“Yeah? That’s great, Kyle. Are you going to see him again?”
I shrug. “This ship is huge. I’ll probably never run into him again. Besides, I’m not very interesting compared to everyone else out there.” I glance down at my khaki shorts and plain white T-shirt doubting that I could hold anyone’s interest even if I tried.
“Hey, don’t say that,” John says. “You’re one of the most interesting people I know. You just need to give yourself a chance.”
Sarah appears over his shoulder. “Kyle Brown, you are gorgeous. One day you’ll realise just how handsome you are. And you’re smart, and kind, and—”
“I get the picture.” I can’t help smiling.
“Just promise us you’ll go out to dinner tonight. You’ve got to eat, don’t you?”
“They have room service,” I tease.
“Kyle!”
I chuckle. They may nag me but I know they only have my best interests at heart. “Okay Mum and Dad, I’ll go out to dinner.”
“Har har,” John says, his smile growing wider. “And make sure you actually talk to people, okay? Don’t just sit in a corner and eat by yourself.”
“I’ll try.”
“Great. Now go have fun. We want to hear everything when you get back.” With that, he ends the call, and the cabin is suddenly quiet again.
The prospect of socialising on my own is daunting, but I take a deep breath and gather my courage as I change for dinner.
The moment I step out of my cabin, I run into people in the corridor—guests making their way to the public areas, cabin attendants with carts filled with cleaning supplies, a couple of drunk woman stumbling through an open cabin door. I steel myself and navigate the crowded hallways, until I find myself at the entrance to the ship’s buffet. A quick squirt of hand sanitiser from the person at the door and I’m inside surrounded by more food than I’ve seen in my life.
For a moment I’m regretful that I didn’t just order room service again, but I promised John.
The sheer variety of food on display is overwhelming. A colourful assortment of salads, breads, sushi rolls, steaming platters of exotic dishes from all corners of the globe, a carvery, a pizza station, and an entire island dedicated to desserts leaves me unsure where to begin. I decide to stick with what I know—roast beef and vegetables. After piling up my plate with familiar food, and grabbing a beer, I weave through the crowd, looking for an empty table.
“Hey, neighbour,” someone says as I walk past a table, and I realise they’re talking to me.
I look and see two women who look somewhat familiar but I can’t place them.
One of them laughs. “The cabin next door. We waved across the balcony.”
Of course!Now I remember. “Oh, hey, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Kyle.”
“I’m Kate, and this is Lindy,” the blonde says.
Lindy gestures to the seat next to her. “We’ve got room if you want to join us.”
“Uh, sure. Thanks,” I say, relief washing over me as I put down my plate and take a seat. They both seem friendly and laid back.
“Are you enjoying the cruise so far, Kyle? Is it what you expected?” Kate asks.
“It was a gift so I didn’t really have any expectations. I guess the whole experience has been… different?” I say, fiddling with my fork. “I’m not really used to being around so many people.”
“You’ll get the hang of it soon enough. Besides, we’re all here to have fun, right?” Lindy says. “We’ve enjoyed the first couple of days so far.”
“Speaking of fun,” Kate says, raising her glass of wine in a toast. “We’re celebrating our engagement on this cruise.”
“Congratulations! That’s wonderful news.”
“Thank you,” Lindy beams, her eyes filled with love as she gazes at Kate and taps their wine glasses together.
“So how did you two meet?” I ask, picking up my knife.
