"Now, we'll be swimming around the bay. The whole thing will take about an hour, so if you don't think you can handle that, now is the time to stop. There is some wild life and some coral specimens around here, and you are warned not to touch the coral. Now, if you'll find partners, then check equipment, we'll begin over there, in five minutes," said the instructor.

Cairo was standing on the edge of the beach, gripping her flippers, snorkel and mask, looking about her to find a partner. It seemed that everyone had come in pairs.

Someone tapped her shoulder. It was Neil, the guy with the basketball.

"Need a partner?" he asked.

"Sure there's no basketball around?" she asked, smiling.

"No, not much use out here, sprays too much," he said, blushing slightly.

"Whatever happened to 'play where you can'?" Cairo asked.

"Uh, it's been suspended for the day. It got me into trouble, you know," he said, playing her game.

"Really? Can't imagine why. Neil right?"

"Yeah. Cairo?"

"Yup. So, you're a snorkeler?"

"Actually, I'm really into scuba diving, but they don't have an expedition going out, and I don't know anyone else whose certified," he responded.

"Scuba diving? Wow. I haven't been able to learn that stuff yet, too claustrophobic. But I'm into the snorkeling idea," she said, while fighting a losing battle to squeeze her sandy feet into her flippers.

"You should put those on in the water. It washes out the sand," he said as he led her into the water. Cairo could have kicked herself for her lack of common sense.

"I've never started off a beach before. I normally just jump in off a dock," she explained.

"So, where have you been before? Snorkeling, I mean?" he asked, while bending down to secure his fins.

"Just lakes. Boring old lakes. My family has a cottage on a lake, in Northern Ontario. But it just can't compare to this," she explained, gesturing to the water with her hands.

"Tell me about it. Ontario? You from Canada?" he asked, surprised.

"Yes. Grew up in a TINY town in Ontario, a few years ago I moved to Toronto. But, I'm leaving it all behind. In about 3 ½ days, I'll be moving into my new house in Orlando," she said.

"Wow, that's quite a change," he said.

"Well, that's the point. So, what do you do? For a living, I mean. Are you a student?" she asked.

"Um, no. I'm in the, uh, entertainment business," he fumbled. She frowned. He seemed uncertain about what to answer for her question.

"Well, we're in almost the same business. I'm a writer," she offered, to move the subject away from something that was obviously making him uncomfortable.

"Really? What kind of writing?" he seemed interested.

"Fiction. Horror mostly. Lots of blood, possessions, ghosts and devils. That kind of thing. It's pleasant stuff," she said smiling.

"Have you published anything? Maybe I've read it?" he asked.

"My first novel was published when I was 16. I was a child prodigy. I've had about 9 others printed since then," she said, laughing over the child prodigy part.

"Wow. Cairo...Cairo Williams! Oh my god, I just finished reading Cat's Eyes, about a week ago. Wow, I can't believe I couldn't, I mean that I didn't recognize your name."

"Cat's Eyes! Ah, the one about the cat," she said, seriously.

"There was no cat in it. But it was really good, the way the end was completely unexpected and stuff," he said.

"Sure it was," she said, washing the sand off her mask.

"I mean that!"

"You and everybody else that read it, that just happens to meet me," she said, rolling her eyes.

"No, seriously. I enjoyed it. Plus, I know what it's like, when people meet you, they pretend they like something by you. It sucks. But I really did like it," he said.

"Why, thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed it," she said, kneeling in the water, until it came to her shoulders, then she plunged in, swimming in the direction of the rest of the snorkelers, kicking her feet, splashing water in his face.

* * * *

"Kay? Kay, where are you?" a voice called into the room she was sharing with Lacey.

"In the bathroom, Lace!" she replied, busily brushing her long hair into captivity (a.k.a. a ponytail).

"How was your snorkeling thing? I had WAY too much fun shopping. I also spent WAY too much money, but that's the way it is, now isn't it?" Lacey said, stretching out across her bed.

"Yeah, really. Anyway, I gotta run," Cairo said, running to grab her purse, and pausing by the door.

"Where you going?" Lacey asked, really curious.

