Memories

Chapter 10: Friendship Has no Bounds

"How often does Celeste talk about me?" I asked, shifting the focus of the conversation.

"Oh, all the time," Kris replied. "You make your way into almost every conversation we have. She's really fond of you."

"So I've heard," I commented.

"She also tells nice stories. Sometimes they can be dark , but otherwise, they're entertaining," Kris added.

"What stories did she tell you?" I blurted out without thinking.

Kris's eyes seemed to dampen, sensing the weight of the topic. "It's one of her darker tales. Are you sure?" she asked cautiously.

"I'm sure it wasn't that bad," I said, my voice trembling slightly.

"Okay, if you say so," Kris acquiesced, shrugging. "From what I remember, it was about a kid—she never mentioned a gender—who was 'lost,' as she put it. She didn't provide much detail about the character, but she described them as, and I quote, '...a wandering soul with red lines on their arms...'. I had a few guesses as to what that meant, but I didn't ask."

She fell silent for a moment, lost in her thoughts.

"Come to think of it, she looked kind of bummed out and kept tugging at her sleeves," Kris added, shrugging once more. "But again, I never questioned it."

Kris's silence persisted, prompting Celeste's return.

"Hey, guys, what'd I miss?" Celeste chimed in, breaking the silence.

I jolted slightly, caught off guard by her arrival.

"Oh, nothing, CeCe," Kris responded with a smile. "I was just asking Zeke here if the rumors about ghosts were true since the Queen Mary is said to be the most haunted ship in the world."

"Cool. We've seen our fair share of unexplained things aboard," Celeste explained, turning to me. "This ship is like a second home to me. I've been here so many times."

I settled back, allowing the two of them to continue their conversation.

"But don't you ever get bored?" Kris questioned, her interest in history evident.

"Never! I've been here more times than I could ever remember," Celeste replied, her enthusiasm unwavering.

"I can vouch for that. I've been with her all my life," I interjected. The statement sparked laughter from both of them.

"Well, Kris, it was awesome talking to you, but my phone's gonna die," Celeste informed.

"Okay, CeCe, talk to you later. Bye, Zeke," Kris bid farewell.

I waved, and Celeste ended the call.

"What did you two talk about?" Celeste inquired eagerly. "Did you like her? She's nice, right?"

"One question at a time, dude," I laughed. "Firstly, we talked about how much you talk about me."

"I don't talk about you that much," she defended.

"She said I pop up in almost every conversation," I reiterated.

"Almost," she repeated with a mischievous grin.

"Secondly and thirdly, yeah, she seems nice," I replied, expressing my opinion.

After a brief moment of contemplation, I stood up. "Let's go to the bow; there aren't that many people out there," I suggested.

"Oh, okay then," Celeste responded, her tone tinged with confusion.

We made our way to the bow of the ship, finding me perched on the anchor chains while Celeste settled on the deck.

"What's up, Zeke?" she asked.

"Do you have any stories to tell?" I inquired.

"Many. Which one do you want to hear?" she asked in return.

"Can you tell me one that you shared with Kris?" I requested, feeling a hint of trepidation.

"Um, sure?" she replied, a touch uncertain. "What's this about?"

I sighed. "Kris mentioned that you tell her dark stories, and by her accounts,  they're quite grim," I explained.

"Oh," was her simple response. "Sure, I can tell you one. But are you sure? This one is a bit short and messy."

"I'm sure, kid. Go ahead and tell it," I encouraged her.

With a little hesitation, she closed her eyes and began reciting her story.

"There she sits, her legs dangling over the edge, about twenty stories up. Beside her are two items: a pill bottle and whiskey. She sighs, looking over the edge at the pavement below, thinking about what could have changed. Then she hears the sirens. Her mother must've found her note and called the cops. But that doesn't faze her. She looks behind her one last time, takes the pills and downs the whiskey, and jumps," she narrated.

Celeste opened her eyes again and let out a sigh.

I sat there, trying to process what I had just heard. "Wow," was all I could manage to say.

"I told you," Celeste responded, a half-smile on her face.

Silence enveloped us for a moment. Then a thought abruptly crossed my mind.

"I'm going to fucking regret this," I thought to myself.

"Roll up your sleeves for a second," I said, mustering up the courage.

I watched as the color drained from Celeste's face. "W-what? Why?" she stammered, clearly taken aback.

"Please?" I pleaded, my voice tinged with desperation.

"Answer my question first," she retorted, her tone defensive.

After a brief pause, I gathered my thoughts. "I-I want to see how they are," I confessed.

"Why?" she quickly retorted, her face betraying signs of fear. "Y-you saw them last night."

"Because," I began, searching for the right words. "Because I'm worried about you."

"Why would you worry?" she nervously asked. "I told you, I'm fine."

"Fine," I conceded, my voice heavy with defeat. "You don't have to show me. I'm sorry."

Celeste let out a weary sigh. "It's okay."

"Zeke! Celestia!" Ken's voice suddenly called out, interrupting our conversation.

We turned around to see Ken walking toward us, his arm hidden behind his back.

"Hey, Ken," Celeste greeted him with a smile.

"Hey, kid, I'm gonna need you two to close your eyes for a second," he instructed.

"Okay," I complied, closing my eyes.

"What is it?" Celeste asked curiously.

"It wouldn't be a surprise if I told you," Ken replied.

"Fair enough," she conceded, closing her eyes as well.

We waited in anticipation for a few seconds before Ken instructed us to open our eyes. When we did, a meticulously built model kit of the Queen Mary lay before us.

"Wow!" Celeste exclaimed, her voice filled with excitement. "It's amazing!"

She embraced her brother, expressing her gratitude.

"I like the paint job; it looks exactly like it!" she exclaimed, clearly delighted.

I could tell she cherished the gift.

"I was supposed to throw it out since the models were discontinued, but I knew you would like it, so I saved it for you two," Ken explained, directing his gaze toward me.

"Thanks," I said sincerely.

"How did they manage to stick the string onto it like that?!" Celeste wondered aloud.

Our laughter filled the air. It was a good day. However, there was still something weighing on my mind.