Heart Sunk, Ship Wrecked

Chapter 4: A Faithful Encounter

Trivera falls asleep right right away. I can't fall asleep. I toss and turn, but I just can't sleep. I lay there, thinking of home, thinking of impossible scenarios. Like me getting a boyfriend.

I decide to get my lazy butt out of bed. I brush my teeth because my breath is awful and I can taste it. I grab one of the extra blankets, a book from my suitcase, and a key to get back into the room. The blanket drapes over my shoulders like a scarf and a book in my left hand pressed against my chest. I grab a sticky note and write, "I'm going out to read for a bit. I should be back by morning. If not, I'm on the boat so go get me breakfast and put it on my bed. I don't want to be staving when I get back! ;) -Avice"

I put my right hand on the door knob. I look back at Trivera seeing she's still asleep with the sticky note on her forehead. I smile and stifle a laugh.

I walk for a while till I find myself on the deck. The night is eerily quiet. A wind blows my hair out of my face. It feels nice. I feel free minus the fact I stuck on this boat no matter how enjoyable or boring it may end up being.

I find the plant I saw earlier. I crawl behind it and throw the blanket over my legs and wrap it around my shoulders. I open my book.

Someone grabs my shoulder and shakes it gently. I swat it away; I want to sleep more. I recall what happened last night and immediately sit up. I expect to see Trivera, but instead I see a boy.

His bight icey blue eyes pop in the dark. They stare into my eyes and through my soul. I could stay here forever; just staring into those beautiful eyes that read me like book. He opens his mouth and all I can think about is kissing him.

Wait! Did I just think that?! No. No way! I don't even know his name! SNAP OUT OF IT!

"I'm sorry. What?" I say.

He laughs and I hope he doesn't have a girlfriend. "I said, 'Hi.'"

"Oh," I say. "Hi."

"I'm Taiwo," he says. "It means first born of twins."

"Um," I say collecting myself. "I'm Avice. It means refuge in battle."

"So, what are you doing here?"

"I'm on a cruise with my best friend, and I couldn't sleep. So, I snuck out here to read." I pause. "Guess I fell asleep. What about you? How'd you find me?"

"Couldn't sleep either. So I went for a walk. And I saw you. So naturally, I thought she'd passed out or something."

He gets off the floor and offers to help me up, but I rebuffed it. We walk around the deck and talked. It was nice to feel like I could be my self around him.

Finally, I said, "What time is it?"

He looked at his watch. "About 3:00."

"Crap!" I say running off. "I got to go! Nice meeting you."

I get back to the room and fall onto my bed. I sleep with a smile on my face.

"Acice!" Someone yells. "Avice wake up!" I open my eyes to see Trivera through a pillow at me.

"What was that for?!" I shout.

"I've been trying to wake you up for 30 minutes! And what's this?" She holds up the sticky note I put on her forehead.

I can't help but smile. "I couldn't sleep, so I went out with a book and a blanket. I went to the deck and sat down and read."

"You're leaving something out." She says. Realization hit quick. "You met someone! Was it boy?!"

"Whaaat...? Nooo," I say blushing.

"Tell me! Tell me! Tell me!"

I tell her everything. Exempt for me wanting to kiss him before I even knew his name. She flipped out when I told her he has an identical twin.