Page 7 of Sail Me to Ruin
His words are crisp and clear, which tells me he’s not one of the Chads.
I’ll take my wins when I can.
I lean up into him, turning my head to talk back so he can hear me over the music blaring around us. “I’m Elodie, and in front of us is my friend, Jade.”
As if I summoned her, she locks eyes with me before nodding at Rhett. Looking us over, I can tell she’s making sure she doesn’t need to save me.
I mouth,all good.
Nodding at my statement, she yells over the music, “Going to the bar! I’ll be back!”
I flip around for us to keep dancing but also to talk more. The conversation flows freely and I find he’s a teacher as well.
“So, did your friends bully you into this too? Or is that just me?” He laughs at my statement. “Nobody bullied me into anything. I teach middle schoolers; I am a fortress. I couldn’t be bullied even if my friends tried. I chose to come to support my friend after a rough break up,” he says.
“I forgot you said that. Sorry!” I chide myself internally for not remembering what grade he taught.
He smiles. “I am hurt, but I think a kiss would make it up to me.”
A little taken aback by his comment, my eyes widen a fraction. I try to school my face before he sees it, but he catches it. Panic flares to life in his eyes and he stutters a little.
Clearing his throat, he tries again. “I just meant, if that’s okay with you. Sorry...Consent is important to me, I promise.” He removes his hands from my body and stops dancing to hold his hands up in surrender as if to show he didn’t mean anything bad.
I giggle at the gesture and take his hands in mine to place them back on my body. “You’re fine! I didn’t think you meant anything terrible,” I reassure him.
Relief floods his face and he resumes dancing with me in silence before speaking again.
“C-Could I kiss you? Would that be okay...?” His nerves clearly getting to him.
Pausing before I respond, I think of the guy in the hallway and the kiss we shared still on my lips.
Two kisses in one night, two different strangers? Yeah, that doesn’t sound like a great life choice.
I touch my fingers to my lips before responding, “I’m sorry, but I’m not ready for that. You’re incredibly sweet and handsome, but I’ve had a drink or so too many tonight and don’t think that’s smart.” My words trail off quietly, but as his expression darkens, I know he heard it.
Removing his hands from my hips, he squares his shoulders as if he’s prepared to fight for this kiss to happen. The panic on my face must be apparent because as he opens his mouth to speak, Jade swoops in to save the day.
“HIII BABIIIEEEEESSS!” Her shrill scream comes out clear as a bell over the music as she wedges herself between us.
Exhaling the breath I was holding, she leans into me, acting like she’s too drunk to stand on her own which attracts attention from most people in the crowd around us. The sudden attention immediately causes Rhett to deflate substantially.
He scoffs, clearly annoyed at my friend's poor timing before curtly stating, “Well, I guess you ladies have a good night.”
He stomps off, causing Jade to let loose a laugh before yelling at him across the deck, “Bye, Chad!”
Smart ass bitch...this is why I love her.
As if she read my thoughts, she grins at me, righting herself immediately.
“You looked like you needed to be saved. I hope I was right, if not, I am so so sorry!”
I can’t even hide the smile on my face. “Yeah, babe. I needed to be saved. Thank you!”
She pulls her phone out, showing me that we are well into the early morning hours already. The time has flown by in a blur of tequila, attractive men, and sweat. In that moment, tiredness tries to creep in, and I yawn.
“Come on, Cinderella, let’s get you tucked in so you don’t turn into a pumpkin. I could use the beauty sleep as well.” Before I get a word out, she tucks my hand into hers and begins to weave us in and out of the crowd, making our way back into the ship. Just before we get to the door, a tall guy barrels into us, not paying attention, and spills his drink all over us and himself.
Looking up from the wet spot on his shirt, he goes to apologize and stops, realizing it’s me.
