|Completed | A crossover w/ @_ntsha (go to her profile for her version!)
Four strangers from diverse walks of life meet on a cruise and spend an unforgettable week together-all of them on their own self-discovering journeys and onboard for different...
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I woke up a second time after hearing what sounded to be crying coming from the bathroom. After blinking my eyes open, I noticed Cassie was no longer in bed, and it was her that I heard. We had a late-night, and her confession was still heavily on my mind.
I groaned, pushing myself off the bed as I stretched, cracking every bone in my body. I ran my hands down my chest and yawned before tapping my knuckles against the door.
"Cassie," I called out in a raspy tone. When I woke up the first time, it was ten in the morning, and now I have no clue what time it was, but I'm exhausted. "What's up with you? Are you crying?" I asked.
She sniffed and cleared her throat. "Uh, no. I didn't know you were up." She deeply exhaled. "I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what?" I leaned against the frame and listened to her faint sound effects. She tried playing it off by flushing the toilet and running the water, but I could still tell. "Tell me why you're crying."
After standing in silence for a moment, Cassie unleashed and said, "Did I mess up, Gael? It was the spur of the moment, and maybe I should've kept it to myself, but it's too late now. I know this isn't you because you've made that known, and I understand if you don't want to see me anymore."
I felt like shit listening to her through the door, and I had no idea what to do. I already knew it was possible that she liked me, but I couldn't bring myself to break it off—I still can't. If it were anyone else, even Courtney, I wouldn't have let it get this far, but she's different. When I met her on the cruise, I just wanted to fuck, but then she started trusting me. And I saw someone different, still do, and I can't get enough. Despite what she's been through, she's tough, caring, beautiful as hell, and independent. I get the vibe that she'd rather struggle than ask someone for help, and I'm the same way. I never saw myself as the person to settle down, but I find it even worse letting her slip away. It's like my brain tells me to walk away and let whatever it is between us cool off, but my body won't let me. I can't keep stringing her along, which means I need to figure out what the hell I want to do soon.
It's either grow the fuck up and stop harping on the past or let her go and keep doing the shit I've been doing ever since I could.
"Did you hear me?" Cassie mumbled, breaking me from my thoughts.
"Yeah," My voice cracked. "Why do we need to put a title on it?" I asked without thinking. I never thought about dating anyone, but at the same time, I never thought I would like anyone either.
"Then what are we doing, Gael?" She sighed. "Don't answer that because I know it's going to hurt me. You would think that I would be used to it." Cassie sarcastically laughed at herself.
"Can you open the door?" I asked, clenching my jaw.
It took her a few minutes before opening it and focused her vision on everything but me. Her eyes were puffy and red, and for once in my life, I felt like shit. I blew off multiple women and never had second thoughts until now.
