Chapter 2 – Dressed to impress

At lunchtime, Jill, Chris and Barry had lunch at this restaurant called "Nautilus". They were getting distant from the mainland. A wild blueness was around them and the temperature was 30ºC. Carlos talked about fishing, with Barry. Jill was just waiting the perfect moments to mock them.

- I just remembered… we need to take pictures! The first picture will be you. – Barry said in a excited tone. He took the camera out of his pocket and checked it.

- I love photos. Take one of me doing my oil millionaire pose – Carlos took off his glassed, opened his legs a little and folded his arms, staring to a distant place – What do you think, Jill?

- Hm… looks nothing like a millionaire.

Carlos laughed and waited for Barry. The red bearded guy prepared the camera and pointed to Carlos, who was trying to hard to not laugh and look serious in the photo.

- If you were an "oil millionaire" with this poor face, I'd say you sell black ink instead of oil! – Jill said in an attempt to ruin Carlos' photo.

Carlos laughed a little at the exact time Barry took the photo.

- This photo must be awful! – he chuckled. Carlos pinched calmly Jill's arm. – Hey, you are underestimating the company Petróleo Oliveira.

- Petróleo Oliveira? – Barry tried to repeat – Terrible name for a company! – he prepared the camera once again and pointed to Jill – Hey, Jill, smile for the photo!

- No, Barry… I'm not wearing make-up, I'm ugly now…

- What a silly thing, Jill. You are beautiful even with Tyrant's blood in your hair – Barry was waiting for Jill stopping to cover her face.

Carlos approached to Jill and put his arm around her shoulders.

- Come on, Jill, please. You're not ugly.

Carlos was already smiling to the camera. Jill uncovered her face slowly and smiled to the camera. Barry took the photo.

- Now it's you who needs to take a picture! – Jill took Barry's camera and pointed to him.

- I wanted to take a picture, but I want it to be with my Colt 44. I would try to make an Arnold Schwarzenegger's face.

Jill tried not to laugh about this infamous commentary. Even so, she took a picture of Barry and Carlos anyway.

A man came up with a guitar up to the stage that was at the end of restaurant. He introduced himself and adjusted the microphone for his height in a way he could be sing and play the guitar while he was sitting. He started singing "Black Magic Woman" by Santana.

Carlos leaned back in his chair and said:

- I hate these restaurants singers. They sing so badly…

- Don't say something like that… I think it's cool to have someone singing in a restaurant – Jill said while she was looking to Carlos.

- Hm… Why don't you ask him to sing New York, New York or something like that? Then you will understand what I'm talking about – Carlos chuckled.

When the singer sang the words "Yes, don't turn your back on me, baby", Jill realized how Carlos was right. The singer's voice was out of tune and it was boring, it would be almost impossible to hear more than one song of him.

- Wow, this guy sings worse than me! – Barry scratched his beard a little, hoping that guy stop sing so badly.

- Every one of them sings badly. And when they sing well, they sing annoying songs just to make you ask him for a cool music. Then when you ask, they charge you about U$10 for it!

- I'm more impressed by him singing worse than you, Carlos – Jill took a napkin and tried to start an origami boat.

- Hey, for your information, I sing well… at least in a karaoke, I sing well – he tried to pull the napking off of Jill's hand just to irritate her.

- So, okay. I want to see you sing ina karaoke tonight!

- Only after you play poker with me – Carlos challenged in a sexy tone.

In the evening, Jill was in her room, looking for a suitable outfit. She was worrying so much to look pretty to Carlos, that she thought it would make a huge difference if she wouldn't very fancy. She opened her bag and took out a black dress. It was a strapless style, and it was a tube style too. She took a blue blouse and an black short. She put the clothes over her body and looked in the mirror. "Which one do I choose?!" she though a little nervous. She decided to put her black dress. She had a little of difficult to close it, but she did it. She looked herself in the mirror and combed her hair. She took out her makeup box and started to pass makeup on her. "Jill, Jill, Jill… why so nervous?" It's just Carlos, the guy who makes silly jokes. He's very goofy… he… he… Am I passing too much eye shadow?

