𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐬𝐞

𝟎𝟓

"So how long have you been into music? I know you've played ukulele for a couple of years but..." Jayden trailed off. We were aimlessly wandering around the ship, half hoping we would find our friends. I was wearing his green sweatshirt over my T-shirt and shorts. It reached just under the cuffs of my shorts and smelled like a mix of mint and laundry detergent, which was oddly relaxing.

"I've always been into music. I started playing instruments when I was around 9 and kinda switched between a bunch. I started on piano with lessons and then around 10 I switched to the guitar. Then when I got to middle school I played in band and I played the saxophone so I started taking sax lessons. And now I'm not in anything. I started teaching myself ukulele when I was around 13 and I've been playing ever since," I told him.

"That's really cool. I wish I could play an instrument," he told me.

"You could if you tried, it's not hard if you put your mind to it," I said.

"Trust me, I have. I'm just not coordinated enough."

I took a deep breath and said, "I could teach you."

He looked at me and a small smile spread on his face. "You'd teach me?"

"Yeah, of course," I said.

"That would mean you'd have to spend a lot of time with me. It'll take a while to teach me," he said almost cautiously.

"I'm fine with that, I like spending time with you," I said without thinking. When I realized what I said I snapped my eyes up to him. He was already looking at me.

"You do now?" He asked with a smirk on his face as he quirked an eyebrow. We had stopped walking. We were on one of the sides of the ship with the lifeboats, it was basically deserted.

"I mean yeah, you seem like a really cool person and you're easy to have a conversation with," I told him honestly.

"I like hanging out with you too," he told me. I smiled at him.

"Good, I have a feeling we're going to be hanging around each other a lot," I said as we started walking again. "I mean we live really close together and my brothers are definitely going to want to hang out with you again. Plus I have to give you lessons."

Jayden just looked at me with a small smile. We continued walking in silence, just admiring the view of the ocean. We stayed like for a while until I saw something in the ocean.

"Oh my gosh, I think that's a dolphin!" I said rushing over to the railing of the ship. Jayden followed a couple steps behind me. I could see a little dolphin jumping out of the ocean in the distance.

"Come look at this little guy, he's so cute!" I said as I turned to Jayden. He was standing a couple feet behind me, slowly making his way to the railing.

"What?" I asked him.

"Nothing, you're cute when you're excited," he said.

"Oh shut up," I laughed, hoping he doesn't notice my blush. "Just come see this little cutie." He walked over to the railing and watched the dolphin jump in and out of the ocean. Once we couldn't see the dolphin I turned to Jayden.

"We should keep walking, they're probably wondering where we are," I said.

"Yeah, we probably should," he said as he turned to me.

"I'll text Josie and ask her where she is," I said as I whipped my phone out of my pocket.

"I had a lot of fun talking with you," Jayden told me.

"Me too, you're a really great listener, and I talk a lot so we're a good match," I smiled up at him. He wasn't too much taller than me but it was enough for me to have to look up a little at him.