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 Chapters 43 and 45

Podd's POV

After we finished listening to the song, I turned to face Earth.

He was pulling out the earpiece from his ear and was handing it to me, saying "thank you" at the same time.

I don't know what made me say it.

"I think I've caught the love bug" the instant that the words were out, I regretted it.

I could tell from the expression on his face that, first, I had given him a shock, and second, he did not reciprocate my feelings.

Was it because he was attracted to the sous chef White instead?

I tried to suppress the hurt and jealousy that stabbed at my chest.

"It's alright, it's alright," I said hastily, "you don't have to say a word. Listen, I'm gonna leave you here and you can do whatever you want."

"Where are you going?" he asked.

I wanted to say, as far away from you as possible.

"I was thinking of taking a dip in the pool until lunch time," I replied, and drown myself, I wanted to add.

"Why don't we swim together?" he offered.

"You don't have to come with me," I said, "I'm used to swimming alone."

"But I'm not used to swimming alone," I heard him say, "so I need your company."

"I'm sure that by this time the sous chef has finished his duties in the kitchen," I said, "why don't you invite him to swim with you?"

"But I don't want his company," said Earth, "I want yours."

"Earth," I actually felt that I was begging, "please let me have some alone time. I really feel I need it."

"Why are you pushing me away?" Earth asked, clearly offended, "is it because I did not respond to your declaration the way that you wanted me to?"

I did not respond. He was stating a fact but I was too embarrassed to admit it.

I felt him taking my hand and holding it lightly.

He looked deeply into my eyes.

"Podd," he was saying but I looked away, unable to meet his eyes.

He shook me a little.

"Podd, look at me please," he was saying.

I continued to look everywhere else except at him.

"Podd, I do feel something for you, but I don't want to be hasty and declare that what I feel is love. I need to explore my feelings a little more. What if what I feel for you is just physical attraction? For all I know that's what you feel as well but you're mistaking it for feelings of love," he stopped talking and waited for my reaction to his little speech.

I looked across the ocean, still unable to meet his gaze.

"You could be right," I conceded, "but I know for sure that this feeling that I have is very strong and if I'm going to end up getting hurt, I might as well avoid you before it gets any stronger. I should start making friends with other people."

"Like who, Newwie?" he asked sharply, "were the two of you actually on a breakfast date earlier? Was I just third wheeling there a while ago? Are you turning to me now just because he left you for Tay?"

He was sounding angry now.

"Stop it, Earth," I said, "I don't feel anything for Newwie. I'm happy that he has found Tay."

"Then why won't you spend time with me?" he demanded to know.

"I just told you!" I didn't mean to raise my voice.

A couple who were also leaning against the railing just a few feet away from us turned to look at us.

"Please, Earth," I pleaded in a lower voice, "please just look for someone else to keep you company. I promise I will be able to forget you quickly enough."

"Damn you, Podd," Earth let go of my hand, "if there's anyone who's capable of hurting other people's feelings, it's you. You're as cold as ice once you have made up your mind about cutting people off from your life."

And with that, he started walking away.

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

Earth's POV

I held back my tears. I did not want him to see how badly he had hurt me.

I left him standing against the railing. I walked towards the exit of the open deck.

When I looked back, he wasn't even watching me walk away. He had already turned to face the ocean again.

I went back to my cabin to change into my swimming trunks. I draped my large navy blue towel across my shoulder and made my way to the pool.

I saw Newwie and Tay in the pool. They were not really swimming. They were both just standing against the side of the pool, immersed in the water, deep in conversation.

There were a few others swimming back and forth, making smooth and even strokes across the water.

Just as I was about to dive in, I heard someone say "hey" behind me.

I turned around.

"Do I know you?" I asked, because I really didn't know who this stranger was who was flashing his pearly whites at me, in a very attractive smile.

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

"No, you don't," he said, holding out his hand to me, "Let me introduce myself. I'm Tul. I'm vacationing alone and I was hoping to make some friends on this ship."

I took the hand that he was holding out to me.

"And I'm Earth," I said with a smile.

At that exact moment, Podd walked into the pool area. His eyes were fixed on my hand still holding on to Tul's. He was in his swimwear.

"Tul!" suddenly another guy rushed towards us and grabbed Tul away from me.

"Tul, please, I can explain," the guy was saying, "please give me a chance to explain.

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

Tul turned to him with an icy stare.

"You don't owe me any explanation, Max" I heard him say just before he sliced into the water, leaving Max tongue tied and wide eyed.

"What happened between the two of you?" I couldn't help asking.

He didn't bother to answer me but jumped right into the water. In a few quick strokes he had reached Tul. He grabbed Tul by the neck and pressed his lips on him.

"Just how many boyfriends do you have on this ship???" I jumped at the sound of Podd's voice. I had not realized that he was standing very close to me.