Sparkless Mistletoe

Guin “Baby, careful.” Hearing my boyfriend’s gentle voice, I smiled as I gently squeezed his hand that supports me. “Yes, love.” Guiding me up the ramp leading to the cruise, his voice spoke in a hushed tone, his other hand is on my hip. I’ve been blind for two years now after an accident in my final college year, but throughout those times, my boyfriend, Andrei Cameron, has been with me. “Welcome to Palacios’ Cruise.” As the ship mate greeted us, Andrei chuckled and replied for both our sakes. “Thank you.” Today, we are entering a 14-day cruise for our holidays. The cold Christmas breeze, together with the scent of the ocean filling our nostrils, is making my head spin in anticipation of our fated day—yes, I wanted to tell him tonight that my vision has returned and the cornea transplant worked. “Do you want us to rest first after boarding, honey?” he asked, stopping by our room’s door after a long walk of following the ship mate who ushers us to our designated. “We can explore the ship later before dinner.” To keep my surprise a secret, I still keep my eyes focused on one point, keeping my usual demeanor and relying on him through every step of the way. “I will stay at our room to rest, but you can go and look around if you want.” Smiling, I turned to his direction, my eyes just looking down as I searched for his face, caressing his cheek. Chuckling, he returned my touch with a kiss on my forehead. “No need. I’ll just snuggle up with you until you’re good to walk around with me.” Getting our card key, he opened our room and carefully guided me inside. His softness in holding and treating me never fail to melt my heart. If not for my genuine hope of seeing his joy of knowing I’m no longer blind, I could’ve revealed it right away. But no, I yearn for a romantic encounter where we will kiss under the mistletoe, and I will admire how his eyes shine in delight of knowing I can see again. “This room is fancier than I thought.” He spoke, sitting down on the couch before guiding me to sit on his lap, sideways as to keep my legs together due to my white dress’ short skirt. Holding me close, he kissed my cheek. “Our room is on deck 18, so the view here is better compared to lower floors. I’ll detail it to you as much as I can.” Oh love, if only you knew that I too am admiring it together with you. *** True enough, Andrei stayed with me as I took a nap, cuddled comfortably in his arms on our bed. Feeling him move, I too stirred awake, but I didn’t told him and kept my eyes closed as I felt him leave the bed, followed by the sound of him walking away. I would’ve let it be, if not for the sound of him locking the door behind him. Confused, I sat up. “Should I follow him?” I mumbled to myself, and before I could think it through, my curiosity overwhelmed my senses, making me carefully stand up, quietly tracing where he went. The faint sounds lead me to our room’s main door, causing me to slow down and carefully peek through the wall. There, I saw him conversing with a woman—it is Abigail, my best friend. I didn’t know she boarded the cruise too? She said she'd go to Maldives. I have a lot of questions in my head, but I don’t want to doubt either of them. Careful, I stepped back until my back is by the bedroom door. Closing it loudly on purpose, I spoke. “Love? Where are you?” The faint sound of hurried footsteps reached my ears, followed by the soft click of the door opening. “I’m here, baby,” Andrei’s familiar voice answered, calm and steady as always. I smiled as he guided me back toward the bed. “I didn’t hear you leave. Was everything okay?” “Oh, just went to check if the luggage we sent ahead arrived properly. I didn’t want to wake you up,” he replied, lying smoothly, his hands resting lightly on my shoulders. I nodded, forcing a smile. But my heart felt uneasy. Why did he lock the door? And why was Abigail here when she had told me she’d be in the Maldives? Trying to shake off the unsettling thoughts, I let him distract me with stories about the cruise’s amenities. Yet, as the day unfolded, little things kept piling up—his casual glances at his phone during our walk on the deck, the way he seemed distracted even as he held my hand. Maybe I was overthinking it. Maybe the two years of living in darkness had heightened my awareness of the subtle shifts in his behavior. Or maybe I didn’t want to admit the nagging voice in my mind: Something isn’t right. *** That evening, Andrei suggested we dress up for a formal dinner. “It’s a beautiful restaurant, love,” he said, helping me into my seat in front of the vanity. “I’ll pick something for you, something white—it’s your favorite, right?” “It is,” I murmured, letting him guide my hand to the fabric of the dress he’d chosen. As he stepped into the shower, I took the chance to quietly open my suitcase, pulling out a pair of small stud earrings—simple, but enough to match the elegant dress. Dressing quickly, I glanced at myself in the mirror. My