Rose Thorne

By Nicole Arias

Rosalie Thorne. That's her name. Some people call her Rose or Rosie. She doesn't mind either way. She's better known for being one of the brightest minds in the nation. At 21, she finished grad school and to celebrate, she heads out on a cruise with her best friend, Penelope. But meeting a mysterious man soon has her surrounded by pirates who either want her dead or in their beds. The only way to avoid being held captive forever is to escape.

Through these adventures, Rose meets many new people, mostly men, whom she either loves or hates immediately. She and Penelope will face hardships such as loss of love and friendship and danger at seas and at the hands of criminals.

Will Rose be genius enough to get away, or will it all prove to be too much for her?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Nicole Arias
• Release date: Jun 7, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301101511

Nicole Arias

I started writing my first book when I was in the 7th grade. I think it goes to show that anything is possible!

Book preview

Prologue

I added the last period to my essay at noon. In just one hour, I was supposed to turn it in. Applying to be a professor shouldn't be this stressful. And I still had to pass my exam before I was guaranteed a spot. My mother said if I really had a passion for it, writing essays and studying for tests shouldn't be that bad. But it was. I don't understand; learning about animals and medicine had always been so fun for me in the past, especially the combination of both. So why was it so difficult to focus lately?

Three hours later, I was sitting in class with my best friend Penelope. We had taken a final, one-week course on jellyfish (I know, random) in order to spend one last class together after graduating. Almost everyone else had gone home after the ceremony the week before, but Cornell still had its door open for the two of us, along with three other guys who didn't seem to have a life and stared at us in a creepy manner.

We really shouldn't have taken this class, she told me, looking back at me from her seat in the next row, one seat to the right. I don't like classes in the evening! We should be partying or sleeping...

I smiled and asked, Penelope, why are we not sitting next to each other if there's practically nobody else in here?

You ask this on the last day? she asked with a soft chuckle.

I don't know about me, I told her. But I doubt you're isolating yourself for the idea of not being distracted.

Is the teacher even going to show up today? she asked. I have one other class I'm going to go to, not that I went at all during the year, and now that I'm a graduate I can't possibly be late. It's literature!

I smiled again. We were science girls, after all. I said, Is your headache gone, Pen?

No, she said. But I think I'll have to deal with it. I'm going to go and sit in so that the professor has a nice impression of me at least on the last day.

I'll go with you, I told her as we stood up. The TA for that class is really cute.

Yup, she said. I smirked and we headed over to the class. I didn't think there would be a problem with me sitting in since the year was technically over and attending now was completely optional. To my surprise, the lecture hall was pretty full. I noticed Penelope looking sick and weak after about ten minutes into the lesson, so I got the TA to help me take her out.

You're going to be fine? he asked her.

Yeah, she nodded, looking really fragile and sick.

Okay, said the TA. What was his name again? Wilfred? I'd chatted with him once or twice while waiting for Penelope to speak with her professor or pick up assignments. He added, Give me a call if you need anything, alright? He wrote his number on a little slip of paper and handed it to her. Then he smirked and headed back inside the building.

As soon as he did, Penelope brightened and flashed me a smile. That's how you get a cute guy's number, she said, flipping the paper in my face.

I rolled my eyes, You have a boyfriend.

She frowned for a moment but then instantly became happy again. But you don't, she said, putting the paper in my hand and tightening my fingers on it. Give him a call later. For now, we need to get out of here. I'm actually a tiny bit dizzy so we should go eat or something.

***

I can't believe for the first time in my life I had difficulty writing an essay, I told Penelope.

You're just panicking because it's your first real job, said Penelope when we went for lunch later that evening. I flipped through the menus that the girl with the piercings had just given us indifferently. We were sitting in Aunt Carrie's, a seafood restaurant in the heart of Point Judith. This was my favorite place in town. I hate seafood with a passion, but I just felt at home inside- except for the fact that one waitress always gave me nasty looks. Penelope and I came at least once a week, if not more. And we always sat in the same spot, by a large, green plant which was always positioned right behind me.

What are you going to get? she asked me, watching me flip through the menu.

I raised an eyebrow at her, peering over the top of my menu. Then, sighing, I put it down and said, Okay, I get it. There's no point in me even looking through it anymore. I pushed it to the side and she smiled.

Calm down! she giggled. It's the same fight every time we come. But seriously. Why would you even peek a glance at the thing if-

-if we've been coming here for the past ten years and you have a photographic memory anyway, I finished for her.

Well, you do! she exclaimed, laughing. Look, Rose, no offense, but you're a genius.

