The water rippled slightly as Lily's red head appeared at the surface. She clung to the rock, careful not to show herself as she peaked curiously at the ship bobbing about ahead of her.
Sounds of laughter and music echoed through the night as she watched the people moving aboard the ship. She noticed a tall fellow with long dark hair dancing across the deck, a tankard in his hand. A short, round man was struggling to climb down from the Crow's Nest, his feet swinging precariously as he lost his footing. And a third man, tall and skinny with sandy-colored hair, observed his shipmates, laughing heartily at the chaos.
"James," the long-haired sailor was calling as he stumbled a bit. "Come out, mate. Look at the stars. Sip a brew. Enjoy this lovely evening out on the sea."
Lily watched, transfixed, as a fourth man emerged. His hair was black as night and sticking up in the back. He wore a white shirt which hung loosely on his well-built frame. Lily couldn't help herself—she swam closer to the ship, hidden well by its sprawling shadows.
"We are docking tomorrow, Sirius," the man named James said. "I don't want my first day on land in a month to be marred by a massive hangover, aye?"
Lily inched closer, mesmerized by his smooth voice and the easy smile on his face. Before she knew it, she found herself right at the edge of the ship. She sighed and leaned onto the deck for a better view.
The men were completely oblivious, but a black shaggy dog galloped across the deck toward her. James turned at the dog's movement, and for one panicked second, James and Lily's eyes met.
They were only frozen that way for a moment, but it felt like years to Lily. She stared at him, her heart pounding, unable to move. Then he yelped "look!" and the spell was broken. Lily dove deep into the water and out of sight.
James raced to the edge, frantically searching for the gorgeous angel he had just seen. His eyes scanned the sea, hoping to see another flash of red.
But she was gone.