Sail Away [COMPLETED]

Chapter 1 - "You were checking me out?"

The door to the closet Ty was currently occupying opened, letting in a stream of light and with it, another person. The closet was generous in size and the intruder didn't notice Ty sitting against the side wall as they stepped in and shut the door behind them.

"This is such a waste of time! What am I even doing here?" a deep voice muttered.

A utility light cast a dim gray glow over the closet and Ty watched as the tall guy pulled at the ends of his hair before dragging his hand down his face.

"How immature are they? There are a million things I should be doing this week but no, I'm stuck on a cruise ship. Without Wifi."

Ty paused for a moment, taking in the guy's frustrated mutterings, before returning to the crossword puzzle she had been doing.

She had encountered stranger things.

She thought it best to let him finish undisturbed. She returned to her puzzle, fully intending to remain unnoticed until her companion began spouting a different language.

"Das ist so bescheuert! Sie verstehen nicht, dass manche Leute für so ein Leben arbeiten müssen. Was für ein Haufen Mist!"

There was a break in the talking and Ty couldn't help herself. "No, I'm looking for a six letter word, vegetable often mashed."

The man jumped and turned toward Ty.

"What the - ?" he started to say.

She stopped him with a finger. "Before you rant in another language I feel the need to inform you I only understand English and Spanish."

Now that he was facing her, she could see he was much younger than his slacks and button-down made him seem. Probably no more than a few years older than she was. He stood, silent, his mouth hanging partially open.

"What are you doing in here?" he asked.

"Good guess, but I think the answer is potato." She filled in the small boxes.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"Ten letters, shark," she replied.

It distracted him for a moment. "Hammerhead," he snapped.

Ty tried the word out and smiled. "That's right. Now you're getting the hang of it. What about 4 letters, strongly recommend."

The crossword was torn out of her hand. "Do you often hide in closets, hoping to catch unsuspecting prey?" the guy accused.

"Only when they barge in ranting," she countered with a jovial smile. The guy seemed ready with a comeback when her words hit him. An embarrassed look crept over his face. "Or when they're speaking in German," she shrugged. "But other than that, never. That would almost be as weird as locking oneself in a closet and speaking in a different language."

"I got it," the guy snapped. "I'm the crazy one here."

"You said it, not me."

"Urge," he said. She frowned. "A four letter word that means to strongly recommend," he explained. He handed her crossword back.

"Thanks!"

She filled in the boxes and moved on to the next clue. A moment later, her companion joined her on the floor.

"Forty-three down is Iris," he said after a moment. She scanned her puzzle to find the coinciding clue. "Do you think I'm wrong?" he asked.

"I'm just checking. I only have a pen." He was right.

"Forty-four is style and forty-five is Achilles," he said.

"Who are you hiding from?" Ty asked, her gaze still on the puzzle.