Make Me Yours

Athanasia

He raised his eyebrows, "Your parents must be loaded."

I just laughed. Even though I got a safe vibe from him, I wasn't a hundred percent sure he wasn't a kidnapper. Hell that could be how he afforded to get a ticket! Shay, you're reaching new heights of stupidity tonight. Why would he hold you ransom for a month on a ship? I decided that my brain was right and tuned back into the real world.

"What about you?" I asked Carson.

"I met my friends at work, and let's just say that the job pays a lot. Drake makes the most. He's the best one," I noticed that he admitted it with a slightly envious tone.

"And what do you guys do?" I asked curiously.

"It's a secret," he said, but when he saw my frown, he added, "for now."

We chatted for a while, and I got to know that there were four of them: Cade, Drake, him, and Wyatt. They were like the four musketeers and they lived in Florida, where they all owned apartments in the same complex. I told him a little about myself, too, feeling comfortable. I told him that I was an only child and that I lived in Florida, as well (which wasn't too much of a surprise since we both boarded from the same port), but went to school in New York. I also told him that I aspired to be a pediatrician because of my love of children.

When the second drift in conversation came, I looked out the window, gazing at the bar where the bartender was pulling some hotshot stunts. I titled my head back with a smile from a comedic memory I was about to iterate to Carson when I noticed that Carson was eying a pretty girl by the bar and she was giving shy glances back.

"Hey," I nudged Carson with my shoulder, "Go talk to her."

He looked at me, unsure, while he ran his hand through his hair, "I promised to be your date. I wouldn't want to be rude and leave."

"Don't worry, I don't think they'll notice," my eyes wandered over to where Cade smiled confidently and Veronica giggled flirtatiously, "Besides, I think I'll head over to the bar in a bit."

"Thanks," Carson smiled and strutted over to the girl.

I endured about three seconds more of Cade and Veronica before concluding that I could not take any more of the mind-numbingly annoying laughter between the two about bread. What was so funny about bread?

Spotting Carson and the brunette closer to the right side of the bar had me staying on the left side. I sighed and sat down on the barstool, mesmerized by the pretty colors illuminating the liquor bottles and the way a nearby girl's golden dress glinted in the soft light.

"Would you like anything?" the bartender asked amiably.

I hadn't decided if I wanted anything alcoholic and then thought "screw it', I'm not going to be twenty-two forever. "Yeah, I'll have an Ice Pick. Thank you," I smiled at the end.

"I'll have it out soon," he said and was gone.

So much for not being twenty-two forever. You chose a drink that's mostly iced tea. I ignored my smart-aleck brain, knowing I wasn't a good drunk.

I sighed again. I should've totally just stayed in my room. Maybe the library is still open! And as I was sitting there, scolding myself for being selfish instead of letting Veronica have her night, a voice spoke to me and I almost choked on my drink. "Should I even be surprised I ran into you again, beautiful?" The suave voice made goosebumps rise and my heartbeat pick up and it was crazy I should even recognize it when I'd only ever heard it twice before. I bit my lip hard to refrain the grin from visiting my face. Wait, did he just call me beautiful? Maybe it was just my imagination.