TABOO

Twelve.

"They Don't Know About Us" - One Direction.

I wake up in a giddy mood from all of last night's activities. I'm showered and dressed with my makeup and hair already done when I pass through the bedroom and see Harry still fast asleep in the bed next to the one I slept in. His bare chest is on display, his full lips parted, his long hair a glossy brown halo around him, and his long lashes casting a shadow on his cheeks.

"Wake up!" I yell, jumping into the bed.

Harry jolts up, startled at first, but then throws a pillow at me, rolling his eyes.

"Get ready, loser. We're going to be tourists today. The last time we were in Key West was like seven or eight years ago."

A half hour later, I'm dragging Harry out the front door of the hotel. It's hot outside but the sun feels good against my skin. The cloudless blue sky, the ocean, and white sand beach perks up my mood even more.

"I want to drive." I inform Harry as we get closer to our rental car. It's a little black Kia, nothing fancy like our vehicles back home but it will work.

"No way, not happening."

"Well, I have the keys, so. . ." I pull them from my purse and jingle them in front of his face.

He snatches them from my hands. "Now, you don't."

A half hour of bickering back and forth in the car later, were at a marina, getting ready to board a sail boat. It's huge and bright red with patterned sails. This was Harry's choice since he was the one driving, but my turn to choose will be next.

The tour guide or captain of the ship, whoever the old white haired man with the mic is, reads off rules and different things that we'll experience. He announces that we'll see dolphins and other animals, and that we'll be out on the ocean for about four hours. I look over at Harry and narrow my eyes at him. He shrugs his shoulders, and then grabs my hand, entwining his fingers with mine.

"What are you doing?" I try pulling my hand out of his iron grasp.

"Holding your hand, obviously." He answers as we walk up a narrow ramp to get on the ship.

"Why?"

"No one knows us here." He leans in close. "No one knows we're adopted siblings." He pulls me to a bench near the far edge of the ship. "So, the real question is why not?"

My hand feels strange being swallowed up by his. He rubs the top with his thumb in little circles, and I stare out at the endless ocean, trying to make up my mind about this whole situation. His skin is warm and soft on mine, and a smile creeps over my face. Maybe he's right. Why can't he hold my hand?

Soon after, the ship is filled with around twenty or so people. I'm sure it could fit more, but this is enough to where it's not as crowded. We start out slow, but pick up speed the farther out that we get. I sit with my legs crossed next to Harry as we stare out at the crystal clear water that matches the cloudless blue sky. My hand is still in his and rests on my thigh.

About an hour or so into the experience, we stand up with the rest of the passengers to gaze at the Dolphins that are playing in the waves. I cover my mouth with my hand at the cuteness and closeness of them.

"They're adorable!" I squeak.

Harry laughs at my outburst and stands behind me to watch the Dolphins. He releases my hand, and admittedly it feels empty without his grasp. He wraps his arms around my midsection, locking his hands together just under my navel. I twist around as much as I can in his tight hold to look him in the eyes. Just like the hand holding, I can't decide right away how I feel about how we're standing.