[u][b]Chapter Six: Continued.[/u][/b]
For a moment I was to stunned to say anything. How did he find out!? I couldn't say anything, I just stood there, wide-eyed, and felt how my cheeks flushed. Somehow, that made James laugh even harder. "Seriously Lils, I'd never thought you'd do such a thing." He said, wiping the tears of laughter from his eyes. "It's a good plan though, if it works, but it just didn't seem like your style. And I don't understand Kaylee either."
At this point, I had finally found my voice back. "Kaylee told you? I thought she was going to keep her mouth shut about this."
James nodded. "Yeah she did tell me, but what does it matter?" He shrugged. "Just make sure my parents don't find out, they'd think this would be a typical 'marauders' joke, and they won't like it." He put up his hand as my eyes widened and my mouth opened to answer. "Don't worry. I won't tell them, and Kaylee won't either. She doesn't want to get in trouble. Come to think of it, I'm surprised she didn't ask for more! I would've." He started laughing again. I just shook my head, slightly embarrassed, and closed the door behind me.
"So shall we get going then?" I quickly said, trying to change the subject. But of course, that didn't work, James wasn't easily sidetracked. "So you're bribing my little sister into pretending she's your little sister, only so you can get near that guy who works here?" He asked me, cocking one eyebrow. "He's really worth that effort and money? What so special about him?"
I just shook my head. "Are you actually asking me those questions my girl friends usually would ask me?" I said, slightly sarcastic.
James just shrugged. "They're not around right now to ask you, so someone has to, right?" He asked me, nudging my arm slightly.
I sighed slightly. "Don't get instantly offended here, okay?" I said. "But if you don't mind, I'd rather not discuss my preferences about guys with you. I know we're friends and all that, but trust me, it's better for the both of us if I just discuss this with a girl friend." I watched him from the corner of my eye, looking for any signs in his face or posture that might show he felt offended. But he just shrugged.
"Fair enough." He said. "Maybe indeed it is better if you discuss those things with a girl. If you didn't, next thing you know you would start discussing things like mascara and shoes with me." He laughed, and so did I, relieved.
"Alright, I'll spare you then." I said, nudging him in the shoulder. We had now arrived at the restaurant where we had dinner each night. I peeked through the window and was astounded. In the two hours between dinner time and now, the room had undertaken an entire transformation. All the big tables and matching chairs were now gone, and had been replaced with small high round tables and high barstools around each one lined up in half a circle near the walls. At the opening of the circle there was a stage where a band was playing. The room was already quite filled up with people who were having a drink and having a laugh.
When we reached the double glass doors, James held one open and let me go first, bowing slightly, which made me laugh. Once we were inside I started looking around for mine and James' family, but I almost started screaming when I was nearly attacked by Rach. "Lily!" she called out, hugging me. "Where have you been all day? There's sooo much I need to tell you!"
I laughed and put up my arms as if to surrender. "Calm down Rach!" I said, laughing. "You almost gave me a heart attack there. Nice dress by the way."
"Thanks, and you to Lils." she said. "That color really brings out your eyes." she smiled at me.
I was just about to reply to her, when James pulled my arm slightly. "Everyone's waiting for us you know, maybe it's better to get moving, and you two can continue your chat at one of the tables." I looked and Rach, and she just simply shrugged, and then we started to make our way through the crowd. I was following James, because he seemed to know where to go, he had probably already spotted everyone, and Rach was right behind me.
"Is that that James guy you told me about?" she whispered in my ear so he couldn't hear, and I nodded slightly. "I thought you didn't like him?" I shrugged as if to say we're kind of alright now. "Well, if you don't want him, maybe I'll take a shot at him." I tried to suppress a grin as I thought of Rach trying to flirt with him, only for one kiss for her bet. I'd wonder if he'd fall for it, but then again, Rach was very a very attractive girl.
When we were in sight of 'our' table, Kaylee immediately started waving frantically at me. She looked really sweet in her pink dress with a pink ribbon around her pony tail. "Lily!!!" She called out, a grin spread across her face. "You have to sit next to me, you know! Come here."
I laughed. "But only if you move over a little." I said, pulling softly on her pony tail. "So my friend can sit next to me as well." Kaylee nodded once and then made room for all three of us to sit down. I sat down next to Kaylee, Rach sat down next to me, and James sat down next to Rach. The moment he had sat down, Rach turned towards him and started a conversation. I just slightly shook my head and smiled to myself.
Just then the band had stopped playing, and the captain of the ship climbed onto the stage together with the crew. I looked around until I spotted Eric. He looked heartbreaking handsome, all dressed in black, and my heart skipped one beat. The captain started talking about the cruise, when it was built, where it had been and all things like that, and at first it was kind of interesting, but after some time it became a drag, and I looked at Eric again, wondering if he had spotted me and tried to make eye contact. I only looked away when Rach whispered a goodbye to me and said she was going to look for her uncle and aunt. I nodded and then looked back into the direction of the captain again, who had started to introduce the employees of the ship. My stomach seemed to make a somersault when he introduced Eric, but my mood dropped when I saw he had one arm draped around the shoulder of that girl I had seen earlier on the kid's games deck. My eyes moved away from the stage and I just gazed absentminded at my half empty glass. I didn't even notice that the band had started playing again.
Then I felt someone shaking my arm, and I looked up, and noticed that all eyes were on me. "Lily," my dad said. "James just asked you something, so could you please answer him?"
My cheeks slightly flushed and I looked at James, giving him an apologetic smile. "Sorry, what was it you asked me?" I said.
James smiled and leaned over to me. "I was just wondering." He asked. "If maybe you'd like to dance with me?"
