Chapter ninety-six

We leave our swimsuits laid out neatly on the spare bed, ready for snorkeling later today, then join our friends upstairs in the buffet. On the way, Emily and Lilli don't fail to tease me about Harry. Continuously. It's starting to get on my nerves, but I keep quiet, because Harry will leave for England after this cruise, and I won't hear them tease me about him ever again.

Before we find them sitting at a table, we walk past the corner table Harry and I slept at until very late last night. I feel the memory of his warmth rush through me, leaving my cheeks flushed when we sit down.

Harry is rather quiet. But that hasn't changed since I saw him again some seven days ago. Although he has been slightly more open the past couple of days, I guess the idea of sharing anymore daunts him. I won't push him for anything more. The most I want right now is to make the most of this cruise time with him. But that didn't stop Lilli from calling for a girl's day out this morning at breakfast. She claimed that it wasn't good to spend twenty-four-seven with them, especially since we enjoyed it so much; it would become less special to spend each and every second with them. So we went for a walk and Emily somehow managed to lead us down to the snack bar at Deck five. Not that I'm complaining.

Early afternoon, after we've stuffed ourselves full, we head back to the cabins. I grin at my navy swimsuit, excited for the island later. Through the cabin's window I can still see that the sky is a wonderful blue and the sun is glowing brighter than ever. Perfect, perfect weather for today. Perfect, perfect weather for a good day. And today's going to be a good day. Because…

Meet him on the highest point of this ship

An hour after sundown, when most people will be at dinner

He'll be there

today and tomorrow

For you

My stomach heaves and I feel as if butterflies have come out of my throat. They're as excited as I am. A note from Emily and Ben to me, and one to Harry, for a… date.

I squeal. Lilli turns to me.

"What's the matter with you?"

I can only muster a smile for some reason. This note has prevented me from forming words. Or there's a butterfly caught in my throat. Both seem reasonable enough.

"She's prolly just thinking about the new ship from the anime I'm watching," Emily dances on her tip-toes. "It's. Too. Cute!"

Lilli scowls, but I can tell she's smiling behind her blond hair. Emily winks at me and heads into the bathroom to change. I grin back for about a minute, still thinking, then I clear my throat.

"Lilli," I start, "Are you and Charlie together?"

She flicks her head to me and scrunches her eyebrows. "Together? Are you kidding me, Tasmin? This early on?"

I shrug. "It's not that early."

"Don't start thinking as irrationally as Romeo and Juliet now, alright?"

"It's not even that," I reply, grinning. "Ben said something the other morning… before we went to Laser Tag." Lilli frowns and chucks a sunscreen bottle at me. I catch it before it can mutilate me, then drop it into Lilli's bag. "Hm?" I press.

Lilli pauses from folding a pair of jeans. She leans against the wardrobe, facing me. I'm bonking my head against the bunk bed's railing. "Have you kissed someone before, Taz?"

I stop giving myself a concussion.

"Kiss? You kissed him? Charlie?" I blurt.

Lilli turns beet-red. "I didn't kiss him, he kissed me," she shoots back. "And he was being dumb. He was, like, half-drunk."

"And what were you?"

Lilli's left eyebrow rises about as slowly as an old drawbridge. "What do you mean, 'what were you?'"

"I mean, were you drunk too?"

"Hell, no." Lilli continues to fold her jeans before roughly throwing them into the drawer. They practically unfold themselves at the sheer force of her throw. "I'm not illegally-drinking."

"We're practically eighteen."

"Here it comes – the 'age is just a number' thing."

I scoff. "That's not what I mean, Lil'." I go to her, put a hand gently on her arm. "You just need to let loose a little, you know?"

She takes her arm back. "I'm not putting myself in danger to have a little fun. I can do that when I'm older."

"We're here to have fun."

"That isn't an excuse to drink while underage."

"You're mad at Charlie."

She withdraws then, but doesn't say anything.

"I'm not mad at him."

You weren't talking to him at breakfast, or lunch, and that's the reason you asked for us to spend time together. Without them. Without him."

"This is why we need to get away from them and have this chat every once in a while. Because clearly, some of us need it," Lilli spits.

"I know I shouldn't have drunk yesterday, but Harry was there with me. If anything happened, I knew he would've helped me," I say.

"You don't know that."

"Seriously, Lilli. It's been this long, you still don't trust the –"

"I'm careful. It's not that I don't trust them. I just –"

"Charlie's a good guy, you know? He cares about you."

"The worst people appear as the best ones."

That's when I can't help but smile. I lean forward and throw my hands around Lilli, pulling her into me, holding her tight. She struggles a second, then slumps into me. I feel her hands slide around my back too.

"So," I say, "You're saying that you're the worst person?" I need to bite Lilli's shoulder to keep from cackling.

Lilli sighs. "I can't tell if you're complimenting or insulting me."

I giggle. "Both."

"Are you forgiving me for protecting your careless ass?"

"And are you forgiving me for making you have actual fun?"

In unison, we sigh.

"Forgiven," she says.

"Mhm," I reply.

Silence. Then a stinging slap on my back. "Where's my forgiveness?!"

"Ha-ha!" I break away from her, running away from her, only to remember that there's practically nowhere to run to. "I'll forgive you when you deserve it, honey!"

"TASMIN KELLY!"