"Can you sing that?"
Brauni stared at the indicated spot.
"Sure, one of my favorite songs. Should I help you with the backing vocals?"
Julie nodded and then set up a board with the lyrics. It appeared on the wall. Daniel and Anna were confused, as was Chris. As usual, Arthur ignored them.
"Ready?" she asked, looking at Brauni. They grabbed their wireless microphones and went on stage.
Chris immediately caught on, stood up, and started clapping.
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is Julie and Bruni... I mean, Brauni." He corrected himself.
"Drink more, Chris," Brauni suggested teasingly, and was surprised when the boy obediently shuffled over for another glass.
Julie pressed a button on the console, and after a few seconds of waiting, a familiar tune played from the speakers.
She'd deliberately chosen a song whose lyrics spoke of a woman who wants to be free and independent from anyone (Sheryl Crow's "Steve McQueen").
When they finished, they were surprised by the effect. Everyone applauded, even Arthur, who had already gotten himself into a good mood. They thanked him and left the stage, having previously played the music Arthur had set. Some harsh music flowed from the speakers.
Julie chciała razem z Brauni zaatakować stół z jedzeniem, gdy Arthur, zatrzymał ją i poprosił by z nim wyszła na pokład spacerowy, gdzie wcześniej kłóciła się z Danielem. Zgodziła się, mimo lekkich oporów wywołanych stanem kolegi. Kiedy wyszli, zauważyli wokół siebie kłęby pary unoszącej się znad wody, tworzącej gęstą nieprzeniknioną mgłę.
- Powinieneś już zatrzymać statek. Nie powinniśmy płynąć w takich warunkach. - Zuważyła wskazując na białą ścianę przy statku.
- Zaraz to zrobię. - Powiedział najzwyklejszym tonem, w którym nie było najmniejszego śladu pijackiego żargonu. - Usiądziesz obok mnie?
Julie dopiero teraz zauważyła, że rozsiadł się na jednym z leżaków. Znalazła sobie miejsce obok niego. Oboje byli zakłopotani tą sytuacją. Każde z nich chciało zacząć rozmowę, ale nie mieli odwagi. Bohaterem okazał się Arthur.
- Julie - Zaczął powolnie i wyczekał momentu, kiedy spojrzała na niego. "I know things haven't been great between us lately, and it's mostly my fault, but...
" "Yours?" She interrupted him suddenly, looking into his eyes. "I'm so sorry, but I've been unbearable these past few months. You know I haven't been in the best of mental shape, and it's affected our friendship.
" "It doesn't matter." He waved his hand to stop her from explaining. "It doesn't matter whose fault it is, but I can't do this anymore. We've gone from being best friends to strangers."
Julie lowered her head and stared at her hands.
"I want things to be like they used to be, Julie." He took her hands in his. "I want to confide in you again and listen to your confessions. Only you can understand me. That's why I apologize for everything that happened and I ask for your forgiveness."
He noticed her shaking. He told her to wait a moment and think about it, then left her alone.
Julie didn't need to hesitate; she had been planning to reconcile with him for a long time.
Daniel felt a little tired and decided to leave their group of friends. Pożyczył im miłej nocy i udał się do kajuty.
Anna porozmawiała jeszcze przez chwilę z Brauni i Chrisem, a następnie postanowiła sprawdzić czy z Danielem wszystko w porządku.
Jak tylko zniknęła im z oczu, Chris zaczął insynuować na temat ich związku.
- Daj spokój, Brauni, nie zauważyłaś jak się kręcą obok siebie. - Podniósł ton głosu, gdy dziewczyna upierała się przy tym, że Daniel nadal kocha Julie.
- Ja tu widzę tylko twoją siostrę, śliniącą się na jego widok. Przydałby jej się taki mały śliniak by bluzki sobie dziewczyna nie zachlapała.
Zamilkli nagle czekając aż kolejna piosenka zacznie grać, ale głośniki pozostały ciche.
- Jak myślisz, co oni tam teraz robią? - Spytał tajemniczo Chris.
- Rozmawiają? - Zasugerowała dziewczyna pukając go w czoło. Zostawiła go i weszła na podest z konsolą.
"I don't know." He laughed aloud. "Maybe soon, it won't be just the waves rocking this boat."
Arthur returned to the girl waiting for him. He brought her one of his black jackets. Even though it was a few sizes too big, she gladly put it on.
"Thank you. It's very cold at night.
" "Can you believe it's almost one in the morning?"
Julie shook her head and looked at him. He was clearly expecting an announcement of her decision.
"I don't want to argue either. I want to continue being a part of your life, whatever it is. So let's forget about what happened."
She smiled brightly at his grinning. However, she paled when he placed a small rectangular box tied with a white bow in her open palm.
"What's this...?