reflection stared back, my long blonde hair cascading down my shoulders and the soft folds of the white gown hugging my figure. For the first time in years, I saw myself…and I feel miserable with all the swirling thoughts in my head. As Andrei emerged from the bathroom, I quickly returned to my façade, sitting on the edge of the bed, my head tilted as if waiting for him to tell me how I looked. “You’re stunning,” he said, his voice warm. But something about his tone felt hollow, as if he wasn’t really seeing me. *** After dinner, Andrei suggested we visit the ship’s grand hall, where a Christmas-themed gathering was underway. The hall was alive with laughter and chatter, the scent of pine and cinnamon wafting through the air. I clung to his arm as we navigated the crowd, my heart pounding with anticipation. This was it—the moment I’d been waiting for. Under the glow of the mistletoe, I’d tell him my secret, and we’d step into a new chapter of our lives together. “Wait here,” Andrei said, his tone soft but firm. “I’ll grab us some drinks.” I nodded, my fingers brushing the soft fabric of my dress as I waited. But as the minutes ticked by, my unease grew. I could hear faint whispers around me, laughter mixed with the murmur of voices. Turning slightly, I scanned the room—and froze. Under the mistletoe, just a few feet away, was Andrei. And Abigail. My best friend’s hands rested lightly on his chest, her face tilted upward as she whispered something I couldn’t hear. And then, as if in slow motion, Andrei leaned down, his lips brushing hers. The world seemed to tilt. My stomach churned, my hands trembling as I clutched the edge of a nearby table. My mind raced with a thousand thoughts, but one stood out clearly: This is the man I’ve loved for years. And he’s kissing someone else. I stumbled back, the noise of the room fading into a dull roar. Spinning on my heels, I fled the hall, tears streaming down my cheeks. . . . I didn’t know where I was going. My feet carried me blindly down the corridors, my vision blurred by tears and rage. Finally, I burst onto the deck, the cold night air hitting me like a slap. Gripping the railing, I let out a shaky breath, my chest heaving as I tried to steady myself. “Rough night?” The voice startled me. Turning, I saw a tall figure leaning casually against the railing a few feet away. His sharp features were illuminated by the soft glow of the ship’s lights, his dark hair tousled by the breeze. I know those blue orbs, a shade lighter than mine—those belong to Vincent. The Vincent Laurent…my high school bully because of being too prim and proper for his liking. “Sorry,” I muttered, brushing at my tears. “I didn’t realize anyone else was out here.” Stepping back, I kept a safe distance away from him. “No need to apologize,” he said, his voice low and smooth. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” I huffed out a bitter laugh. “Something like that.” I half-joked—one, because I did saw something horrifying, and two, because he’s here in front of me…but I think he cannot recognize me at the moment. He studied me for a moment, his dark eyes searching mine. “Vincent Laurent,” he said, holding out a hand. I hesitated before taking it, his grip firm and warm. “Guinivere Zayne.” Finally, a flash of recognition showed in his eyes, followed by a quick checking of my overall appearance as his lips curved in a sly smirk. “Well, Guinivere,” he spoke, pulling me closer through our hands. “Judging by the tears, I’m guessing your night didn’t go as planned.” I looked away, the weight of everything crashing down on me. “Not even close.” Vincent leaned against the railing beside me, his gaze fixed on the horizon. “So that little high school princess is still a crybaby?” I shot him a sharp look, but his smirk only deepened. “You don’t have to tell me what happened,” he said, raising his hands in mock surrender. “I’ve seen enough of those ‘perfect relationships’ to know when one’s about to crack.” Something about his casual tone, his unflinching honesty, made me want to open up. “He kissed someone else,” I admitted quietly. “And that someone else…is my best friend.” Vincent let out a low whistle. “Ouch. That’s a low blow.” I nodded, biting my lip to keep the tears at bay. “Well,” he said after a moment, his tone lighter. “If it’s any consolation, you’re not alone in the heartbreak department. I got rejected tonight too. My girlfriend decided ballet was more important than me and my stupid proposal plan.” “Propose…” I looked away, smiling faintly. “Guess we’re both on the same sinking ship.” And, as if the night itself had fun watching us suffer, the sliding doors leading to the desk we’re in opened, and one by one, ship employees with surprise gifts, an entering orchestra, and fantastic lighting of the lamp posts and prepared floor lights around the area we are in, came into place. “Ah sh*t.” he mumbled, making me look at him confusedly. “I haven’t canceled the proposal plan.”