22.Club Casablanca

Ava's POV

One day, as we were standing on the deck, William put his hand on my shoulder and said gently, “Ava, I understand that this all must feel strange and new to you. But I promise, you have nothing to be worried about. We’re your friends, and we’re here for you.”

I felt a weight lift off my shoulders. “Thank you, William. That means a lot to me.”

The Crystal Tide was sailing through the open seas, and William and I gazed up at the stars. William looked like his mind was lost in deep thought.

"It's funny, you know?" I said, breaking the silence that had settled between us. "I never would have imagined this is how my life would turn out. Floating on a ship in the middle of nowhere, looking at the stars."

"Me neither," William replied, turning to look at me with a smile. "But it's a good life, isn't it? I mean, there are moments like this, when I can just sit and forget all my worries, and it makes everything else seem so trivial."

I nodded in agreement. "Yeah. It's like the w