright?" She asked.
That's when I gave in and coughed. And it was the most satisfying feeling I had ever felt.
"Yep, grand, just.. Y'know.. Long day." I said, putting on a shirt.
"Joe.. No need to get changed they won't be back for hours." She said, lying down on the bed. I lay down beside her,
"I was talking to David earlier." She began as she rolled on top of me, I slid my hands down her hips.
"Uh huh?"
"And he said that before you passed out you were in a really bad way."
"You could say that." I said, brushing my nose against hers, "why?"
"He said that he told you to think of someone you want, to encourage you to keep going.."
My mouth opened, I knew I didn't think about her. She wasn't the one I thought about but I couldn't let her know that, even so I didn't even remember passing out.
I kissed her on the lips before she asked me who I thought about. She couldn't read my mind, she didn't know when I was lying. I put my hands on the pillow and leant down on her, but her eyes opened and the kiss stopped.
"Why did you pass out right after he told you that. Why couldn't you think of anyone to motivate you to keep going?"
What? I passed out straight away?
"I... I.."
"David said that you just shook your head and collapsed."
I was shocked. I didn't think I did that. I must have looked so arrogant.
But I did think of someone! I thought of Eva..
Why did I think of Eva?
Beth looked at me with big worried eyes,
Why did I think of Eva.. Why didn't I think of you..