*the sound of a phone ringing filled the room*
Nate rolled over and struggled to get out of the bed; once he had walked over to the phone and picked it up.
"Hello." Nate said with a groggy morning voice.
"Hi Mr Archibald, we would just like to inform you that we have docked up in Southampton – you can leave the boat whenever you would like as long as you are back at around 4:30pm as we leave at 5. Thank you." The lady smiled on the other end of the phone.
"Thanks." Nate hung up the phone and turned around walking back to his bed that he had shared with Jenny; he crawled in and looked at the ceiling.
Jenny turned over to face Nate and opened her eyes she looked up at him for a while and looked back down towards the end of the bed. It felt awkward once again – it always felt awkward.
"We are docked in Southampton." Nate said plainly
"What's the time?" Jenny asked
Nate looked at the table and touched a button on his phone so that the screen highlighted and he was able to see the time "It's 6:40 in the morning."
Jenny groaned and rolled back over. "I'm going to sleep for a little longer, your free to go and explore if you want."
Nate didn't reply he just got out of the bed, walked over to his suitcase grabbed a change of clothes and headed towards the bathroom. 20 minutes later he reappeared he wasn't going to wait for Jenny he didn't want to waste the day in his room – the whole point of the cruise was to go out and see the world something he realised Jenny hadn't grasped onto yet.
He thought it was best if he went to the information desk and asks them what he could do for the day since he knew absolutely nothing about Southampton – and he would need a map because he knew one thing for sure and that was that he was bound to get lost and miss the boat.
Nate walked up to the counter and rested his hands on top. A young female popped up from under the desk with a piece of toast hanging out her mouth. She was very attractive brown hair with bright green eyes her skin was tanned and flawless and Nate wasn't going to deny that butterflies filled his stomach once he saw her.
"Sorry, I missed breakfast so I thought I would grab it now and hide it under the counter so that travellers wouldn't find me rude." She apologised and smiled at Nate
Nate laughed. "Don't worry about it."
They both looked at each other for a while and smiled.
"So, how may I help you?" She asked him
"Well, I've never been to Southampton before as you can tell." Nate smiled. "And so I was just going to ask what the best place to visit is?"
"You've come to the... wrong person" she laughed "but maybe I could come with you around Southampton, I'm a trainee so they just want me to explore the surroundings find out about the history and what they have to offer, and since you are the first person I have seen and spoken to today you would like to join me?"
"Yeah, I don't see why not, I mean at least I won't be getting lost by myself. Right?" Nate joked.
"True." She replied and laughed.
She walked out from around the counter wearing a white dress and sandals.
They started to walk together towards the exit of the boat and along the jetty, entering Southampton.
"So the first place I want to go see is the Exbury Gardens and Steam Railway."
"Sounds... interesting." Nate replied whilst staring and smiling at her.
"So I hope you have 8 pounds and 50 pence."
"Pounds? Pence? What are you on about?" Nate asked confused.
She looked at him with a shocked look.
"You Americans aren't as bright as I thought. Pounds and Pence is the English currency and currency can also be referred to as money, you will need money to enter the gardens."
"I only have American Dollars on me." Nate looked said a bit upset.
"Looks like you'll have to sneak in... or I could be really friendly and pay for you." She smiled
"Now that would be nice." Nate smiled back
"It's 32 minutes away from here, so we can either walk, run, catch a bus or phone a taxi your choice?"
"I love to run, but maybe today we can get a taxi." Nate replied
"Well since I'm paying, you can phone the taxi."
"I'll need the number for that."
The girl gave Nate the taxi number. He rang them up and was told that they would have to wait at least 10 minutes for the taxi to arrive which would then take them to Exbury Gardens and Steam Railway. 10 minutes had passed and the taxi had arrived, they both got in the taxi slammed the doors watching the buildings change as the taxi drove past them.
"So you never told me your name." The girl asked Nate.
"You never told me yours." Nate replied
"Sarah Girdle." She smiled
"Nate Archibald."
"So, Nate Archibald where do you come from?"
"New York, my friends dad and step mum paid for us to come on the cruise just to get us away from there for a while – try and keep our heads from blowing up with even more air. You?" Nate laughed
"I'm from Brazil."
"You don't have the accent."
"My parents moved me to California when I was about 2 and half years old – and I have been living there for the past 17 years up until now." She explained to Nate
"So that makes you 19 and half and you've got a job like this. Your pretty lucky."
She looked up at Nate and smiled.
"I guess it does. So how old are you? And what do you do?"
Nate questioned if he should answer this question not because he didn't know what he was doing with his life – but because it felt like he was becoming a little too close to comfort with Sarah, he was with Jenny now when they were in their own little world.
