OCEAN WITHOUT DIRECTION

Chapter Three

"You'll learn, as you get older, that rules are made to be broken. Be bold enough to live life on your terms, and never, ever apologise for it. Go against the grain, refuse to conform, take the road less travelled instead of the well-beaten path. Laugh in the face of adversity, and leap before you look. Dance as though EVERYBODY is watching. March to the beat of your own drummer. And stubbornly refuse to fit in."

― Mandy Hale, The Single Woman: Life, Love, and a Dash of Sass

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As we stride into the ballroom, everyone face it seems turns and watches expectantly at us. "Relax" he whispers into my ear, shivering I look up at him and notice him studying the crowds. I look back down and take a deep breath, feeling him take a step forwards and we glide down the staircase. 

Instantly he is swarmed with men and women alike while I stand to the side by myself. "Not very fun is it?" a voice full of mirth speaks up beside me. Stepping forwards I turn around and see another devilishly handsome male in a tuxedo holding a glass of champagne. Sighing I shake my head "not in the slightest, though I see you might be having fun" I point out his glass and he looks down chuckling. "Want one?" he offers stepping to the side to let a couple through. Looking back at the captain I weigh the pros and cons for a few seconds, deciding then and there that I'd only be gone a few seconds I take up his offer.

As we walk over to the tables that have the champagne and fondues he decides now would be the right time to start up a conversation."So, what's your name?" pretty simple question but a promising one at that. 

"Xena, you?" I reply quietly grasping the glass of bubbly, "Liam" I look up at him strangely all he does is grin and pour another glass. "What are you doing here by yourself?" he asks smacking his lips together after taking a swig of his drink.

I take a moment to think of why I'm on this cruise and honestly I don't know why. Shrugging my shoulders I take another sip of my drink, "okay then, do you want to dance. I mean I totally understand if you don't. You came here with that captain of yours anyway" I tilt my head and look right into his eyes. "I would love to dance with you" he smiles and places both our glasses on the table taking my hand, I grin at him.

As we dance in the centre of the ballroom I place my head on his shoulder and we sway from side to side. "Xena can I ask you something?" his voice rumbles through his chest and I feel it, taking my head off of his chest I look up at him. His eyes are the colour of a forest and I can just spy some hazel flecks in them.

"Ask away" I begin to pull him away from the dancing couples and towards a table with some chairs. He gladly sits down. "Why are you here with the Captain but not dancing with him?" I sigh. "It's complicated, he actually invited me here but..." trailing off I look up to see him busy with five other females and two men. "You know what, I don't even know why I came here" my tone changing into an irritated one, standing up I push back the chair and begin to walk away.

"Wait, Xena" Liam grips my wrist and I look down at his hold. He notices too and places it down before pulling me into a comforting hold, "you can stay here with me" his voice almost a whisper. "If you want me to" he nods and I hide my head in the crook of his neck. 

Hours pass and the Captain hasn't even noticed my absence, I don't worry too much about that. Liam and I are now sitting in the corner of the large room chatting and laughing, honestly I haven't felt this nice in a while. "....then you want to know what he did?" Liam questions as I howl with laughter, tears form in the sides of my eyes some rolling down the apples of my cheeks. "He told me to shut up and pushed me into a food stall, the woman was not pleased" I continue laughing and he joins in, until a sudden clearing of a voice has us stopping abruptly.

The captain stands in front of our table with his hand behind his back with a hooded look over his eyes. I quickly stand and clutch onto his arm, "Um, Captain what a surprise!" he looks down at me not amused. Letting go of his arm I stand to the side awkwardly, "I was talking to a friend here, his name is Li-" before I can finish introducing him to Liam he clears his throat "I know, me and Liam here are....acquaintances" frowning slightly I sit down again.

Both of their eyes flick to me before they stare down each other. "Brother, long time no see" Liam taunts, my head snaps up and I look between both of them. I suppose they both have the same eyes and but the Captain has darker hair, the longer I look I notice they do look alike in someways. "We are no longer brothers" the Captain hisses, I reel away even though none of it was aimed at me. They didn't seem to notice, all Blade did was let a malicious smile enter his handsome face.

After what felt like minutes Captain Warner pulls me up and marches straight out of the room no more words had to be said on how mad he was. He continues to drag me by the arm and I start to wince at the pressure, "Captain" he doesn't acknowledge my pleading voice "Captain!" I try again in a fuller tone he finally looks back with fury in his eyes. Flinching, I look right into his eyes, "take your hands off of me!" when he looks down at his hand his eyes soften and he removes it showing red finger marks. "Xena I'm so sor-" he doesn't finish his sentence because I put my hand up to his face, "save it, I don't want to hear your excuses."

I'm angry, no, I'm beyond angry, I'm fuming. How dare he drag me out of there like a useless dog. I was enjoying myself with Liam very much yet he just had to come and ruin it all. 

I storm towards my room, no one is in their rooms because they're down in the ballroom. Slapping my door open I'm not even surprised to see Carmen, Maggie, Emma, and Virginia lazing about my room. I'm sure my sudden outburst and dramatic entrance surprised them as they all jumped, with me fuming and them still recovering from the fright they just experienced I roll over to my bathroom and slam it closed.

Everyone tried to reel me out, even Emma tried though I think what she said made me want to stay in here even longer but I thank her for trying. As soon as I heard the bedroom door close with a click, I open the bathroom door and look out. Sighing with relief  that no one was there anymore I walk out and begin to slowly take off all of the makeup, though there wasn't much it still felt as though my face was plastered with it. When it's down I walk over to the bed and collapse over top of it not caring about the dress or my head that is still up in a loose chignon styled bun.

Soon I finally sleep with my mind still in overdrive and my feelings hurt. This was one of the worst yet best days of my life, still I wouldn't want a repeat of today's events. 

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