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"WELCOME TO THE young adults club!" A smiling employee greeted us as Erin and Rudy talked into the room. The room was packed with young adults between the ages of 18 to 25.
People were standing around drinking, dancing, and sitting around getting to know each other.
"Hey, I think I'm going to grab a drink. You want one?" Erin asked Rudy while walking towards the bar.
"Nah, I'm good," Rudy responded, but he is slightly caught off guard. Erin didn't usually drink in public settings like this, or at all. Perhaps it was because Jairus would drink, so she wanted to stay sober to keep him under control. But, I guess she doesn't have to worry about that anymore.
Erin walked over to the bar and ordered the first drink that caught her eye, a piña colada. The drink was so sweet she could barely taste the alcohol. She met a few girls while at the bar, so she decided to hang out over there and have a few more drinks.
Meanwhile, Rudy met a group of people who were sitting at a table in the corner. They looked nice enough, and he didn't want to ruin Erin's girl time, so he decided to introduce himself to the people in the corner. They looked to be about his age, and they were all going to be stuck on the boat for the next 15 days, so he might as well make some new friends.
Rudy walked over to the group, and confidently stated, "Hey guys, I'm Rudy! Do you guys mind if I sit with you?" Rudy had always been the social one; he was really good with people, especially when it came to meeting new ones. Erin always admired that about him.
"Yeah, of course, nice to meet you. My name is Chase. That's JD, Austin, and Drew." A brown-haired boy responded, sticking out his hand for Rudy to shake. The rest of the group followed suit and shook Rudy's hand.
"Well, it's nice to meet all of you too," Rudy responded, smiling at his newfound friends.
Meanwhile, Erin, who drank one too many piña coladas, found herself on the dance floor with her two new friends, Bailey and Maddy.
"Oh, Rudyyy," Erin slurred as she walked over to Rudy and his group of friends. "Dance with me?" she asked as she stuck out her bottom lip.
Rudy realizing how tipsy Erin had become responded, "Oh, I don't know, you know I'm not much of a dancer."
"One dance, please?" Erin begged while grabbing his arm like a child who whined when their parents told them it was time to go home from the park.
He finally gave in. The two walked hand-in-hand to the dance floor. Their bodies moved in sync, unintentionally close to each other. Rudy took Erin's hand and held it in his as they swayed back and forth to the rhythm of the song. Erin was a surprisingly good dancer, something Rudy always admired about her. The two laughed as Rudy innocently spun Erin and dipped her. As Rudy dipped her down, they looked into the eyes of each other, saying nothing but knowing precisely what the other person was thinking.
After a while of dancing with each other and their new cruise friends, the eight of them decide to get some fresh air outside on the deck. The stars were bright, and they could hear the sound of the ocean surrounding them.
"So, I'm not being nosy or anything, but I have to ask. Are you two dating?" Bailey asked, referring to Rudy and Erin.
"Uh, wait what?" Rudy asked, confused, and half laughing.
"We totally saw the way you two looked at each other while dancing," Maddy responded.
Erin had mostly sobered up but was still a little tipsy. "Me and Ru? We are just pals, best friends for life, right?" Erin declared, slightly leaning into Rudy's arm. Rudy nodded his head and gave one of his reassuring smiles.
"Whatever you two say," Maddy said as her voice trailed off, "But if you two ever did end up being a couple, you would look really good together."
Erin laughed. She could hardly even imagine having Rudy as something more than a best friend. But, in her defense, up until recently was dating Jairus, so she never even thought about the idea of dating Rudy.
Rudy, on the other hand, he was head over heels in love with his best friend. He has been since middle school. But, he always wanted to prioritize their friendship and being there for her. So if that meant wiping away her tears over Jairus and suppressing his feelings, then he would do it in a heartbeat, without question. He loved her that much.
The group carried on their conversation, asking various questions about school, life, and other random topics. It was nearly 4 in the morning, so Erin and Rudy decide to head back to their room.
Erin was changing into her pajamas in the bathroom and was starting to brush her teeth when she heard a knock on the bathroom door.
"Hello, it is Rudy. Are you fully clothed, and can I walk into the bathroom?" Rudy asked, obviously mocking the situation that had occurred earlier in the day.
Erin laughed and opened the bathroom door, "Yes, you can come in. Also, I thought we were never going to talk about that again?"
"I mean, I'll never mention it to anyone else, but between us? Man, you'll never hear the end of it." Rudy responded, grabbing his toothbrush.
"I guess it will be our dirty little secret," Erin responded.
"Yeah, I guess so," Rudy mumbled with his mouth full of water.
Erin finished brushing her teeth and started putting her stuff away. Before walking back into the central part of the room, she walked up to Rudy, who was still brushing his teeth and quickly kissed his cheek, "Night, Ru." She smiled as she walked away.
Rudy stood still and could barely squeak out a goodnight before Erin walked out of the bathroom. He closed the door behind her, leaned back on it, and smiled. Unbeknownst to him, Erin was doing the same thing on the other side of the door. Maybe, there was something more between the two of them, or perhaps it was just the alcohol Erin consumed earlier, who knows?
