Jason and Kelly made their way down the hallway filled with other people going to their rooms before finally making it to the elevators. There were eight total elevators next to each other, some going up higher and some going up lower, but all crossing over the main floors for bedrooms. Kelly clicked the number three on the panel, and the screen above asked for an ID. She took a card out of her pocket and pressed it up against the sensor under the buttons.
The panel turned green with a checkmark. Jason saw that the last elevator on the left had a light come on above it. Other guests started gathering around that elevator, thinking it was open to anyone.
“Sorry, everyone,” said Kelly, “this trip is for employees only.” Some people acted perturbed, but Kelly just gave them a flat, “sorry” grin with a shoulder shrug. Eventually, they all lined up for different options. “So… you’re here for a friend’s wedding, huh?” said Kelly, trying to break the silence.
“Oh, yeah,” said Jason, “I’ve known Greg for over a decade. David, for, gee, I guess five years now too. Huh, doesn’t feel that long.”
“How’d you meet Greg?”
“College. Just met in classes and shared nerdy interests. Lived together for a year, then just stayed friends after graduation.”
“Oh, lived together, huh? Did you ever, uhh, like see each other?” asked Kelly awkwardly.
“Nah, his gayness isn’t super contagious,” snarked Jason. Kelly felt a moment of being too prudish to even bring it up. “I’m still just a boring straight guy despite five years of bullshit liberal arts.” The elevator door dinged and opened. Jason extended his arm. “Ladies first, madam.” Kelly rolled her eyes while trying to hide a minor smile before walking onto the elevator.
“Five years?” asked Kelly as Jason stepped into the elevator as well.
“Yeah, one didn’t take,” he said as he leaned up against the corner railing inside. Kelly pressed the three button again on the inside of the elevator and tapped her pass against the sensor while holding out her hand to stop a couple of new guests from boarding with them. The door finally shut, and it started to go down.
“How about you? How do you know Ella?”
“Oh, she’s a coworker,” said Kelly.
“That’s it? She seemed a little friendlier than just a basic coworker with you.”
“Yeah, well, she’s got it in her head that-” Kelly stopped talking when she realized what she was about to say.
Jason raised his eyebrows. “What does she have in her head?”
“Uhhh, this is awkward,” said Kelly while pulling back some hair behind her ear. She kept looking around the small elevator for something to look at that wasn’t Jason while she said it. “She has it in her head that I just need someone to, uh, hook up with.”
Jason blinked and looked confused for a second before realizing that she was talking about him. Suddenly, his eyes widened a bit before a shade of rose hit his cheeks. “Oh, uh… oh.” The elevator door dinged and opened up to the security room.
This time, Jason was too inside his head to offer Kelly a “ladies first” arm. He stepped into the room and saw a couple of rows of chairs. Before it all got to a desk with an attendant in a security uniform. He walked up to the counter as Kelly followed behind him at a bit of a distance. When he made it to the employee at the counter, she spoke before he could get a word out.
“Sir, this area is for staff only. Please get back on the elevator behind you and take it back up to the general attendee floors,” said the desk associate.
“Actually, he’s with me.” Said Kelly as she held up her employee ID.
“Oh,” said the security associate. “What brings you and this gentleman down here?”
“We have a picture that was taken in the grand ballroom that might be evidence of assault,” said Kelly.
The security associate raised her eyebrows. “Oh, really? Guest-on-guest or guest-on-staff?” she said while reaching for a clipboard.
“Staff-on-guest, actually,” replied Kelly.
The security associate stopped for a moment in surprise. “Seriously? Which staff member?”
“Goofy,” said Jason and Kelly at the same time.
“You’re saying Goofy intentionally hit someone?”
“No,” said Jason. “I’m saying that I think Goofy stabbed someone.”
The security associate gave Jason a condescending glare. “Sir, this is not a place for jokes.”
“He’s not joking,” said Kelly. “We have a picture of it, and if it is true, we need to make sure this boat does not leave port.”
And just as she finished saying it, all of them heard three deep, long blasts from the ship’s horns.