Cruise Control

Chapter One

POV Zara

A soft breeze blew through my hair,
I was hit with the smell of salty seawater and diesel from the massive cruise ship that was docked right in front of me.
My eyes darted around the harbour, taking everything surrounding me in.
Seagulls were flying over, attacking a young woman to my right for her fries. I couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped my mouth as the woman was trying her best to swat the seagulls away, dropping about half her fries in the proces.
The excitement started to bubble up inside me. I needed these two weeks away from real life. I had lived up to these two weeks on sea for months now and while I would be spending these two weeks with my ex, I wasn't going to let that come in between me and my blissful moment of inner peace.
When we had booked this cruise a year ago we hadn't really thought about the fact that we might've been broken up by then.
To be honest, I thought he was going to propose to me here, ask me to be his wife.
Unfortunately and to my surprise he broke up with me four months ago and while I had doubted breaking up with him too, I was too scared to actually go through with it.
I was scared that he would flip, I was scared that he'd do something to hinself or me.
Jake wasn't great at communicating when he was angry, Jake wasn't great at communicating point-blank. But we were together for eight years, I was scared to end up alone, I was scared to lose the person I met when I was just 16 years old.
This sounds pathetic, I know, but in my defense, I really did love him and sometimes when you love people you'll begin to see everything through rose-colored glasses. It's a cliche, but it's really true.
When we broke up we immediately made work to preserve this trip. We couldn't cancel anymore and we could only rebook the guest, but neither of us wanted to give away their ticket to this expensive luxury cruise. Which wasn't weird right?
The advert claimed that this was the best adult-only ship out there. With two pools, a jacuzzi, seven different restaurants, unlimited ice cream, a casino, a cinema and so much more. It was going to take me days to explore this massive ship.
Anyway, Jake and I decided we could go on the cruise together, as friends because we started off as friends.
But when the days before the cruise seemed to pass by I became weary though. Jake and I hadn't talked in a few months and I was even sure he had a new girlfriend, which did hurt significantly. I mean, who moves on from an eight-year relationship that fast?
Apparently, he did.
Another thing that worried me was the fact that he had been ignoring my messages about the cruise and now, a mere half hour before we were supposed to get on the boat he was nowhere to be seen.
I pulled my phone out of my crossbody back and looked at the screen. No new messages.
I raised my brows and unlocked the phone, going straight to the chat with Jake.

ME:

Just checking in. Are you still coming?
We've got to board in half an hour. I'm waiting near the check-in.

I hit send and looked at the screen, giving it a few seconds to be delivered, but it never did.
What the hell? Only now I noticed that I couldn't see his profile picture anymore.
Did he fucking block me?
I felt myself become angrier with the second. Sure this wasn't a big problem, this would just mean I had a peaceful holiday by myself.
I was angry because he had just ignored me instead of telling me I was going to be alone. I have been standing here for half an hour waiting for him for literally nothing.
'What an asshole.' I muttered under my breath before putting the phone back in my pocket.
Everything was fine, I was not going to let him get under my skin. I was going to enjoy this holiday and for a full blissful moment of standing in the sun, showering the warm rays, I truly believed that.
That was until the sound of a motorcycle arriving rang in my ears. I turned my head to the sound and watched this man dressed in jeans and a leather jacket pull up in the empty parking spot beside my car.
I squinted my eyes to get a better look. My sight wasn't the best and I really should be wearing either my contacts or my lenses, but I didn't like both.
After squinting for a second I scooped the case of my glasses out of the pocket jacket and opened it up, taking my thin gold frame out and sliding it on my nose. My vision unblurred. See, much better.
I didn't like wearing glasses, I didn't like the way it made me look. Glasses always made me feel a bit self concious. Jake never liked them.
Wait a second, I recognize the guy.
I closed my eyes and shook my head, praying that I didn't actually didn't see Jake's best friend Zach step off the motorcycle.
I opened my eyes one by one and a small squeal escaped my mouth when I saw him stand in front of me all of a sudden.
He was raising his eyebrows at me. What the hell was he doing here?
'Zara.' He said in his typical disinterested tone and he gave me a small nod.
'What the fuck are you doing here Zach?' I asked and he seemed to be taken aback by my sharp tone.
Why was he here? Was this some elaborate prank? Did Jake start up a YouTube channel and was he going to come walking outside of the check-in area with a camera crew?
'I'm coming on the cruise with you.' He said it so nonchalantly, all the while I felt sucker punched.
While Jake and Zach were best friends they couldn't have been more different.
Zach's dark brown hair was messy from his ride over here and from the helmet squishing his hair. His piercing green eyes drilled holes through my body.
'Wait, where's Jake?' He shrugged.
'I don't know, probably jerking off in his room.' Did he just make a joke? I don't think I have ever seen Zach joke in the last eight years.
Under normal circumstances, I would have laughed at his remark, but these were not normal circumstances.
My eyes registered the duffle bag in Zach's arms. He really was planning on coming on the cruise.
'No.' I said. He raised his brows at me, his lips drawn in a straight line.
'You're not coming along.'
'Well, I paid for the ticket so yes I'm coming along. I'm in need of a nice holiday.'
'What the fuck is happening?' I cried, letting my hands fall to my sides. God, since when had my life become a fucking movie?
Zach gritted his teeth, accentuating his jawline. God, I had forgotten how hot he was.
I had known Zach for as long as I knew Jake, he had just always kept me at arm's length, never engaging in more than small talk. My theory was that he didn't like me, so I still wasn't sure why he was there.
I looked up at Zach because if I would look straight ahead I would've been talking to his pecks.
Not sure how he got so tall, did he only drink milk as a kid or something? Were they giving him protein shakes at the age of five?
'The boarding closes in twenty minutes, I really think we should check in.' His voice was deep and rough and seemed to go right through me.
Again, what the hell was happening here?
Without saying anything else I reached for the pack of cigarettes that were sitting in my bag. I pulled out one cigarette and a lighter, bringing it up to my mouth.
Stress smoking, that's what I call it, although these days you could classify it as just normal smoking because I had seemed to pick that bad habit right back up.
'I thought you quit smoking months ago?' My eyes darted back up to his face.
'How did you know?'
'I do pay attention you know.' My mouth formed an 'oh' and an awkward silence settled in between us.
'Where's Jake?' I asked again and a deep sigh escaped Zach's mouth as if he was preparing to say something he actually didn't want to say.
'Jake decided last night that he didn't want to go anymore. I was in need of a much-needed holiday so I bought his ticket. Is that enough information for you?' Fucking asshole, both of them, I thought.
I swallowed but nodded anyway, taking another hit of my cigarette.
I wasn't fond of going on a two-week cruise with my ex, but I was less fond of going with his arrogant, hot best friend.
He always was like this towards me and I really didn't understand why he would voluntarily get onto a cruise ship around the Caribbean with me.
'Let's just stay out of each other's way okay?' I said as I threw my cigarette onto the ground, putting it out with my foot.
I picked it back up so I could deposit it in the nearest trash can.
'Fine.' He grunted, not pleased at all. But I decided to ignore it.
I extended the handle of my suitcase and started dragging it towards the entrance of the check-in desk.
Good thoughts Zara, good thoughts. Nobody will be able to ruin this holiday for you. Nobody and nothing.