A/N: The image above does not belong to me. It belongs to the person who uploaded it on the internet.

This is a continuation of Chapter 24

Earth's POV 

I drew in my breath sharply when I saw White behind the glass counter. I had forgotten that he was the sous chef.

I still clearly remember secretly exchanging contact numbers with him because as a ship employee he was prohibited to mingle socially with the passengers.

He winked at me when I approached him and my heart unexpectedly started dancing around inside my chest.

"Hello again," he said, in a very manly voice.

"How are you this morning?" I asked. I hated that my voice sounded very nervous.

"As you can see I'm having so much fun handing out my masterpieces to my customers," he said with a smile.

His lotus petal shaped eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled.

A/N: The image above does not belong to me. It belongs to the person who uploaded it on the internet.

"Are you free tonight?" I asked on impulse.

"I'm afraid not," he replied, "and even if I were, I am not allowed to go on a date with any passenger of this ship."

He must have noted the disappointment on my face because he quickly added, "I'm really sorry, but to make up for it, let me give you two of these banana nut muffins. I guarantee that you're gonna enjoy them."

"Why thank you!" I said, my smile reappearing on my face.

"Have fun!" he said with a small wave of his hand.

When I got back to the table, I noticed Podd looking sharply at me.

A/N: The image above does not belong to me. It belongs to the person who uploaded it on the internet.

"What did you do for the sous chef that earned you an extra banana nut muffin?" he asked, not bothering to soften the edge from his voice.

I knew I was going to regret saying it but for some reason I couldn't help teasing him by replying, "I just flirted with him a little and complimented him on his sexy lotus petal shaped eyes."

Podd tried to smile at my remark but I noticed that he had a glint in his eyes when he looked at me.

I started to get nervous. I hoped that I had not triggered some retaliatory reaction from him. I decided to do something to soften his attitude towards me.

I bit into one of the muffins and said, "Mmm, this tastes really good. Here, take the other one, you won't even think about counting the calories, it's that good."

When he hesitated to take it, I picked it up and placed it against his lips.

"Say aaahhh..." I said, willing him to open his mouth.

When he did open his mouth, I gently pushed a little part of it inside and he took a bite. Just one chew and he took it from me and took a bigger bite.

White wasn't bragging when he said that customers were guaranteed to enjoy his special muffin.

I was starting to think of a way for White and myself to meet again, at least in secret, since it would be against the ship's regulation, when I felt Podd nudging my elbow.

"Huh?" I asked a little absentmindedly.

"Newwie wants to know if you would like to join him and Tay for a dip in the pool," said Podd.

I felt undecided. My mind was still on White.

Before I could reply, someone approached our table and started talking to Tay.

Their exchange of words didn't seem too friendly, especially on Tay's part. I was not really inclined to know what it was all about.

Suddenly I saw Tay standing up from his chair and grabbing Newwie, not bothering to say goodbye to either Podd or me.

I noticed Podd smiling a little awkwardly at the guy.

"You wanna join us for coffee?" he offered the guy, but the guy shook his head.

"Thanks, but I'm alright," he said before walking away from us.

"What do you wanna do now?" I asked Podd.

"I'm gonna finish this second muffin that you gave me and drink my coffee leisurely," he replied, "and then I'm gonna take a stroll along the open deck for a little bit before I hit the gym."

"And you're planning to do all that without me," I muttered, giving him a reproachful look.

"Yes," he said remorselessly.

I stood up from the table.

"See you around sometime," I said, walking away as fast as I could.

I hadn't reached the door when I got grabbed by the wrist.

"This is the second time that you have taken my remarks too seriously," Podd said, leading me back to the breakfast table.

"How am I to know that you're just joking around when you say those things with a straight face," I complained.

"After the gym we can go and take that dip in the pool," he said, placing his hand over mine that was resting on the table top.

I started to wonder whether the physical intimacy that we had shared last night had meant anything to him at all.

"Sure," I said, the previous enthusiasm had somehow fizzled out of my system.

I watched him as he popped the last piece of his muffin into his mouth.

He was already lifting his coffee cup to his mouth when his phone sounded.

He took it out of his pocket.

"Yes, Newwie," I heard him say.

Oh, so he had Newwie on his contact list. I wondered how many more passengers on this ship was on his contact list.

"No," he said on his phone, "I'm thinking of spending the rest of the day with Earth."

Wait, okay, so he was turning down Newwie's company for mine.

That made me feel a little better.

As soon as he finished drinking his coffee, he grabbed my wrist.

"Let's go, sweetheart," he said, leading me out of the Breakfast Room.

I was starting to get confused.

What exactly was I to him, a friend with benefits, or something more?

He opened the door that led out into the open deck and stepped aside for me to go first.

He walked towards the railing and I followed him there. Then he took his phone out of his pocket and plugged in his earpiece into it, handing out one end to me and putting the other end into his ear.

"Listen to this," he said.

The song didn't sound familiar to me. I listened carefully to the lyrics.

Was he trying to tell me something through this song?

"..... felt so close but you were far away...... left me without anything to say...

Now I'm speechless, over the edge, I'm just breathless

I never thought that I'd catch this lovebug again..."

"It's one of my favorite songs by the Jonas Brothers," he said after we listened to the last line of the song.

"It sounds good," I said. I did not know what else to say.

"What do you think of the lyrics?" he asked.

What did he want me to say, that I understood what he was trying to say to me? I wasn't going to risk saying that.

I leaned against the railing and looked out into the ocean.

"I think I've caught the love bug," he said, turning to face me and waiting for a reaction from me.