All it Takes is a Little Push

This time I wasn't about to let them talk about me when I wasn't there. I opened the door quietly and stepped out, my hair wrapped up in a second towel. Sure enough, Wes was sitting at the small table. Whoa! Table! The bed had been folded and turned into a table, or the table had been folded into a bed...either way, the bed wasn't there, and in its place was a table. The smell of cooking eggs and sausage permeated the room. I hadn't noticed a stove, but I quickly saw that Shia had brought out a portable stove burner.

"Dirty clothes go where?" I asked the two.

Wes looked up and gave me a brilliant smile. It sickened me, which was the opposite effect I had assumed he had intended. "There's a hamper in there." I went to where I was directed. There were a lot of compartments in this small space.

"So, how long, Shia, are we supposed to be on this boat?" I asked, pointedly trying to ignore Wes.

"Uh, I dunno. Wes?" Shia kept his back turned, stirring the eggs in the small pan we were given.

"You know, I'm not sure either," Wes answered Shia, taking the hint. "Could be hours, days even."

"Do we have enough supplies?" I asked Shia again.

"I think so. Wes, set the table, please," Shia said. I'm pretty sure that Shia knew what I was doing. The important thing was that he let me continue with it. And I did, for a while. Until that is, things between Wes and me started to change.

~

Breakfast was great, as I had expected. Shia had made mine special by putting an origami rose on the side of my plate. I had never known that he could do origami. It was impressive, if anything. Most of the breakfast was spent with Wes and Shia conversing—I was too hungry to provide my input, although it was asked for several times.

Afterward, Wes left us alone again to keep watch. I was glad that he hadn't stuck around. He really made me feel nervous. I decided to forget it and to strike up a conversation with Shia.

"Origami, huh?" I asked, helping him wash dishes in the bathroom sink, which was awkward in it's own right. I was standing in the shower drying them.

"Yeah...you liked it then?" Shia asked a note of modesty in his voice. I liked his modesty—it made him human.

"Yes. Can you make those little paper cranes? Like on Prison Break?" I asked, referring to my favorite show.

"Ah, like Michael Scofield? No, not yet. He doesn't even make them...at least I don't think."

Dishes were done too soon, and I had to face the upstairs and Wes. I couldn't stay below deck all of the time. When I went up, the sun nearly blinded me. I shielded my eyes and saw that Wes had control of the boom. I saw nothing but water and a small sliver of green land behind us. The quiet purr that the ropes made against canvas soothed me.

Wes looked up at me and smiled slightly. His dark hair gleamed in the sunlight. For some reason, I longed to touch it. I pushed the thought deep down, repulsed by my own daring. Sure, I was attracted to Wes, but he was not only rude but also thirty-something. He doesn't even know how old I am! I thought. That could have been the issue that made him say what he said. I didn't know, and I wasn't about to ask.

"Where's Shia?" Wes asked, adjusting the boom, so it lay on his hip.

"Downstairs. He wanted to shower too," I answered offhandedly, looking off into the deep blue waters. Our boat looked tiny. This little thing is supposed to ensure our safety? Wes stood up and attached the ropes he was holding to the side of the boat.

"Look, I'm sorry. We started off on the wrong foot; we really did. I hope you can forgive me for my rudeness. Shia and I go way back. I didn't intend to hurt your feelings. Please forgive me, Jen," Wes said, stepping toward me. His voice was so genuine, and his eyes were so blue I could get lost in them.

"Ok, you're forgiven," I heard myself say. I wanted to kick myself in the ass because I wanted to stay mad at Wes, and then I didn't. It was going to be a love/hate relationship. That was definitely for sure.

"Swell! Now that that's over, let's start over, shall we?" Wes asked brightly, all sorrow and innocence were forgotten in a split second.

"Sure?" And at that, Wes and I sat down and started talking. He told me about his trip from Manhattan to the Florida Keys. He then made an extended cruise to Brazil and was told to get onto a charter boat headed for the island that our sailboat was at. He had gone through mostly the same things, except, that is, for the multitude of deadly time periods.

"What's going on?" Shia asked. He had come up the steps, wearing nothing but a pair of black shorts and sandals. Immediately I looked him over. It had become a habit. His wet hair was combed back in the famous "Shia hairstyle" that all of Hollywood had nicknamed it. I glanced at Wes and was pleased to see his jealousy and disgust at my stare of interest. Competition. Isn't that the best?

"Wes was just telling me about his trip from Manhattan," I said brightly. The look on his face was funny as if it meant: Wow, you made up fast.

"Wes?" Shia asked to make sure.

"Yeah," Wes said, looking out over the water and avoiding both mine and Shia's gaze.

"What's the matter?" Shia asked as he sat next to us.

"Nothing," Wes muttered.

"Really? I beg to differ. You should tell me," Shia winked at me, "keeping secrets from shipmates isn't nice."

"Nothing is wrong," Wes said quietly.

"Are you sure? I mean, if there is, I can always push Jen over the side of the boat, and then you could tell me," Shia laughed.

"NOTHING IS WRONG!" Wes yelled and stood up. Shia stood too. They were about the same height.

"Whoa, Wes, come on, something's the matter. You don't have to get all upset."

"Upset? When you come out and demand something's wrong?" Wes said quieter now.

"C'mon, don't get mad at me for something like that! We're best friends, Wes," Shia reasoned calmly.

"Yeah? Well, when I tell you nothing is wrong, nothing is fucking wrong, ok?"

"Ok, man, look, I was just asking. That's all."

"I'M FINE!"

"You know what? I think you should cool off," Shia said, and with one quick motion, Shia placed both hands on Wes's chest and shoved.