𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐁𝐄𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 ➸ (ᴄ.sᴛᴜʀɴɪᴏʟᴏ)

𝟗.

After catching a bus to make our way to the museum, it was already 5:30.

"Thank God we booked a later time or we would've missed this," I said as I sent everybody their QR codes for their tickets.

In all the time that I've lived in this country, I had never actually been to see the Titanic museum. This was all just as new to me as it was to them. I couldn't help but join in on their gasps of awe as we walked inside. The ceiling reached an insane height, and the entire entrance seemed like it could fit hundreds of people.

"Okay. Where to first?" asked Alyssa.

Madi and Alyssa wanted to go look at the old clothes that were exhibited in glass boxes. They picked up a leaflet with a map, and ran off. Nick and Matt wanted to buy some souvenirs from the gift shop. Yet again, me and Chris were left alone together.

Chris looked over at me.

"Lead the way," he said.

I put my hands up in defense, walking backwards as I looked at him.

"Hey you know this place as much as I do."

I decided that I wanted to go to the 'Shipyard Ride'. Chris was looking around the area, slowing down occasionally to stare at his surroundings. Getting impatient, I took his wrist and pulled him along, laughing as he stumbled.

"Come on!"

Chris laughed at me, pulling his weight back to make it harder for me to drag him.

"Chris, please! I wanna go on the ride."

Stubborn as he was, he planted his feet down, my arm practically locking out of place with the force that I was pulled back at. Not anticipating the action, my back hit his chest, his hands flying up to catch me by my shoulders.

"Oh shit, sorry. I didn't think you'd get flung around like a rag doll," he joked.

I looked behind at him, his hands dropping from my shoulder in the process. I stepped forward to see him better. The smile on his face was huge, his teeth sparking under the lights on the boat.

We stood there for a while, smiling, before breaking out of our trance. I nodded my head towards the door, motioning for him to follow me.

A hand grabbed my wrist before I could turn around.

"I actually wanted to talk to you," he said quietly. My brows knitted together in confusion, but I stayed silent, urging him to go on.

"Yesterday - you said I wasn't talking much," he said, swallowing, "I just want to explain myself."

His eyes trailed down to your hands, noticing he was still holding onto it. He dropped it immediately, clearing his throat.

My face flushed but I took no note of it as I shook my head.

"You don't have to explain yourself to me. I'm not gonna pretend to know you or what's going on in your life," I responded.

"But we're friends, right? I'd say we're all getting pretty close," he said awkwardly, his eyes flitting from me to the floor.

I nodded, still perplexed.

"That day we first met, I thought you were really cool - I still do," he said as his lips quirked up at the last part. "But when I heard that Alyssa was a fan before we became friends, I kind of..." he trailed off, fixing the hat on his head.

"You what?" I asked.

"I was just worried that the only reason you were so nice to us was because you knew who we were."