“Wow, Sam, you’re runway hot!” Kamiko said. She stood up from the couch and gave me a big hug.
“Thanks, Kamiko,” I smiled. “How was your Winter Break?”
“Pretty boss,” Kamiko said.
I was confused. “You mean you enjoyed it?”
“No,” she smirked, “I mean my family bossed me around the whole time. Not just my parents. My older brothers and sisters, too. Since I’m the youngest, it’s like having six parents. They ragged on me all break because I got a B+ in O-chem. So I locked myself in my room the whole time and binged on watching episodes of Adventure Time and Bravest Warriors while drawing both show’s characters in my sketchbook.”
“Did you draw Catbug?” Romeo asked.
“Sugar peas!” Kamiko squealed, flinging her arms wide.
I wasn’t sure who or what a Catbug was. I suspected I’d find out over the course of winter quarter while hanging in Kamiko’s dorm room between classes.
“Everybody ready?” Christos asked.
“I think so,” I said. Romeo and Kamiko nodded at me. “Let’s hit it!”
We all piled into Christos’ 1968 Camaro downstairs.
“Where are we going, Christos?” Romeo asked from the back seat. “Sam said it was some kind of awesome surprise.”
“It should be pretty awesome,” Christos replied.
“Are you going to kidnap us, tie us up in some morbid dungeon, then have your way with us?” Romeo mused.
“Only Samantha,” Christos joked, rubbing my knee.
“Always a bridesmaid,” Romeo sulked.
Christos fired up the Camaro, its engine rumbling in anticipation of the open road as Christos pulled the car onto the street outside my apartment.
SAMANTHA
A short time later, we pulled into a parking lot just south of the airport, right next to the water in the San Diego Bay. The sun rested on the horizon. The sky overhead was a mix of purple and magenta hues dabbed with golden clouds that caught the last of the sun’s rays. It was beautiful.
“Welcome to the marina,” Christos said as he shifted the Camaro into park.
“What’re we doing here?” I asked excitedly.
“Going for a boat ride,” he replied.
Romeo leaned forward, both hands on the seat back in front of him, poking his head between me and Christos. “I knew it! You’re going to take us to a deserted island and make us your pirate slaves! Christos, please tell me you’re going to wear an eyepatch!”
Christos grinned. “Sorry, man. I left it at home. Besides, the closest island is San Clemente. The Navy owns that, so it’s not deserted.”
“Is San Clemente filled with sex-starved Navy men? If it is, you can drop me off there. I won’t complain,” Romeo smiled.
I laughed. “OMG, Romeo! Do you ever quit?”
“My apologies, Sam, I’m just so excited to see you all again after break. You know how reunions make me a horny bitch.”
Still laughing, I climbed out of the car and flipped the front seat forward so Romeo and Kamiko could get out.
“I can’t wait to see this boat,” Romeo said excitedly, clambering out of the car.
“Maybe the captain will make you his cabin boy,” Kamiko said, following.
“I hope he looks like Gregory Peck as Captain Ahab,” Romeo tittered. “I’ll walk his gang plank any day, if you know what I mean.”
“I remember that movie!” I said. “We watched Moby Dick in high school during AP English.”
“I bet Romeo fantasizes about Ahab hunting for
“You guys!” I pleaded.
Christos chuckled, totally amused.
“Well, it’s more of an olive-colored whale,” Romeo snickered like a crazy man, “but yeah, I’d totally let Gregory Peck as Ahab hunt for it all he wants, as long as he harpoons me before the night is over.” Romeo wiggled his butt at us.
I clapped my hand to my forehead. “I think Romeo’s disease is contagious,” I sighed to Christos. “Guys, can we talk about Santa Claus, or something non-sexual for, like, five seconds?”
“You know,” Romeo said mischievously, “I always loved it when my parents put me on dirty old Santa’s lap as a kid…”
I scowled, “Okay, you just ruined Christmas for me, Romeo. Like, forever.”
Romeo cackled with glee as we walked out along the dock toward wherever our boat was moored. We passed dozens of different kinds of boats of every shape and size. Were we getting on a sailboat? Or one of those cool motorboats that went a hundred miles an hour?
As we walked farther and farther, the boats got bigger and bigger.
“Which one is it, Christos?” I asked.
“The one with all the people,” he said.
“The huge one at the end?”
“Yup.”
“OMG, it looks like a freakin’ yacht.”
“It
“Is it yours?” I gasped.
“Hardly,” he smiled.
There was a small crowd of a half-dozen people still on the dock and more on board.
“Sam!” Madison stepped out of the crowd and waved. She jogged toward me, gorgeous as ever. “So good to see you, girlfriend!”
“Mads!” We hugged like long-lost BFFs. “I didn’t know you were going to be here! You look totally Hollywood tonight, girl! You’re all glammed out!”
“Gotta dress up once in awhile,” she grinned. “Yeah, Jake made me keep it a secret.”
Jake stepped up behind her. “What up, guys.” He bumped fists with Christos before they clapped backs. “How was D.C., bro?”
“Cold as witch tits,” Christos replied.
“I hear that, bro,” Jake said knowingly.
“Why do guys always say things like that?” Madison frowned. “Have either of you ever
Christos and Jake looked back and forth between me and Madison, then back at each other.
I frowned at them. “Don’t answer that.”
They both burst out laughing.
“Such boys,” Madison said, putting her arm around Jake. “Sam, I brought leashes and muzzles for them both, just in case.”
“So, Christos,” I asked, “whose boat is this?”
He put his arm lovingly around me. “Didn’t I tell you?”
Despite the festive atmosphere, I jumped as if someone had driven a dump-truck full of black cats and broken mirrors over my grave. I gasped with trepidation, “Tell me what?”
“Uhhh…” Christos mumbled, caught off guard by my sudden change in tone.
Fearing an unexpectedly ominous turn of events, I peered into Christos’ eyes. A quick flash blinked across them, then it was gone.
Why did I have the sudden conviction that with every awesome surprise came an equally earthquaking catch?
What wasn’t he telling me?