"Oh, you know that guy that attacked me with the basketball? He was my snorkeling partner. We had a blast, and I some how managed to end up challenging him to a video game thing. Some NBA basketball game, at the arcade," Cairo explained.

"You sound like an expert, Kay. Man, this ship has everything! Mind if I come with?" Lacey asked, sitting up.

"Sure, why not? Maybe you can help out, because I'm going to get my ass kicked," Cairo said, laughing.

* * * *

"Okay, I admit defeat. I officially suck at basketball arcade games! Just please, end the pain!" Cairo declared, throwing up her hands in defeat. After two hours, forty dollars in quarters and losing so many times she lost count, Cairo had decided that it was better to be a good loser instead of just a loser.

"Ha! Bow before the master!" Neil said.

"Yeah, yeah. But you must admit I killed you today in the water. You could barely keep up!" Cairo said, pushing him aside, playfully.

"You thought that I couldn't keep up? Oh, I was just being nice, trying not to embarrass you your first day in the water," he responded.

"Oh, now you're gonna die!" Cairo declared, just as Lacey started to yell something.

"What?"

"I said, come help me!" said Lacey, walking towards their table with arms full of pop and straws. Cairo ran over and grabbed a can and a glass, so that Lacey could balance the rest.

They sat down and started to chat.

"So, how are you ladies enjoying your cruise so far?" asked Neil.

"It's been great. The view is breathtaking from the deck," Cairo said.

"Yeah, it's been heavenly so far. Only two days left, after tonight though. It's gonna be hard to leave," said Lacey.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. After this vacation's over, I'm traveling again. I'm going to Sweden, for a recording thing," Neil said.

"Sweden? Whew, that's a long way to go, just to record something. Don't they have studios in the US?" asked Lacey.

"Yeah, but the band members are constantly recognized, and it's just easier on them, not to have to dodge all the crowds, getting to and from the studio. Plus, they are so much more advanced with technology than the US. It's really interesting, but it takes forever. But this time, it'll only be for two weeks. One song," Neil explained.

"Must be an exciting line of work," Cairo said, snapping open her Cherry Coke and pouring half into her glass.

"Ugh, I never will understand how you can drink that stuff. It's so vile," Lacey said, regarding Cairo's beverage with obvious disgust.

"Ms. Sprite-and-Icea-tead, you should not be talking. What YOU drink is nasty," Cairo said.

"It makes it fizzy and lemony. Neil, help me out here!" Lacey pleaded.

"Actually, I must say that Rootbeer is the only way to go," Neil said.

"Cherry Coke!"

"Neither! Ew!"

"Okay, okay. No one can ever win this. So truce?" Cairo pleaded. Laughing, they all agreed and clinked glass and swigged their contents to seal the truce.

"So, Cairo, you said you're moving to Orlando? That's where I live," Neil said.

"Yeah, I found a sweet spot, right on the ocean. It's great," Cairo said.

"Yeah, my place opens out on the beach, too. It's a great place to live," he said.

"I hope so. I need new inspiration. My family is completely against my relocation, though. That kinda sucks," Cairo said, gazing down at the fizz bubbling around her glass of Coke.

"You mean, you're moving out of your country, by yourself? I can understand where they're coming from!" Neil exclaimed.

"Well, it's not like I'm staying forever. I am 19; they don't have any legal right to keep me at home. I've been living with Lacey for a year, I think I can handle this. Plus that's my whole reasoning. I just want to be on my own, not dependant on my family. That's why I'm moving," Cairo said.

"I guess that a good reason," he agreed.

"Plus, what about you? You're going to work in Sweden? What does your family think about that? You must travel a lot, and you don't look much older than I do," Cairo said.

"That's because I'm not. But, yeah, they're pretty supportive about it. They realize that it's what I want to do, so they don't protest," he said seriously.

"Wow. Must be nice. Everyone but Lacey, here, told me that I was in need of psychiatric help. Even Brad..." Cairo trailed off.

"Brad?" Neil asked.

"Bad subject. So, Neil, what do you do for fun?" asked Lacey, carefully changing the subject, leaving Cairo to brood.