Liam's P.O.V
"Do you have all of your bags?" Mum asks as we walk towards the giant boat that'll be our home for the next couple of months.
The air feels sticky yet there's a cool breeze coming from the water which makes for the perfect temperature.
"Yes, I'm all good." I say as I rub my aching eyes. We just spend a good two hours in a car while driving to the port and cars tend to make me very sleepy.
"Straighten up son, you look like you belong in a bin. I told you not to wear those horrid trousers. This is the Malik Cruise for gods sake, you can't wear clothes with holes in them." She says and smacks the back of my head.
I flinch and pout. "Sorry."
As we get closer to the security area, she straightens out her outfit and fixes her hair. "Hold my bags." She says, practically throwing them at me. "I need to get my ID out."
My mum is a short, beautiful woman with blonde hair and a constant stressed out look on her face. She used to be my best friend and I'd tell her everything but ever since she switched jobs, I'm just not as important to her.
I don't remember the last time she told me she loved me or the last time we had a conversation without arguing. I foolishly thought that going on this cruise would change our relationship but she doesn't seem any less grumpy than before.
This ship is one of the most glamorous things I've ever seen. It's bigger than I imagined it to be and the outside of it is so white and shiny, the sun reflecting off of it is hurting my eyes.
I don't see any children around here and everyone looks rich as fuck. My mum definitely fits in with these people, but I definitely don't.
I can't help but feel a bit out of place, seeing as I just graduated high school. This is my last summer before going off to school somewhere. The scary thing is, I don't know where I want to go yet.
I want to become an English professor, or maybe a firefighter but I guess only time will tell.
Security is intimidating. They check everything we brought and I go through about three different metal detectors. I get questioned a lot too, probably because I have tattoos and ripped trousers.
It doesn't help that I'm carrying five bags in total, two of mine and three of my mums. I'm awkwardly stumbling around, trying not to fall over and embarrass myself.
About half an hour later, we're invited onto the ship and someone hands me our room key. Our room is on the 10th floor and we're staying in something called an executive suite. I don't really know what that means.
It's a weird sight to see everyone rushing around and checking in at the same time. It's definitely a lot different from any hotel I've ever stayed at.
As soon as we get onto the lift and the door closes, my mum begins scolding me.
"You're such an embarrassment, you know that Liam? Couldn't you pretend to be the least bit excited? I expect you to change as soon as we enter our room. Change into something nice because we're having dinner with the Malik's tonight." She says.
I frown. "The Malik's? As in the the owners?"
She nods and exits the lift. "Correct. You have an hour to get ready. They have a son that is your age so maybe you two could go on a little date, yeah? It'd be nice to hook you two up because I can guarantee that stupid English professor dream of yours isn't gonna get you far."
I frown, biting my tongue. I want to tell her how wrong she is and how stupid this whole situation is, but I know it's just going to go in through one ear and out the other. There's no point in wasting my breath, she's far too stubborn.