"I'm also 19 and I attend Columbia University in New York."
"You have a girlfriend, Nate?" Sarah questioned him once more.
Nate didn't reply, he didn't know how to answer that if he said no would she try and develop what they had going – not that they had a lot going since they'd only knew each other for about 41 minutes, and if he said yes she was bound to ask who she was, how old she was and if she was on the boat and since Jenny and him had decided to keep it all under one roof he didn't want to blow the cover.
The taxi driver slowed the cab down and pulled over to the side of the road turning his head to announce that they had arrived and the price of the taxi was 41 pound. Sarah paid the money and exited the cab followed by Nate; they stood on the side of the road and saw the entrance to the gardens. They crossed the road and walked to the line and waited til it was their turn to pay.
"Hi two tickets for two adults thanks." Sarah told the worker
"That comes to 17 pounds thanks."
Sarah handed over the 17 pounds and grabbed the two tickets off the counter thanking the lady once more before she walked away and entered the gardens.
"Here's your ticket." Sarah smiled at Nate and handed him his ticket.
"Thanks."
Jenny stirred in her sleep and awoke abruptly, like she had just had a bad dream. She turned over to see that Nate had actually left – she didn't think he would. She checked her phone to see if he had messaged her – which he hadn't.
She pushed herself up so she was leaning against the back board of the bed. This was great – now she had no one to hang out with for the day which meant she had to spend the day in Southampton on her own becoming lost and never being able to find the boat again or she could stay on the boat all day and regret at 5pm for not leaving the boat.
There was a knock at the door which meant Jenny had to get up an answer it.
The door knocked again.
"WAIT! IM COMING!" she shouted.
She ran towards the door and unlocked it.
"Oh hey Eric." Jenny said whilst turning around and heading back towards her bed, Eric closed the door behind him and followed Jenny.
"Wow, Nate makes his bed – that's a first." Eric implies with surprise.
"Uh-huh, oh yeah he always makes his bed in the morning, he's just a big loving bed maker." Jenny replied nervously.
Eric looked at Jenny weird and chose to ignore what she had just said – since half of it didn't make sense.
"So, what are you doing today? I thought maybe you would like to get of this boat and go look around Southampton –maybe visit one of those corny gift shops, that's if they have one?" Eric asked Jenny.
Jenny was looking down at her phone and then back to Eric.
"Well?" Eric asked impatiently
"Yeah, sorry I blanked out for a while, just let me go get ready then we can go."
Eric smiled at her as she walked over to the bathroom.
Jenny reappeared and they headed into the midst of Southampton.
After shopping for a few hours they decided to go get some lunch, Jenny hadn't had breakfast and she was starving and he complaining about her stomach pains every 5 minutes was becoming to annoy Eric.
They entered a restaurant and sat at the table with two chairs next to the window on the inside.
"So sharing a room with Nate hasn't turned out as bad as you thought?" Eric asked Jenny
"What's that supposed to mean?" Jenny said bitterly
"Jenny, I was only asking nicely if you were ok with sharing a room with Nate and it turned out better than you though don't get angry."
"I'm not angry, it's just a strange question that's all." Jenny said apologetic
"Is something up?"
"No, I'm fine Eric."
"You sure, all day you have been mopping around not bothering to look around stores, getting grumpy when people accidently walk into you, checking your phone every 5 minutes" Eric stopped in mid sentence for about 30seconds and then carried on changing the subject "what happened between you and Nate?"
"ERIC! What is your problem I am fine, nothing happened ok." Jenny snapped.
"Don't lie to me, I can tell when you have your lying face on and you have it on."
"I do not have a lying face." Jenny said trying to change the subject.
"Then you do that thing where you try to change the subject, please Jenny as your best friend you should be able to trust me."
"Why do you think something happened between me and Nate?" Jenny asked confused
"Because... he never makes his bed I know that because I'm a guy and I don't make my bed, you always, always rock up late to the dinners, you check your phone every 5 minutes and since you can't receive any international messages it has to be from one of us and I highly doubt it would be anyone but me and since I'm with you – oh and the other thing the other night when we went out with Ben's friends he pulled you away to talk to you obviously making it out that he cares about you. It's obvious – to me that is." Eric explained.
"Fine, but you can't tell anyone, ok?" Jenny threatened Eric
"Ok." He smiled
"We kissed, that's all it was a small kiss. And the reason I'm checking my phone every 5 minutes is because I'm bored of shopping and I'm checking the time, I'm grumpy because I'm a girl and we get angry certain times of the month. Have I explained myself enough yet?"
"You never get bored of shopping." Eric smiled.