" "It's a little gift from me. But promise me you'll only open it in your cabin, before you go to bed, okay?"
"Why did you buy me this?" she said with obvious embarrassment. "You didn't have to—"
She paused, feeling foolish for the accusations she'd made. She smiled and thanked him.
Arthur opened his arms and offered a friendly hug. She embraced him, resting her head on his strong shoulder. He nuzzled his nose in her hair. The scent of it, reminiscent of fresh flowers, sent him into ecstasy.
He ran his hands caressingly down her back and suddenly unclipped her hair, letting it fall freely down her back. It happened so quickly that Julie almost didn't notice when his lips began kissing her neck. She pushed him away and quickly rose from the chair. She looked at the hair clip in his hand and asked reproachfully,
"What are you doing?"
His face turned purple.
"I'm sorry, but I couldn't help it. Besides, you're free now. "
His last words sounded rather impertinent to her.
"You know I love another man. I couldn't be with you."
He couldn't understand how she could still feel something for Daniel after everything he'd done to her. He also didn't know why he suddenly wanted to kiss her. Only he knew perfectly well how much he had to restrain himself from pulling her into his arms and embracing her in a long, passionate kiss. He barely heard the girl's words.
"...I can't accept it in this situation," she said, and pushed the small box toward him.
He snapped out of his thoughts and looked at her in disappointment.
"I'm sorry, Julie," he muttered humbly. "I promise it won't happen again. And keep the gift. Please."
The girl looked at him. She didn't know how to react. She thanked him again and slipped it into her jacket pocket. She knew her reaction was far too much, but she couldn't admit it. She asked him if he was coming with her to the living room, but Arthur preferred to be left alone with his thoughts. When she left, he covered his face with his hands, cursing his stupidity and lack of restraint.
***
"Are you really feeling okay?" Anna stood leaning against the dresser, staring at the bathroom door, where Daniel had been sitting for five minutes.
He emerged with a toothbrush in his mouth.
"Better and better," he said indistinctly, making Anna laugh.
He returned and rinsed his mouth, then returned to his friend with a towel. He tried to explain why he'd yelled at Julie, but she only made it clear that she wasn't going to interfere in his affairs anymore, and he certainly shouldn't confess to her.
"I know, but you yourself told me, before we boarded, to decide what I really wanted." He walked over to her and threw a towel on the dresser next to her.
"What do you want?" she asked with a mysterious smile.
The answer was simple and predictable.
"You." He whispered in her ear.
Their lips met in a passionate kiss, and their bodies pressed together, sharing warmth and desire. They embraced tenderly, kissing with increasing intensity.
"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Anna asked him as they paused for breath.
"Honey, I'm doing what I've long dreamed of."
He kissed her even harder and more passionately than before. He felt lust fill him from head to toe. Suddenly, he grabbed her by the buttocks and lifted her off the dresser. She wrapped her legs around him like a snake squeezing its prey in a death grip. He moved her to the bed and gently laid her down. He straightened and removed her shoes. Then he did the same with his own. Before he could crush her with his body, she ripped off his undershirt and threw it in the middle of the room.
He began kissing her body, sending her into a frenzy with every brush of his tongue against her delicate skin. She, in turn, stroked his bare back, pressing him lightly against her. They were like greedy animals, obsessed with sex. Daniel slid down the straps of her top, kissing and caressing her bare shoulders. Her hands hungrily unzipped his zipper.
They didn't even hear the door to his apartment open with a soft squeak.
The sight of the boy she'd been going to tell him how wrong she was and beg for another chance, the one she'd wanted to confess her sincerest love to, and whom she now saw in the arms of another, made Julie stagger on her feet, as if the ground were slipping beneath her feet.
"Oh my God!" she said loudly, breaking Anna and Daniel from their lovemaking. Her purse slipped from her hand and rolled across the floor.
"Julie!" Daniel shouted, quickly rising from Anna and zipping up his pants.
Anna couldn't believe her eyes. She tightened the straps of her bra and top again.
"Hey, Jules. What are you doing here?" Suddenly, Brauni appeared in the doorway and realized what was going on when she saw the half-naked boy. She looked at Julie and saw the papery tint on her shocked face.
"Don't bother me!" Brauni said, and with a quick movement, she grabbed her friend's purse from the floor, followed by herself. The door slammed.
Anna stood and finished dressing, observing the devastated expression on her would-be lover's face.
"When you've recovered and still feel like being friends with a temptress, you'll find me in the living room," she said, hurrying out of the room.
Daniel stopped putting on his undershirt and sat down resignedly on the bed. Anger welled up inside him, at himself, at Anna, and at Julie. In a second, his nightstand was in the bathroom doorway, thrown by one of his hands. The bedside lamp shattered into smithereens.
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