‘She’s got it’ said as his girlfriend answered his call. Watching his friend twirl the envelope and staring down the street in both directions to find someone who could’ve delivered it.  ‘Well, I’m nearly there now. I’ll call ye in ten. Kissy’ and hang up. She parked her car around the corner from his house. Having lend some clothes from a befriended postman, put on the cap and jacket, then got out of the car. The red envelope in her hands, she walked up to the door. put it  against the door, rang the doorbell and ran off. Behind the pilar of the gate, she saw how picked up the red envelope, looked round and went inside. ‘Mission accomplished’ she texted .

  Meanwhile had gone back inside and opened the red envelope. She took out the content and started on the letter

  ‘Dear Miss ,

  Welcome a-board, it’s love !
50 single men and 50 single women, aboard a cruise ship on the most romantic day of the year.’

  ‘Oh you so did not’  murmured, grabbed her phone and called . ‘Hi babe, what’s up’  ‘Did you or did you not sign me up for a singles cruise on Valentines Day?’  skipped the ‘hello’ part. ‘Guilty as charged, I’m afraid’ confessed. ‘What the hell did you do that for?’ asked with a wining tone. ‘You need to find someone else darling. ’s not gonna see the light. You can’t keep waiting for him forever, you know’  heard her best friend sigh on the other end of the line which meant she was buying into it.
and had signed both and onto a Valentines Day cruise for singles. Intending for them to meet and finally admit to each other their was so much more between them then just a mere friendship.

  ‘Allright, I’ll try’ decided. ‘That’s the spirit . I only want you to have a good time and try to forget there ever was a man called ’  said. ’Thank you, ’ said and hung up after had said goodbye.  ‘I should get an Oscar for this performance’ smirked.

  ‘What the hell were you thinking’ said when answered the call. ‘What was I thinking about what?’ pretended to haven’t got a clue what his friend was on about. ‘The Valentines Day cruise ’ rolled his eyes. ‘Oh that, well we’ve got the day off mate, I thought you could use a little distraction’  ‘ why would I want to meet 50 single girls, when none of them will be the girl that I actually want and am in love with’ sighed. ‘That’s just the point mate, none of them will be and that’s just for the better. She’s never going to see you in a different way, . Maybe this cruise will help you move on. I’m not expecting you to come back with wedding plans, but it’s a start to a life without being constantly on your mind’ speeched on the other end of the line. sighed. ’You’re right . I can’t keep waiting for her’  ’So, you’re going then?’  ’Yeah, I’m going’ said. ’That’s my boy. Well have fun then mate, talk to ye later’ said and hung up. ‘Fun’ sighed. The only people that were gonna have fun were all the people on the boat that would recognize him and have the paparazzi and other press have a field day with this story. He could see the headlines of Monday papers already : ’Desperate heartthrob goes on Valentines Day singles cruise’ . Never the less he went upstairs and started packing.

  ** Two Days Later **

  ‘Welcome aboard Miss’  ‘Miss ’ smiled softly at the purser. ‘Ah yes Miss . Your in cabin 318. You can collect your key at the reception inside’ he smiled back at her. ‘Thank you’ she gave him a curt nod and walked towards the reception. While was getting her key, had just boarded the ship. ‘Welcome on board, sir’  ‘ ’  ‘Mr. ’  the purser searched through the list. ‘Ah yes. You’re in cabin 317. You can get the key at the reception inside’  ‘thanks, mate’ smiled and went inside.

  had put her suitcase in her cabin and after having marvelled over all the luxury, left her compartment to venture about the ship. Only a few seconds later, the door across the hall from ’s cabin opened and out came , ready to check out the rest of the ship.
had gotten himself a drink and a nice seat so he could overlook the entire bar when a familiar face walked in. His heart pounded in his chest.   What was she doing here? He didn’t know whether to hide or to go up to her, but he felt embarrassed. was one of his closest friends and though he wanted her to be more then just a close friend, he didn’t want to show her he was so desperately single he needed a singles cruise to get a date. had been so wrapped up in his thoughts that he hadn’t noticed had spotted him.
Her palms felt sweaty and she felt her cheeks go red. What in God’s name was doing here? Was all this a joke? Maybe the others were here too, maybe they were recording this with a hidden camera. She looked round, but all the men and women in the bar didn’t look like they were dressed up or resembled anything like her friends. ‘It’s , for god sakes ’ she said softly to herself then went over to him. ‘Hi, I’m ’ she smiled and put out her hand. ‘ , I know that.’ smirked. ‘It’s a singles cruise isn’t it? I don’t think that people are supposed to know each other’ said softly, looking round. chuckled ‘I’m , can I get you a drink, ?’  ‘That’s so nice of you to offer. My usual’ ‘What is your usual , I do not know you’  asked, looking a playfully triumphant, for beating her at her own game. ‘Aahhw, that’s right, . Ice tea, please’  ‘Ice tea for the smart sexy lady coming up’ smiled and got up.
had blushed insanely at ’s comment and hoped strongly he hadn’t seen it.