They ordered their meals.
Nate and Sarah were sitting on a bench in one of the sections of the gardens.
"So before, with the girlfriend question you hesitated why?"
"I'm in a confusing position right now – with her. So we don't claim that we are together unless we are alone together. Since she is back in New York and I'm here she trusts me not to do something stupid." Nate lied
"So why not save the confusion and tell people you have a girlfriend?" Sarah asked irritated
"Because it's confusing, like I said before no one knows we are together – and we want to keep it that way for a while."
Sarah nodded her head and stood up.
"I think I'm going to carry on with my voyage alone – it was nice meeting you."
"So because I have a girlfriend, you no longer want to hang out with me?" Nate asked a bit angry
"No it's not that, you distract me and I need to work, see you around." She smiled and walked away.
Nate laughed. He pulled out his phone and began to text Jenny.
"Eric! STOP!" Jenny said laughing "You can't just steal plants from a natural park its illegal."
Jenny's phone went off she quickly reached into her pocket and pulled it out as she looked down she noticed she had received a message from Nate.
Hey sorry I left today without waiting. Didn't want to waste the day. I'm at Exbury Gardens and Steam Railway – you can come meet me here if you want it takes 32 minutes from the boat in a taxi? If you do come I'm in the Yard Wood garden next to the Jubilee pond.
"Who was that?" Eric asked Jenny
"Don't be nosey." Jenny smiled
"Go. I'll make my way back to the boat."
"Really?" Jenny asked excitedly
"Yes."
"Should I go?" Jenny question Eric
Eric nodded his head yes. Jenny replied to Nate's text.
I'm there, in the Witcher's Wood, I'll walk there now.
Jenny began to walk towards the Yard Wood.
She walked across the grass and saw Nate sitting on the bench which he once shared with Sarah. Jenny sat down next to him.
"It's 3 we have to be back by 4:30." Jenny said trying to start a question.
"I've been dragged around looking at flowers all day – and I've never felt so bored in my life." Nate said laughing "I do not want to walk around for another hour looking at more flowers.
"So let's go back to the boat? Wait when you said dragged – dragged by whom?" Jenny asked
"This girl I met on the boat Sarah, she is a trainee and she needed to see different tourism spots and since I was the only one there she asked me to join her and I said yes. Then when she realised I wasn't single she disappeared saying that my good lucks distracted her." Nate smiled
"You told her you were seeing me? She works on the boat Nate!" Jenny said pissed
"Whoa, Whoa. I told her she lives in New York. No need to worry."
"Let's go back to the boat." Jenny said eagerly
She stood up and began to walk away; Nate stood up and walked at a faster pace so he could catch up to her.
"Or we could stay here a little longer, test out those flowers over there and see how cushiony they are?"
"Nate, I'm not having sex with you in a National Park I have morals." Jenny kept on walking.
"Are you angry at me?" Nate shouted out.
"No. I just don't do things like that – maybe when I'm 21 and drunk and I won't remember a thing."
"Yes you are, just because I hung out with another girl."
Jenny looked back and gave him a death stare and carried on walking towards the exit. They both got into a taxi together and got out the taxi – Jenny paying him as she exited the taxi. She walked behind Nate as they entered the boat.
"Hey dad." Jenny said sighing
"Hi honey. Is there something wrong?" Rufus asked her
"I just miss a friend that's all."
"You have friends on the boat. Talk to Vanessa or Serena? Maybe even Nate – they have always been good friends towards you, you're like their little sister."
Jenny cringed.
"Dad?" Jenny asked curiously
"Yes."
"Don't worry. I forgot what I was going to say." Jenny smiled and walked away heading towards her room.
"Hey." Jenny said as she walked in. "We are supposed to be leaving in 3 minutes. Do you want to sit on the balcony?"
Nate looked up at Jenny. "Thought you were angry at me?" Nate said whilst rising one eyebrow.
"Fine, I'll sit out there on my own. And for your information the reason I didn't want to have sex in a national park was because I'm not another one of those girls Nate, and if you don't want that then that's fine but don't try and change me."
Jenny put on a jacket because it was cold outside; she opened the door to the balcony and stepped out closing the door behind her. She pulled the chair out from under the table and sat down on it.
The boat began to move away from the port slowly, the door to the balcony opened and Nate came out he sat on a chair next to her.
"Sorry." He whispered.
"There's nothing to be sorry about." Jenny smiled back.
Nate leaned over and kissed her on the lips softly.
"So where are we off to next?" Nate asked Jenny
"We are off to Libson, Portugal." Jenny replied smiling
"Southampton was nice, I mean they had some great flowers – but Portugal sounds even better." Nate said smiling.
