Lori peaked up into the rafters. There was her dress, and there was her boots and mask, but she knew she could not wear the same dress as the night before. She sighed, collapsing against a bucket and leaning her head into her hand. The clocks all throughout the ship rung noon, and Lori knew that Emmerson would be waiting in the banquet hall for her just like he had asked her to do.
After the last ding resounded through the ship she stood and climbed a few more staircases. She finally reached the very top door, but knew that there would be no good rooms to steal from up there. She climbed down two more flights of stairs before finally reaching another door. She slipped in and walked down the hall, none of the rooms looking promising. At last, a man opened a door and stepped out. "Excuse me!" He said looking at her with disgust on his face. "Who let you onto this floor? Rats like you should be below." She scowled, her temper rising. "Well excuse me, sir, I mean no offense when I say your face looks like cheese." His face went blank. "Pardon?" She shoved past him. "Cheese face!" She cried.
The man did not follow her as she trekked down another hall. She knocked upon a random door she had chosen, and the door was answered by a woman with a dark red dress on that reached the floor and no shoes. "Can I help you?" The woman said, watching her face instead of preying her eyes on the dirty men's clothes she wore. "Yes," Lori lied. "I am terribly sick. Do you have any cough medicine?" The woman swung open her door. "Oh yes, dearie," the fat woman said. "Yes of course."
Lori stepped in as the woman swung the door closed once more. "How in the world did you get sick?" "I'm from below decks," Lori said honestly. The woman with thick red hair pulled out a large bottle of cough syrup. She rummaged through the cabinets for a cup. "Oh my, those decks are quite a health concern." Lori nodded. "Yes ma'am, they are. What brings you onto this wonderful ship?" She asked friendlily. The woman's hands stopped searching the cupboards for a moment. "My daughter died a few months back, and I am bringing her things back to America to sell." Lori said quietly, "I am so sorry." The woman continued searching. "I'm fine. I never caught your name, dearie." "Lori." "I am Margaret, nice to meet you."
Margaret closed the cabinet door. "I am going to look for a cup in the sink, I will be right back." She left the room, her dress dragging on the floor behind her. Lori opened a suitcase as soon as she was gone. She pulled out a dress that must have been her daughter's, for it was much too small for Margaret. Lori shut the suitcase and opened the front door to her room, almost out when she heard "Hold it."
Lori closed her eyes tight and sighed. "Get back in here," Margaret said. Lori stepped back into the room, shutting the door. "You never coughed," Margaret said. "So I knew you were faking it the whole time." She sat back down on the edge of the chair she had been in moments before and rubbed her temples. "Lori, why were you stealing a dress?"
Lori looked in the full body mirror. The dark red dress fell perfectly over her shoulders and fell into a curved V right above her nipples. The dress reached the floor, gently sliding along the carpet when she walked. It was a little loose around her upper body, which made it very hard to keep from falling too far down, or completely off. Lori did not see this as a problem, as she was meeting Emmerson, not his mother. Her eyes had a beautiful blue eye shadow on them, and thick mascara on the lashes. Her blush made her cheeks look rosy and her skin look perfect. Margaret grinned. "You look gorgeous. Now go see Emmerson, I am sure he is waiting."
Lori slammed the door behind her after a rushed goodbye, darting to the Banquet Hall as fast as her feet would carry her. She saw Emmerson ahead, standing near a silver and glass door. She slowed her run to a walk and pulled her dress up just a tad to keep her bosoms in her dress. "Emmerson," she said quietly when she got up next to him. He turned, looking down at her from his height towering above her. "Wow," he said quietly. "You look amazing." Lori grinned, glad to be appreciated. "Thank you," she replied. "You look quite good yourself."
He smiled, looking down at her. They were standing oddly close, and Lori realized he was not looking down in her eyes, but in her shirt. "Shall we take a walk?" She asked, smiling. "Yes, of course," he said, taking her hand in his. "Where to?" She asked politely. "How about the Sky Deck?" He replied. "That is fine with me," she said with a shrug.
He rubbed her hand gently as they climbed up the beautiful stairwells to the top of the ship; climbing the stairs made Lori think of her staircase, which she would soon have to climb down to reach her room. She shrugged the thoughts away as he put his air around her waist. "Where are you from?" He asked quietly, starting conversation. "England," she lied. "London, actually." He grinned, his hand cupping her hip. "I visited there once or twice," he said casually. She smiled in return. "Beautiful place," she replied, having no idea what London looked like. "I guess so," he said. "Italy is much more beautiful." She froze up inside, not knowing what to say.
"Not as beautiful as you," he added, smiling down at her. The sun shone down on them as people around them laughed and talked. "You're too sweet," she said. He smiled back. "Not quite." She looked at his hands. "Well, you are sweet enough for me." Emmerson laughed. "Well, I'm glad you think so." "I am too." The sun stopped shining as they entered a small room that contained what smelled like cinnamon.
They fell into an awkward silence. Emmerson wasn't sure what to say. Lori wasn't sure if Emmerson even had feelings for her. "Lori?" He finally asked. "Yes?" She replied, glad to fill the silence. "I'm so glad I met you." She gave a small smile, looking up at him. She was surprised to realize his face was so close to hers. "Lori?" "Yes," she whispered, answering his unspoken question. He kissed her, and they stopped waking. She wrapped her arms around his neck, but he put his arms behind her and his hands on her shoulders. He seemed awkward when it came to relationships, but Lori thought it was cute.
After a long kiss, he pulled away. "Are you a virgin?" Lori froze. "Emmerson?" He smiled. "What?" She replied, "I'm not going to do that..." He shook his head. "I wouldn't want to, I was just wondering." Lori knew this was a lie. No person would randomly ask a question like that without intentions behind the words. "Promise?" She asked.
"I promise," he said, leaning in to kiss her once more. She kissed him back, their lips pressed together. The way he kissed seemed desperate, like he needed her. She loved it. He pressed her against the wall, kissing her. She tried to catch her breath, but Emmerson did not stop for several long moments. She breathed heavily when he stopped, and smiled. "Oh god..." she whispered, knowing in that moment she was falling for this man she barely knew. "I know," he whispered back, knowing in that moment she was the only thing he needed.
Author's Note: When I started writing, this was my favorite story, but I have decided That Isaac's love story is my favorite (: