"Sometimes love doesn't make any sense. Sometimes it just jumps up, surprises you, and sinks its teeth into you. Despite your best efforts to swat it away. Sometimes it sneaks in."
-Todd Blume

TEMPEST

I make my way down the hall as the final passengers of the Mayflower board. Tomorrow I'll be set adrift in space for the next thirteen years. I push through the crowd of scientists, engineers, doctors, teachers, and their families, trying my best not to knock over any of their suitcases or seem too rude. I have to live with these people, maybe even make friends with them. Maybe one day work with them. I force a smile as I squeeze between bodies, and try not to sound too frustrated when I say, "Excuse me." After all, it's not their fault I'm in such a bad mood. The Mayflower in general makes me angry, but I'm still calming down after my little fight with Mom, just in time to make it to dinner with Yuri.

I decided to wear one of the nicer dresses I packed, but not my nicest. That I'm saving for a more special occasion... or a "rainy day," whichever comes first. The dress comes down to my knees and is mostly black except for a few pink and yellow sprays of follows in the pattern. I didn't bother to do anything with my hair, mostly because I forgot to pack my straightening iron, but also because I don't want to look like I've put too much energy into dinner. It's true that I used to be interested in Yuri, but I can't give him the satisfaction of knowing his little mind game to get me on this ship was welcomed. Because of this, my hair is drying frizzy and wavy. I look like I've just spent the day at the beach. The beach... I'll miss the beach.

At the end of the hall is a door marked "Captain's dining room," where I can only assume Yuri is waiting for me. He may not be the actual captain of the Mayflower, but I'm sure Yuri would beg to differ.

Then I open the door, and a bit of that bitterness toward Yuri melts away at the sight of hundreds of glowing candles. My mouth falls open, and as much as I would have tried to fight it seconds earlier, a smile sneaks into my lips as I allow myself—my special self, the only other person in the room besides Yuri—to take it all this boy has done for our first dinner together.

The deep purple walls glow a warm burgundy in the candlelight, and four guys in penguin suits stand in front of each of the walls of the room, including one beside me who shuts the door after ushering me further inside. I laugh at the formality, but still continue toward the long, mahogany table, covered with red roses and glowing candles. I hate how much I'm enjoying this.

Yuri stands at the end of the table, with a smile and, contrary to the rest of the room, casual outfit. He wears faded blue jeans and—if I'm being honest—a slightly wrinkled black button down. But then he smiles, and I remember why I had been so enchanted by him all those years ago. His entire face seems to smile, from his lips to his eyes, and he gestures toward the chair beside him for me to sit.

I bite my lip, but neither of us say a word. I'm not sure what to say to him. I'm angry that I'm here because of him, and somehow also full of butterflies to be here in his presence. I'm a fourteen-year-old girl again, being pulled by some force outside of herself toward the emperor's son. The son of the most influential person on this ship, who will one day be the most influential person in a whole new world. The promise of power mixed with Yuri's romantic side shining through in this moment energizes my legs to send me forward, until I'm at his side.

"Hi," I finally say.

He closes his lips, but the smile never fades. "Tempest Becker. It's been way too long."

"I guess it has."

"Did you get my flowers? And my note?"

Ew, the note. I am suddenly jolted from the hazy mist of romance and sent back to my mess of a life. "Right, the note. The first chapter of our love story? Really?"

I know I'm angry, but I'm also surprised at how easily the sarcasm comes out of my mouth. This is a boy I looked up to for years as perfection, and now I'm sassing him. I'm sassing the second most powerful person on this ship... does that make me the new most powerful person? I smile at my boldness.

"Too much?" he asks, wincing. He looks around the room. "Maybe this is all too much." He leans down to the table and starts blowing out candles.

"No," I say, stopping him with a quick press of my hands to his shoulders. I'm touching Yuri Oshiro. Once again, I'm angry at myself for feeling so giddy. I shrug the giddiness away, and do my best to speak as steadily as I can. "I like the candles."

He rises up, standing somehow closer to me now than he was before. I remove my hands from his shoulders, but he grabs one of my hands before I can return it to my side. He pulls my knuckles to his lips and plants a kiss on my skin. The moment directly after his lips leave my skin seems to last an eternity, his dark brown eyes focused on me as he slowly pulls away. I feel my heart flip inside my chest.

"Too much?" he asks.

A shudder rolls through me, but not a single bit of it feels wrong. Maybe it won't be too bad being stuck on this ship for the next thirteen years, I wonder, shaking my head. "No."

He smiles again. Another shudder. "Would you like to sit down?" he asks.

I nod my head. "Yes."

He laughs. "Ok." I sit in the chair he's pulled out for me, and even though the table is grand and long and ridiculously regal, he ignores it all to sit in the seat directly beside me. It's only then that I realize that he hasn't let go of my hand yet. He runs his thumb over my knuckles, over the place he kissed me.

"I spoke to your mom," he says.

The shudders stop. The butterflies stop.

"Ok?"

He runs his thumb over my knuckles again. "She said you weren't happy to be here."

I swallow hard. What do I say? The truth is, I'm not, he has to know that no one would be happy being forced off of their planet for some ridiculous boy's whims. But maybe he really doesn't. Maybe he didn't realize that the spark that was once between us faded over the years. Maybe he never stopped being enchanted by me. I decide to break the news lightly.

"She's mostly right," I admit, "but I've only been on board for a few hours." I smile coyly, and he pours some white wine into a glass in front of me. It's not the first time I will have drunk wine, but mom and dad still wouldn't approve. I decide that this time, I will stick to one glass, unlike the last time in Madrid. That was a night I don't want to repeat here.

"I've already made a friend," I continue, "Neo. He's doing a great job of carrying out your 'too muchness' for you when you're not around."

He laughs. "I'm glad." He sips his wine. "So I didn't ruin your life? I'm sorry, I didn't even think."

I half want to punch him. Of course, he didn't think about it, because he's never had to think about what anyone else wants for his whole life. When all is said and done, he's just a spoiled prince. But he's also an enthralling, handsome prince who I also want to punch myself for liking.

The truth is that he did ruin my life. But it's also true that maybe the life I'll have on the Mayflower will be better, or at least more adventurous. I'm going to go to a new planet, for crying out loud.

I smile and tell a little lie. "No. You didn't ruin my life."

My brain yells at me for falling into his web of seduction, but those butterflies are just having a blast deep in my heart.

I'm a smart girl, but I've always listened more to my heart. I take a sip of wine, and allow my fingers to wrap around his. If I want to un-ruin my life, I better lean into all the changes, even if my brain hates me for it now.