She finished getting dressed and looked in the mirror once again. She felt a little shy, and she faced the door. She left the room, closed the door and walked to the elevator. There was a man in the elevator who got marveled when he saw Jill. He looked at her from her head to her toes. Jill realized he was staring at her and she felt a little uncomfortable, almost asking hum why he was looking so much. But she decided to stay quiet.

- Sorry to ask, but do you know which way do I go to the pool area? – he asked innocently.

Jill thought that question was very suspicious. There was no reason for him to ask that because there were tons of maps around the ship explaining this.

- I think it's on the first deck.

- Thank you. I'm getting lost here very easy. My name is Corey – he extended his hand to her. – What is yours?

Jill raised her hand slowly and shook his hand.

- Jill…

- What a cool name. So, Jill, can I know where are you going right now?

- I'm going to a very important meeting. I need to investigate a person. Sorry if I can't tell too many things – she left the elevator as soon the door opened and she left Corey at the elevator. He merely said "see you around" just after the elevator doors was getting closed.

"Well, I can't complain about this dress" she thought.

She walked through the casino and tried to find Carlos. She couldn't find him. She approached to the bar and stood staring at all over the place, all the tables in the place. Suddenly, she felt a hand touch her waist and a shadow pass behind her and say:

- I thought you were not coming anymore.

- Carlos, you almost frightened me! – Jill turned to Carlos and stared at him. He was wearing a black shirt and a black pants – I'm sorry if I took so long… I didn't know what clothes to put on. I thought I should have come well dressed.

Carlos analyzed Jill's words and laughed. He lowered his face and said:

- You didn't have to. But any clothing you would wear would distract any guy. Even if you were wearing those hard jackets for Russian winters.

They both smiled. Carlos took Jill by the hand and took her through the casino.

- Looks like tonight will be a bit crowded. We have poker, dinner and karaoke, right?

- Right. Keep in mind that I'll win you at poker and karaoke.

- Well, let's see about that, lindona.

He showed a table with a deck of cards and some chips on top. He would pull out a chair to Jill, but she hurried to pull her own chair and sit down.

- Ok…

- I know you look like a gentleman, but you don't need to pull my chairs.

- Can I least open doors for you?

- Yes, you can – she put her right hand on her face and leaned her elbow on the table. – Where's Barry?

- He's not coming. He ate so much lobster today that he needs to take a rest. And before that, Barry have played blackjack almost earning U$500. I think he was lucky, because he started his bets with U$20!

They both smiled. Carlos began to shuffle the cards.

- Carlos, I'm a S.T.A.R.S. member. There are only two women in the entire team: me and Rebecca. There are 11 men in the team. When we had free time, we played poker in our room in the R.P.D. Chris was the best of all. Barry used to win sometimes. I learned slowly and when I realized, I was gaining of everyone.

- It's funny, but the more I know about you, the more I realize you are complete… I mean, very special.

- Carlos, please. If one day you know my faults, you won't be talking about those things.

- If you are talking about you being a troublemaker, stay calm. I don't consider this as a flaw.

He looked to Jill to see her reaction. She was a with a feline look. "Pay attention of what you say, sir" she thought.

Jill won over Carlos on poker. Carlos was shocked of how she was good at that. He already had lost more than U$10.000 fictitious chips. He was leaned over the table, not believing how much he had lost. Jill was laughing so much while she was picking all Carlo's remaining chips and said:

- Honey, you should have stopped early.

Carlos was tapping the palm of his hand on the table very slowly, still not looking at Jill.

- Eu não acredito! Eu perdi tudo! – Carlos spoke in portuguese "I can't believe! I lost everything", not even care if Jill would understand or not.