" I didn't... I wasn't. "
Aria stammered feeling uncomfortable due to his presence.
Furthermore, he was too close!
The man's thin lips blossomed into a smile and said in a mellow yet hoarse voice.
" Oh... really? "
His long eyelashes lightly covered his dark eyes and his thin lips looked like there was a remnant of gentle mockery displayed there.
His face was like a piece of art. His deep jawline and his long nose bridge with moist lips was no less than an art. He looked so good that Aria felt self-conscious about it.
" So what if I did, get away from me! "
She childishly retorted shoving the unalarmed man aside before she made a hasty retreat downstairs towards her cabin.
Back in her room, she sat on the bed after locking the door, still breathless from the run.
" Stupid Aria! What were you running from, it wasn't like you were in the wrong... "
As she reprimanded herself, her face was burning, it was like she could still feel the warmth of his breath blowing on her forehead.
Even that light fragrance on him seemed to be imprinted on her skin.
" Whatever. "
After taking in a number of breaths, Aria shrugged off preparing to do her skin care routine before heading for the bed. She had already changed into her sleep wear, a baggy white t-shirt and black pajama pants.
BANG!!
The lights first went off before a loud bang shook the entire ship.
Aria woke up with a start, as if a balloon had been bursted in her ears.
BOOM!!
The deafening sound was back again, louder than the first one.
An explosion?
Aria wasn't sure until the ship heavily shook again and dangerously tilted to the side such that everything turned upside down, including her.
" Oh my goodness what's happening?! "
The walls of her cabin started cracking and the water came gushing in from below like a riotous crowd.
The ship was capsizing! There was no time for frozen shock!
When it hit her, she dashed to the door, pounding on it with every ounce of strength in her bones when she realized that it was jammed shut.
" Help! Help! Anybody there?! Help! "
She screamed at the top of her lungs, terror written on her face as her heart wildly thumped against her chest.
Was she going to die out in the sea? No way! She didn't want such a tragic ending.
" Somebody help... !! "
She yelled again as the water level in the cabin was rising to her knees at a terrifying speed.
" Hey! If you can hear me step back, I'm going to try and break the door. "
Breathing in relief, Aria jumped back before the door was smashed down in front of her and a man jumped in taking her hands in his.
" Are you okay? We need to get to the lifeboat, the ship is sinking. "
Seeing his face Aria was stunned.
" You?! "
" There is no time to waste, let's go. "
Xander thrusted a life jacket into her body and pulled the frozen woman running downstairs at the same time dodging pieces of tables and other debris and other panic stricken people who were also running to save their lives.
The entire hall was full of chaos, screams and agony as it became more dangerous inside the cruise.
" What's going on? "
Aria asked once they finally reached the boat, panting and sweaty.
" We need to quickly leave this place, we're under an attack. "
Xander replied propelling the small blue rowboat through the water.
Aria didn't have enough time to be shocked or internalize what he had just said before she felt something whisk past the top of her head and not too long after, a hole appeared on the blue rubber boat.
A gunshot?
Why would there be gunshots?