All Friends On Board (The Suite Life On Deck)⚓

28. Lost At Sea

I returned to the ship after spending most of the summer with Grandma and my cousin Nia. I reunited with Uncle Marion, who was glad to see me again and asked how the time with Grandma and Nia went. 

After reconnecting with my uncle, the ship seemed to hum with new energy, a prelude to the arrival of Caleb, Zack, Cody, Woody, and some of our classmates. Their entrance was a whirlwind of excitement, and the air crackled with anticipation as we prepared to embark on new adventures and create unforgettable memories together.

"Feels good to be back on board, eh?" Caleb smiled after he and I reconnected while the others did the same.

"Yeah, it is," I nodded. 

He and I caught up on our summers. Caleb shared snippets of his time spent with his parents and relatives at a secluded mountain cabin upstate.

"As great as spending time with the family was, I missed everyone on the ship," he expressed after concluding. "Especially you."

I smiled at Caleb. I was about to say something when I was cut off by London stammering as she followed Uncle Marion, begging him for something. My guess was more closet space for all of her outfits and accessories. I've told her countless times to stick to a limited number of clothes and mix and match them.

"N-O!" Uncle Marion turned to London, who looked like she was about to reply, but no voice came out but gestured with a hand. "No!" My uncle exclaimed.

"But-- but, Moseby, I'm a senior now!" London protested. "Don't you know what that means?"

"Yes, your father is one year away from buying you a college."

"I've asked for a pink one!" 

"Ah!"

"I don't think that's how one applies for college," Caleb shook his head as we overheard them.

"Nope. But when it comes to the Tipton's, they just up and buy just about anything that grabs their attention," I pointed out.

"Sounds pretty wasteful."

"But as a senior here, I should get a bigger room with more closets," London continued.

I gave her a disappointed expression. Didn't sharing the cabin with Bailey help her grow and learn to be more considerate of others? 

"Oh, here's a thought, own less clothing," Uncle Marion stated.

London gasped in horror. "Bite your tongue!" She frowned at my uncle.

"He does have a point, London," I said as Caleb, and I approached them. "The best method would be to sort through your stuff, select a specific number to keep with you, and store the others that you don't need for a while."

"But that's so hard."

"Okay," Miss Tutweiller heaved as she arrived carrying a large bundle of clothes in her arms and approached us. "I found these clothes in my classroom supply closet, and none of them are mine." 

"Of course not. These are pretty," London remarked as she took the clothes from our teacher. "I used your supply closet for clothing overflow." 

"And what happened to my classroom supplies?"

"Well, let's just say I found out pencils float, textbooks don't."

Miss Tutweiller gasped, knowing what London meant.

"You threw Miss Tutweiller's supplies overboard?" Uncle Marion inquired, sounding shocked.

"I have never heard of anything so selfish," our teacher frowned at London.