It’s going to be the party of the century. Three nights cruising the Caribbean; three nights cruising onboard the Caron, the most luxurious boat ever built, or so it says on the brochure but let us not be petty; on the menu you have twenty three concerts, six discotheques, eight restaurants, ten bars, two Olympic swimming pools, three spas, free booze and the hottest boys and girls of the whole eastern seaboard partying all night long just for the sake of it. And you’ve got tickets! Four tickets to be exact: one for you, one for Debra, your little sister and two for Caroline and Nicole, your roommates.
Debra is the absolute opposite of you in looks but so similar in mind. She is small where you are tall and brunette where you are blond but the both of you share this will to live that people around you tend to envy. “The Restless Sisters, literally,” that is how you are know in your home town. Yes that is your last name: Samantha Restless.
Caroline is, as all redheads, fiery. You have know her all your life. She grew up in the house next to yours. The crappy clothes, tattoos and piercings are a message to the world: “I haven’t finished my rebellious teenager phase but you’ll have to forgive me, I had a terrible childhood”. You know for a fact that it is untrue but you do not care: she is a great cook, a great wing woman and a great friend.
Nicole is the most recent addition to your little group. You met her a few months ago in the campus library while preparing a paper on Bram Stoker’s Dracula. She approached you because of that book, that’s why you remember it. She was looking for a place to crash for a few days after she had been dumped by her boyfriend. You offered her the extra bed in the room you were sharing with Caroline and she had stayed ever since. She is nice, clever and her nerdy style tends to make you stand out in the crowd.
Over the past three days you have driven all the way down from Massachusetts, your home state, to be here and enjoy the wildest summer break of your life. You left the car at the long term parking of the Miami international airport and took two cabs to reach Pier 9 to board the Caron. You have checked in your luggage and now you are slowly climbing the footbridge that will take you on the boat where the party will start.
Just ahead of you, a tall crew-member is checking the tickets. Really nice looking, blond, large shoulders, potent hands, a winner smile and a sparkle of mischief in the eye, exactly what you are looking for… at least for tonight.
Only one small issue though, he would really need to work on his tan, he’s terribly pale. As you hand him the tickets you are assaulted by a strong smell of sunscreen. You wink at him and give him your most seductive smile. He smiles back, checks your ticket again for your room number and winks in return.
His name tag says: Dylan…
“Welcome onboard!” he says.
You cannot stop yourself from feeling a bit weak at the knees. Debra and the girls drag you in their wake away from your daydream. Just before entering the sea Behemoth, you turn around and notice that he is now checking your ass. Good sign…
A bit further away another crew-member offers you a welcome drink. You accept but before taking the glass you pause looking at his hand. He is as pale as Dylan… Odd… Getting back to the yellow nectar in your hand you dismiss the though and move on. It tastes good, some sort of orange juice with something like vodka or maybe tequila, hard to identify. Yet another crewmember, a tiny woman of Latin origin called Esme, walks you and a large group of people through the entrails of the boat explaining the signs and how to get around. Once again you cannot stop from noticing the pallor of her skin. Once she gets you to your room, you tip her.
The tickets you got cost you a fortune but now you understand why. The Suite is absolutely gigantic, three bedrooms, a small balcony overlooking the main bridge, a bathroom bigger than the room you share at the university and in the bathroom a bathtub that could compete in size with a small pool.
“Let’s get the party started,” screams Nicole, jumping on the bed.
“I’d love to enjoy the view as we leave the Harbor, let’s go to the Celestial Bar!” offers Debra
Caroline and Nicole agree. The three girls are getting ready to leave.