6. Leo
Leo
"Godzilla! King Kong! No, wait - Jurassic Park!"
On the stage of the Orion Theater, Emma and Paul are in the middle of a charades challenge. Paul is flailing his arms wildly, trying to act out some obscure movie title, while Emma shouts out guesses between fits of laughter.
The buzzer sounds, signaling the end of their turn, and Emma collapses against Paul in a fit of giggles. The sight of their easy camaraderie sends a pang of jealousy through me, even though Emma assured me they were just friends.
I try to shake off the feeling, reminding myself that I barely know Emma and have no right to be protective over her.
I shift in my seat in the front row, my eyes glued to the stage where the game show continues. The Orion Theater is packed, the audience cheering and laughing as the contestants face off in a series of silly challenges.
Among the contestants, Emma and Paul stand out like beacons of enthusiasm. They've already endured a pie-eating contest, a balloon-popping race, and a ridiculous dance-off, but their spirits haven't dampened one bit.
I watch as Emma, her face still smeared with whipped cream from the pie-eating contest, throws her head back and laughs at something Paul says. Her youthful laughter is infectious, and I’m smiling despite my best efforts to maintain a neutral expression.
Beside me, Sophia Russo scrolls on her phone with one hand, not even watching the show. The other perfectly manicured hand is resting on my arm. She's the epitome of glamour, her hair and makeup immaculate. But I can't help but compare her to Emma.
Where Sophia is poised and polished, Emma is raw and real. She's not afraid to get her hands dirty, to make a fool of herself for the sake of the game. It's wildly attractive to me.
The crowd goes crazy as Beatrice takes the stage again, her voice booming over the microphone."Alright, ladies and gentlemen, it's time for the final round of our game show - the trivia challenge!"
I lean forward in my seat, my eyes fixed on Emma and Paul as they face off against Suzie and Bill.
"Let's give it up for our final two teams!"Beatrice exclaims, and the audience cheers. Paul jumps up and down, waving his arms and flexing to get the crowd even more hyped.
Rachel appears on stage, carrying a tray with four brightly colored blow horns. She hands them out to the contestants, explaining that they'll serve as buzzers for the trivia round.
"First question,"Beatrice begins,"which famous artist painted the Mona Lisa?"
Before anyone else can react, Emma slams her blow horn, the sound echoing through the theater."Leonardo da Vinci!"she shouts, her face a mask of concentration. Any sign of silliness has evaporated and determination is written all over her face.
"Correct!"Beatrice confirms, and the crowd goes wild.
The next few minutes are a blur of questions and answers, with Emma dominating the round. Her knowledge seems to span every topic, from history to pop culture to science. Paul tries to get a few answers in, but Emma is too quick, her blowhorn sounding before anyone else has a chance.
I find myself cheering along with the crowd, amazed by Emma's brilliance. Sophia glances at me, one perfectly sculpted eyebrow raised, but I barely notice.
"Final question,"Beatrice announces, her voice rising above the din."What is the capital of Australia?"
Once again, Emma's blowhorn sounds."Canberra!"she shouts, and the audience erupts into applause.
Rachel steps forward, a clipboard in hand."Let's tally up the points from all the rounds,"she says, her voice amplified by the microphone. The theater falls silent as she does the math, everyone waiting with bated breath.
"And the winners are..."Rachel pauses for dramatic effect,"Emma and Paul!"
The crowd goes wild, and I rise to my feet, clapping and cheering along with everyone else. Emma and Paul hug each other, jumping up and down in celebration.
"As our grand prize winners,"Beatrice announces,"Emma and Paul have won an exclusive ATV tour and cenote swim in Cozumel tomorrow with none other than Captain Leo himself!"
My heart lurches at the mention of my name, and I'm flooded with a mix of excitement and nerves at the prospect of spending the day with Emma. I had honestly forgotten the ATV trip was even on my agenda for tomorrow. I've been living day to day with all the press obligations and captain duties piled onto my plate this sailing.
As the theater erupts in applause for Emma and Paul's victory, a whirlwind of emotions swirls inside me. The prospect of spending a day with Emma on the ATV excursion in Cozumel fills me with excitement, but it's tempered by the gnawing jealousy I have towards Paul. He'll be there, too. Their closeness, the way they so easily interact with each other, it eats at me, even though I know I have no right to feel this way.
What if Emma wasn't being honest about not being involved with Paul? And if she's lying about her relationship with Paul, what else could she be hiding? I press my lips together firmly as I ponder the situation.
No, that's ridiculous, I decide. I'm an excellent judge of character and there's no way she's lied to me.
Rachel's voice pulls me from my thoughts."Isn't our Captain Maxwell the best? And he's actually in attendance tonight, too! Captain!? Can you stand please?"
I stand and wave, plastering on my best"Captain Dreamy"smile. Sophia rises beside me, her hand clutching my arm as she pulls me close."Smile, baby,"she whispers, her breath hot against my ear.
But my focus is entirely on Emma. Our eyes lock across the theater, hers on the stage, mine in the front row. I'm captivated by this woman and I can't stop it.
"People are taking pictures and videos. We need to play our part."Sophia urges more sharply this time.
Suddenly, Sophia grabs my face and crashes her lips against mine. Her tongue invades my mouth, and I'm too shocked to react. The crowd goes wild, their cheers and whistles filling the air.
"Eeek! It's Sophia Russo with Captain Dreamy!"someone shouts.
"They're so hot together!"another voice chimes in.
I try to pull away, but Sophia's grip is like a vice. It's only when I finally manage to break free that I see Emma's face. Her expression is a kaleidoscope of emotions - maybe shock, hurt, confusion. Before I can say a word, she turns and walks off the stage.
Shit, this is bad.