Adoring Lions: Blood-arc Series, #2 - (BoyxBoyxBoy)

Chapter 1 - Journey's Beginning

The air smelt of dust and sweat. Bodies moved, bumping into each other along the way. Art was livid, fuming was more accurate actually. He hated crowds, despised being in them even more. He could have been in a library somewhere reading about something useful, if he wasn't here on this god-damned port filled with nothing but happy families and couples.

"Darling!" His aunt's voice broke through air, like a missile. Powerful, assertive, but vengeful. It wasn't any particular fact that Art hated about this woman, he just hated how she viewed him. She had never made it known, but  it was obvious anyways that his aunt loathed everything about him, right down to the fact that he was in her care now. 

"Darling! Wait for us, would you?" She huffed, pushing her way through the crowd. "We have at least two hours before the ship will depart. Let's just walk around and enjoy ourselves a little before leaving."

Art hated the suggestion the moment it left his aunt's mouth. But he shrugged and turned a cold shoulder, signalling to her that he didn't give a hell.

He felt a hand on his shoulder, and he was pulled right around again. "Look here, you little brat. You're only sixteen, don't be so rude." He was face to face with a fuming eighteen-year-old girl. Sarah, his aunt's daughter, his cousin scowled openly at him, displaying a pair of displeased fiery eyes. 

Art stared back. "Respect is to be earned, not given. Just because someone is older, it doesn't mean I have to respect and listen to everything they say."

"You're so rude, you little shithead." She hissed and gave him a violent shove in the chest.

"I was never rude. In fact, I have never said anything against you or Ms. Liz. The point is that you both don't even contact dad or mum in so long, and then when they suddenly die, you come giving sweets and candies to me and act like you suddenly care."

Ms. Liz sneered at him the moment Art had mentioned his parents. "You shut your mouth kid! Did your parents not teach you any manners? You have to!-"

"And what about my parents?" He scoffed, sending her a glare. "You didn't even go to their funerals. Then you both turn up, out of nowhere and take me into your care. I know you hate it - so don't act like you even care about me. Your husband," Art spat to Ms. Liz, and then whirled to face Sarah, "...and your father, Mr. Jack, has given me nothing but insults since I've moved in with you all, yet I have done nothing to either of you."

"...Just," Art's tone dropped lower as he quieted down. His shoulders sagged, exaperated. "Just whatever. Look - I know Mr. Jack wanted me gone, so that's why he sent me on this cruise. It's not just for a break, or for fun - I know that. And you both accompanied me here just to suger-coat it up but frankly, I don't even care. You can leave now - I'll see myself off. Besides, it's obvious you don't want to be here. So let's just stop pretending-we're going to just end up pissing each other off."

He rounded on his heels, waved and stalked away, knowing that the women would have probably left sooner or later anyways.

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Two hours later a bell rung out through the body of the deck. And one by one, hectic lines of people pushed to get onto the first-class cruise ship. Art was the only one taking his time. He took his time as he ambled on forward, step by step towards the flight of stairs. He looked right and left, checking out the people already on deck, and the people dashing past him in a rush. Art didn't exactly know what to expect on the cruise, but that was a given. He'd never been on one before. But he wasn't stupid, he could practically smell the anticipation in the air; thick and heavy.