  While was waiting for ’s drink to arrive he speed dialled . ‘ mate, how’s it going, did meet a cute lass yet?’  ‘What the hell are you playing at . ’s on this ship’  ‘What? . Our ? As in best friend . The girl you love so much you went on a cruise to forget about her, ?’  ‘Cut it out . Did or did you not know, was going on this cruise’  felt adrenaline rush through his veins.
On the other end of the line, ashore, far away from where two of their friends were on a cruise ship, looked at , holding his hand over the speaker. ‘What do I tell him?’ he mouthed. ‘Truth’ mouthed back.
‘Really?’  ‘Yes, really’  nodded. smiled and nodded.  ‘Yes I did, mate’  ‘WHAT?’ shouted, feeling very aware of everyone, including his crush,  looking at him.  ‘Look . and I thought it was time for you to get your feelings out in the open. You’ll never tell what you really feel if any of us are around, so when we saw this advertisement for a singles cruise on Valentines Day we figured that would be the most ideal moment and time. Far away from your friends who embarrass you’ explained. ‘Right, thanks mate.’ ‘Tell her, . You know how our song goes ‘now I’m gonna confess that I love you, I’ve been keeping it inside, feeling I could die’ advised. ‘I guess your right . It’s now or never’ looked at , who looked away again as soon as their eyes met. ’s heart ached. The way she looked away, told him exactly what he needed to know. 

  had in the mean time texted , that was on the ship aswell and had asked if knew about it. had texted back saying she did know would go on the cruise and that had enrolled because she had thought that , without all of the others there, it might be a good time to tell how she really felt about him.  had texted again telling her that she was probably right, what did she have to loose, then she had looked up, met ’s eye, felt her heart jump and looked away again. When she looked up again, arrived with her drink. ‘Bad reception huh, just now?’ asked. ‘What? Oh that, yeah, was calling ’ said as he sat down. ‘Ah, how is ?’  asked. ‘He’s fine’ answered. ‘Good’ nodded.
They both took a sip from their drinks.
 ‘ , did get you up to this?’ asked. ‘Get me up to what?’ raised an eyebrow. ‘Did you sign yourself up for this cruise, then?’ asked. ‘Sign myself up? Noo. No, it was ’  ‘Right’  ‘Did you sign yourself up?’ asked. ‘No, did’ smirked. ‘Did she?’ pretended to be surprised. nodded.  ‘Do you think they might’ve done it, so that we would meet?’ asked. ’Why would they do that, we’re just friends. We can arrange to meet without them’ shrugged. ’Just friends’ repeated. ’Yes, aren’t we?’ looked up at him. felt all the colour and warmth flow out of his body.
The seconds he looked in the eye felt like minutes and just as quick as his courage had failed him, it came back again. He lay his hand on her hand that lay on the table. ‘I’ve been wanting us to become more then friends for a long long time now, ’  There he had said it. The words were out, now it was only waiting for to tell him she didn’t want him in that way and for her to leave him behind, broken hearted. But that didn’t happen, instead he heard her squeak ’You do?’. nodded.
felt braver then she looked when she launched herself forwards and pressed her lips on ’s. Then it seemed to hit her what she was doing and she pulled away again. eyes sparkled a million times as bright, when she met them. He sat closer to her. ’So, I’m guessing that’s your way of saying, you wanted us to become more then just friend for a long time too?’ he asked, caressing her cheek with the back of his hand. felt her heart pound in her throat. ’I’ve been in love with you ever since we met’ she blushed scarlet red. ’And knew about it’  asked. ’She did. And knew that I had fallen for you’ smiled, moving so close to now that the space between them had now gone. ’And so they signed us up for a Valentines cruise. So we would meet and tell each other the truth’ finished. ’What truth?’ asked, playfully. ’ , I think I love you’ said softly. ’ , you don’t think, you know. And guess what? I know I love you’ smiled. He looked at her for another second before he leaned in and softly brushed his lips against hers. A flash of light broke them apart.  ‘The love boat did it again’ the photographer smiled brightly.


THE END



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