In the arcade aboard the Serenade of the Seas, I sat in the corner, attempting not to cry. I stared at my blank phone in order to avoid talking to the people around me. I think it was then that the lights began to glow and everything started slowing down. A girl named Lexi Morgan handed me her phone and asked me to type in my snapchat so she could add me later. I type it in and hand it back to, not noticing the nervous look in her eyes.
Lexi Morgan is a beautiful girl. She is fourteen years old and has just started high school. She has long blonde hair that is constantly tied up with a hair tie. Her eyes are young and bright blue, almost naive looking. Lexi Morgan is your stereotypical popular girl. She’s constantly high and often has her tongue down some guy’s throat. Today, however, she’d been sober.
The glow of the ship’s arcade was blinding. I turned on my phone to avoid it. A girl named Paige rolled up to me in her wheelchair and asked me what was wrong. I said nothing. After that, a boy from Portugal named Diogo kneeled down towards me.
“What’s wrong?” He asked me.
“Nothing,” I answered, trying to seclude myself.
“You know, people who say nothing's wrong usually-” He started before I cut him off.
“Don't want to be talked to.”
Lexi Morgan was now sitting down, and like me, trying not to cry. The arcade was loud. All you could hear were her sobs and the sound of “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” playing in the distance. The arcade fell silent. The music stopped. All you could here was Lexi Morgan’s shaky breathing and all I could do was stare at my phone and try not to cry.
Lexi Morgan had been having regular panic attacks for about a year now. Her family tried, but they couldn't figure out how they had started. Sometimes they were mild, and sometimes they were violent. Today's fell somewhere in between.
She was shaking now and pointing across the room to a boy playing guitar hero. I knew the boy, as he'd been trying to flirt with me for the entire week. His name was Gabriel and he played football at Miami Sunrise High. I tried to run for him and tried to grab him and tell him that Lexi Morgan, the beautiful girl from West Palm, needed him, but all I could do was stare at my phone and try not to cry.
The whole group of teens were now crowding around her, asking her what she needed. She couldn't speak. She couldn't breathe. All I could do was stare at my phone and try not to cry.
“Type on your phone,” Shouted Cole, hoping it could help.
She pulled out her phone, her hands shaking, and Lexi Morgan, the beautiful girl, typed “Tyler.” Tyler was her brother. Cole and Gabriel got out of the room and started running for him. I wanted to help, but all I could do was stare at my phone and try not to cry.
I walked across the arcade, hoping that maybe there I could help, but instead I stood next to Paige, staring at my phone, the screen completely black. Lexi was now shaking uncontrollably. The other teens called down a medic and got the nearest-by employee to stay by Lexi Morgan’s side. All I could do was stare at my phone and try not to cry.
Lexi still managed to look flawless. Her hair shook perfectly in time with the rest of her slim body. Despite being so shaky, so scared, she made everything look so much more beautiful. Maybe that's when the arcade began to glow. I can't remember. All I remember is how hectic yet serene the scene was and all I could do was stare at my phone and try not to cry. Diogo stared at me, then spoke.
“Y’know, yesterday, I talked her out of a panic attack. I bet if I were here, I could’ve done it again.”
I didn't respond. I wanted to decking in the jaw and watch his bleed. I wanted to see him in pain. I had plenty of reasons not to like him and he kept on adding them to my list.
Not long after, Tyler rushed in, followed by his parents. They kneeled by Lexi Morgan’s side, telling her to breathe deeply and to take long breaths. This wasn't her first panic attack on the cruise. It wasn't even her second. They laid her across the floor, trying to get her to breathe. I remember how her eyes looked. They weren't as naive as they were earlier today. She was choking on her own breath, her hair against her father’s legs and he pet her head, trying to calm her down. I heard a little of the conversation he had with the medic.
“We've tried everything. MRIs, Cat scans, therapy, but nobody seems to know what's wrong with her,” Her father starts, talking to the medic. “She’s only fourteen and going through things. I guess this is something that she'll grow out with age.”
“We usually take her to the doctor to get a shot of value just to calm her down,” adds Lexi Morgan’s mother.
She passed out, her heartbeat weak, as they escorted her out of the arcade. I returned to my corner and started to cry silently. Only Paige saw me. She decided it would be better to leave me alone. I thank her for that.
**************************************************************************
Somehow, the group of them found out about my creative writing homework. They made me promise I’d write about them, so here goes nothing.
To Oliver: Though we’ve only known each other for the last few days, you seem like a brother to me. We’ll probably never see each other again and barely talk, as you live in a completely different continent. I hope you have a good life. You deserve one.
To Paige: You were one of my best friends on the ship. I sang karaoke with you until one a.m. I wheeled you around after you broke your leg trying to tackle Oliver. We got free coffee by saying we had drink packages. I’ll miss you a lot.
To Gabriel: Though you made me uncomfortable many times, I can't say I won't miss you. Your jokes were terrible. Maybe one day I'll see you while I'm in Miami. I don't want to though. I'm not very good at talking to people I run into.
To Diogo: From the beginning of when we met, I thought you were a creep. It turns out I was right. It is not okay to flirt with a twelve year old when you are sixteen just because they don't look twelve. It is not okay to spread rumors about kissing someone who still has two years of middle school left when you're a junior in high school. It is not okay to force someone to go on walks with you just so you can get them alone. I hope your life turns to s***.
To Rithwik (Twelve Years): I'm not sure where I know you from, but I'll find out. I'll see you around sometime.
To Grayton: We talked so shortly and yet you already seemed like a friend. Thank you for being so welcoming.
To Cole: You’re one of the OGs. We've spent sleepless nights discussing the illuminati and how everything in the ship we were on added up to three. I'll miss you. Have fun growing corn.
To Charli: You were the first person to talk to me in the group. I'm not sure how we managed to get so close within a week, but we did. I thank you for becoming my friend. I hope you live a wonderful life.
To Lexi Morgan: You are a beautiful girl. Everything you do is beautiful. I hope that one day I'll see you again. I hope that day comes soon. It was so nice to become your friend and to dance with you and sing with you and run around the boat with you.
To all of you: Thank you so much. It had been a long time since I'd felt like a teen. You all made me feel like I was kid. I hope we can meet again, despite how unlikely it is. I hope you all achieve great things and that I can point to your pictures and say to people “You see them? They're my friends.” I hope you have fun wherever you are. You'll all be fine.