Twelve

Cory

What the fuck had just happened. I leaned against the outer door for a moment and tried to put some order to the storm of thoughts running through my head. The look in his eyes. When he'd knelt at my feet, I had no clue what he was doing, and it took me completely by surprise that he wanted to take care of me.

"I didn't even offer to take care of him," I mumbled.

"Hey, Cory, are you going to the party?" another crew member asked me as he stepped out of his room down the hall.

"Hey, Carlos, yeah, are you?" I was so fucking happy for the change of subject I probably came off as way more excited about the party than I actually was. We chatted as we walked down the hall and then downstairs to where the crew party was being held. It was a large room that had been decorated with a tropical theme, but since we were in the Caribbean, every party had a tropical theme for the crew.

"About time you got here," Johnny said. "How's your roommate?" He handed me a beer and the two of us walked over to a couple of chairs and sat down.

"Weird." I took a big drink and tried to get the image of him on his knees out of my mind.

"What do you mean? Did he do something?" Johnny's voice was full of concern, and he settled his hand on my arm offering support as he waited for more details.

"Oh, he did something," I again found myself mumbling.

"What? What happened?"

"I went back to the room to take a shower before the party, and I forgot he was even there, so I turned the light on, and it woke him up. He was looking rough. And by rough, I mean like he probably hasn't gone a day without a drink in a while. I was worried he was going to throw up, but then I decided it was his problem not mine, so I went to take a shower."

"Is that it? You woke him up?" Johnny asked.

"Not exactly." I took a deep breath and proceeded to give him every detail while he listened with that calm expression he always had no matter what the situation. Right now, I was so happy for that calm that I could have kissed him. But telling him what had happened helped.

"Really? That doesn't sound like something he'd do. He seems like the kind to take what he wants and move on without a second thought. I mean not that I know the guy," Johnny said.

"That's what I thought too, and I did notice him at the beach and the restaurant, he was all over a couple that he seemed to be hooking up with. Then I saw him dancing with them earlier, he was all over them too. But I haven't seen them since then, and he hasn't mentioned them."

"So, they were most likely a hookup. Is that how he got on board?"

"I'm not sure. But I think he's never been held accountable for anything ever in his life. The part of town he said he's from is all mansions and mini mansions. It's not an area most people go to unless they live there or work there. It's very exclusive and very expensive. I don't even think he has a job. I think his life is one party after another." Saying it out loud made it sound even more sad than it probably was. I liked partying, but not daily and not full time. "How much of a life is that?" I asked.

"Not much. Maybe getting caught will do him some good," Johnny said. His eyes were focused on something else as he took a sip of his own beer. "I've had friends on board that were in a similar situation. Only they were working and partying. But you can't keep that up for very long before the cracks start to show."

"The way he looked at me . . . I don't know, it was just strange."

"What do you mean?" Johnny asked.

"It was like I was something special to him. That's the only way I can describe it. Like I meant something to him." It sounded strange even to me, but the more I pictured his face, the more the look in his eyes haunted me.

"Maybe you're one of the only people who hasn't caved to his every whim," Johnny said. "Some people know they need help, but they can't do it alone, and until someone else makes them aware of it they don't see it as a problem. Maybe you made him open his eyes."

"I doubt that. I barely spoke to him other than to let him know how much he bothered me. He was so drunk and acted like he thought everyone should do whatever he wanted them to do. I was tired, it was hot, and I didn't want to deal with a drunk frat boy," I rambled.

"Is he a frat boy? I thought he was older than that? Or is he an old frat boy? He can't still be in school, can he? Is he going to be a doctor or lawyer?" Johnny rambled right back.

"What? I don't think he's in college. I really don't think he does anything other than party." I tried to remember if he'd mentioned anything about a job or—well anything. But all I remembered was him flirting a little and me shooting him down. I'd dealt with enough drunks while working here and wasn't about to get too close to someone who lived their life party to party. "He'll be gone day after tomorrow anyway."

"What's he going to do all day tomorrow?" Johnny asked.

"I'm not sure. He can't leave the cabin unless he's with me, and I don't really want him following me around all day. I'm sure they won't want him working or doing anything to do with passengers. He has no wallet, and no way of paying for anything."

"Maybe you can help him take care of that stuff," Johnny said with an edge of worry to his words, making me feel a little guilty for treating JJ the way I had.

"Maybe. He looked awful earlier, but I told him to shower so maybe that will help."

"Cory, even I know that guy's not going to feel better after a shower. He passed out face down in his plate at the bar earlier."

My eyes widened and my head dropped in shock. I knew he was drunk but I hadn't seen that happen. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah, I didn't see it but that's what Liam told security." Johnny was friends with pretty much everyone on board so when something happened, he usually knew more about it than anyone else, and this was no exception.

"I knew he was at the bar, but I avoided him and when I went back, he was being led off."

"It doesn't look good for him. The only reason they didn't throw him in the brig was the captain knows his father. But I guess when he called, JJ's dad said he wasn't going to save him this time. Sounds like he's run out of options with his friends and family."

And I officially felt even worse than I already had for using him like I had earlier, not that I had instigated it, but because I didn't stop him.