[center][url=http://fontmeme.com/handwriting-fonts/][img]http://fontmeme.com/embed.php?text=Clover&name=ASafePlacetoFall.ttf&size=40&style_color=A5DED9[/img][/url][/center][hr]"[color=lightblue]I think I’ll go with Hunter,[/Color]” Clover remarks, giving the brunette man’s pinky a reassuring squeeze. He looked nervous, which she thought was quite endearing. She’d always had a soft spot for anxious boys for some reason. [i]’What does that say about me?’[/i] she muses. [i]’Maybe I need therapy.’[/i]

He speaks so candidly about his problem with alcohol addiction that it actually catches her off guard. It was such a startlingly honest thing to tell someone you’d only just met. “[color=lightblue]That’s good,[/color]” Clover starts, before quickly adding, “[color=lightblue]...that you’re talking about it, I mean, not that you have a problem with alcohol. Not that I’m saying you have a problem or anything--Ugh,[/color]” Clover laughs, scratching at her nose with her off hand as her face begins to heat up. “[color=lightblue]I suck at small talk,[/color]” she admits, the corner of her mouth twitching up into a small half smile. “[color=lightblue]My dad is an alcoholic. Or, was, I guess. He’s been sober for thirty something years now,[/color]” the ginger confesses, slowly disentangling their pinkies and, after cautiously shooting Hunter a glance, covers his entire hand with her’s, lacing all of their fingers together in the process.

Nothing bad happens. Good. This must be acceptable behavior.

“[color=lightblue]Anyways, he always says you have to replace the addictive behavior with something else if you wanna beat it for good,[/color]” she continues, looking down at their hands curiously. Her’s was much paler than Hunter’s and stood out starkly against his skin. “[color=lightblue]He likes to tell everyone he replaced scotch with my mama. It’s all very corny, I know, but still sort of romantic.”[/color]

Clover finds herself relaxing back into her chair. It was easy to talk to this man. Whether or not it was because she’d probably never see him again after this cruise or because he was just a nice guy remained to be seen. “[color=lightblue]I’m here with a couple of girl friends actually. I also exhausted a good deal of my funds on this trip. I’m probably going to be eating nothing but top ramen until my next paycheck comes in,[/color]” she quips, brushing her thumb over the back of his hand in languid circles. “[color=lightblue]Hm...that’s weird...my ex is on this cruise too. That’s actually why I’m out here, I saw him in there,[/color]” the ginger stops here to jerk her head in the direction of the door that leads to the deck party, “[color=lightblue]...And I sort of lost it for a second.[/color]”

“[color=lightblue]I’ll get over it eventually, I just needed some space. Seeing him so happy without me is still a little hard,[/color]” Clover murmurs, pursing her lips and averting her gaze back down to the floor. [i]’I’m sabotaging myself. You’re not supposed to talk about exes when you first meet somebody. Am I even trying? This man is gonna run for the hills if I keep this up.’[/i]

Through the door the music is still audible and a girl takes the stage, singing a stripped down version of [url=https://youtu.be/uYYbnuaRzbE]Vance Joy’s biggest hit[/url]. Her version of it is slower and the vocals are so hauntingly sweet sounding that it gives Clover an idea. “[color=lightblue]Here,[/color]” the freckled girl chirps, hopping up from her chair and pulling at Hunter insistently until he’s on his feet as well. “[color=lightblue]Let’s not think about our exes or how bad we want a drink right now,[/color]” she declares, stepping close so she’s standing in his personal space while tentatively letting her hands go up to circle around the taller man’s neck. “[color=lightblue]Will you dance with me, Hunter? I promise not to step on your feet too much,[/color]” She jokes, glancing up at him through the sweep of her lashes.