Jenny looked over at Nate and smiled to herself.
"Chuck invited us to his suite tonight – they are having a celebration party for finally arriving in Southampton – do you want to go?" Nate asked Jenny
"They didn't even leave the boat." Jenny said sarcastically.
"It's Chuck and Blair, Jenny they do some pretty strange things and this happens to be one."
"I have better things that we could do to celebrate finally arriving in Southampton." Jenny said whilst giving Nate a cheeky grin.
Nate smiled and said "And what would that be." He kissed her
They moved inside.
"Vanessa!" Serena yelled out.
Vanessa turned around.
"Hi."
"Hey, do you know if Nate and Jenny are coming tonight? Chuck and Blair want to know?" Serena asked Vanessa
'I highly doubt it." Vanessa said knowing exactly what they would be doing.
"They're probably celebrating right now." Vanessa mumbled, unlucky for her though Serena heard.
"What do you mean?" Serena asked curiously.
"I'm just speaking to myself. I should really go help Dan pick out what he is going to wear."
Vanessa started to walk away.
"You don't get away that easily. Tell me what's going on." Serena said impatiently
"I can't say anything, sorry."
"Tell me, or I'll talk to Dan about it." Serena said threatening Vanessa
"That's bribery."
"I know." Serena said with a twisted look towards it.
"Fine. But you can't tell anyone because if you do something bad will most likely happen."
"I won't tell anyone." Serena said promising Vanessa.
"The other night when Nate went to the toilet and I followed him because I thought maybe something had happened between him and Jenny and I kept on getting these weird vibes – so I confronted him about it and he admitted that he had slept with her, and that it was more than sex."
Serena didn't move an inch, nothing came out her mouth and the look on her face was emotionless.
"He's going t break her heart." Serena said with no emotions. "After we told him to not over step the line he over steps it, I knew we shouldn't have trusted him from the very start. What if Dan finds out?"
"Well he won't, remember, you promised."
"I won't tell him but he is bound to find out, yes it's a big ship but New York is big and news spreads like a wild fire could you imagine what would happen if a stranger found out about this and started talking about this. Dan would kill him."
"Just, if we keep this to ourselves – no one will find out." Vanessa smiled.
"I have to go get ready, see you tonight." Vanessa smiled and turned around and walked back to her room.
Jenny lay on top of Nate's naked abdominal area. She rolled off and lay on her side of the bed.
"I'm hungry." Jenny complained
"Room service?" Nate stated
"Sounds good."
There was a knock at the door. Jenny jumped up and ran into the bathroom turning on the shower. Nate rushed over and put his clothes back on checking in the mirror that his hair looked ok. He ran to the door and opened it.
"Is she here?" Serena said bitterly
"She's in the shower why?"
"Vanessa told me, and I can't believe that you of all people Nate would do this to Jenny. She will find out one day about this plan we have all set up and when she does she is going to hate you and probably most likely want to kill you along with Nate. Stop this with her, before you make it worse."
"You think I didn't try and stop this." Nate sighed
"Oh come on Nate we all know the answer to that – you need to grow up. She is 17 years old, and you're hurting her every time you kiss her, touch her or sleep with her."
"Serena I can't just sleep with her twice and then never do it again – it will look like I used to her."
Serena walked outside the room.
"Well aren't you?"
She turned around and walked away. Nate closed the door and headed back into the room.
"DO YOU STILL WANT ROOM SERVICE?" Nate shouted towards Jenny
"YES PLEASE!" Jenny replied.
Nate picked up the phone and ordered the food. As he waited for the food to arrive and for Jenny to be finished with her shower he had time to think about what he was doing. Maybe Serena was right I mean he knew she was right but how did he tell Jenny that they couldn't kiss each other or sleep together anymore – he knew he wouldn't be able to stay away from her – so he just wasn't going to say anything.
"Hey did you order it?"
"Yeah. Should be here soon."
Jenny smiled at him and went back to the bedroom and started to get changed.
The food arrived and they ate, in silence Jenny could feel the awkwardness.
"Who was at the door?" Jenny asked suspiciously
"No-one they got the wrong room." Nate smiled at her
Jenny just nodded.
Nate finished his food and got up.
He kissed Jenny on top of the head and said goodnight.
"Night."
Dear my Journal,
We arrived in Southampton today – FINALLY!
I didn't wake til late so I kind of wasted the day but that's ok cause I still got the most out of it. Me and Eric went shopping then to lunch. Then I met Nate at the Exbury Gardens and Steam Railway. Came back and sat on the balcony and watched us leave port.
Next stop is Libson, Portugal.
Jenny x x