Gee, I didn't realize you were saying the 'g' word to offend me, I said.

Point is, she continued, that some of us aren't that lucky. Take that man for example. She nodded over to a man sitting with six other people. They looked like they were having a hard time reading the menus- really not that convoluted- and I laughed at the sight of them.

You're right, I said. He's going to hate menus after all those people he's waiting on finally finish deciding.

But not us, said Penelope. You've got your whole smart thing going on and have been able to tell me word for word what it says for the past three years, while I grew up here and have come weekly for the past sixteen years.

I nodded as the waitress stopped by us again and asked what drinks we wanted. Sprite, I said.

Diet Dr. Pepper, Penelope told her. She wrote it down and walked away without another word. Just a few minutes later, she was back with our drinks and holding out her pen and pad.

Thank you, Penelope and I both said as we traded the drinks, which she had placed incorrectly.

And are you two ready to order your meals? she asked us, not noticing or not caring.

Yes, I said. I'll take the double cheeseburger and my friend here will have the lobster salad.

That a girl, said Penelope with a smile. The waitress walked away again, uninterested in anyone she walked by, and I just rolled my eyes.

Still not warming up to dear Suzanne, huh? Penelope questioned me.

She's just so... I said. I turned back to Suzanne, watching her for a moment and then turning back to Penelope. Wait, did you just use her name? I asked.

Uh, yeah? she said. She has it on her nametag, you know?

I know that, I replied. It's just we always call her something else. Anything but her name... I thought about it for a second, looking at Penelope. Oh my gosh! You're friends with her!

Didn't I tell you? she asked, taking a sip from her soda. She's dating Simon now.

My jaw dropped. You didn't tell me!

I didn't? she asked, obviously knowing she hadn't. Are you sure?

I pointed at my head. Eidetic memory, remember?

Ah, right, she responded, pushing her cup aside. Rosie, I'm sorry. It's just... I didn't want you worked up about who my brother dates now. Narragansett is way too big a town for you to be obsessing over an idiot like my brother.

Penelope! I exclaimed. You should've told me! I think it's important enough! Besides, I'm so not obsessed with him! There are roughly 15,868 people in town and on my obsession list he's probably around 15,000th.

She gave me a look. It's okay if you're not over him. But don't spend your time thinking about what he's up to know. He was too dumb for you, anyway.

Penelope! I exclaimed again. Right then, Suzanne appeared with our orders. I barely picked at my food. While Penelope went on and on about her grant to study marine biology in the Caribbean while enjoying a cruise, I just nodded away. It was the beginning of summer vacation and I had one month until the final decision about working at the vet school at Cornell was decided. Meanwhile, it seemed everyone else was rapidly moving to adulthood. Even stupid Simon had a new girlfriend. He'd gone from one of the most brilliant minds in the country to one of the dullest. Ugh!

Rosie? Penelope was saying. Rose!

Hm? I responded.

Did you hear what I said? she asked. Rose, I'm asking you to come with me! I was planning on taking Tommy, but he's really not as fun as you!

Go with you on your cruise? I repeated. You want me to be your plus one?

She laughed. Where did you daze off to? she asked. It's so unlike you to not pay attention! Yes, Rose, I think it'd be sweet if you came along. It's just nine nights and you'll be back in plenty of time to get word from Cornell. So you can relax a little! Honey, it's only been a week since we officially graduated from Cornell- you on your eighth year and me on my fourth- and you're already worrying about going back in like more than two months! You need to go out and live this summer. Have an adventure! Baby girl, what you need is a cruise!

I smiled, Let's do it.

PART ONE- ROSALIE THORNE

Chapter 1: Relaxing

Three days after she proposed it, Penelope and I were boarding a cruise ship in New Jersey. It had been an impulsive decision to go. I always planned everything way ahead, needing to be in control of any situation I was faced in. But Penelope was right; I needed an adventure this summer. And I intended to get it on the Explorer of the Ocean.

The night after we had eaten at Aunt Carrie's and she invited me, I talked to my mother at home. She told me she wasn't too sure it was a great idea.

Mom, I know what you're saying is somewhat true, I said to her. But honestly, after skipping fifth grade and middle school just to end up going to college twice... I'm a little exhausted. School has never been hard for me, Mom, and while it's super important I'm not too sure I want to be always worrying about it, either. I need to unwind.

You'll be one of the youngest professors, she said proudly. Heck, you'll be teaching kids your age or older than you even.

Yeah, Mom, I smiled. So before I do all of that, I need to just relax. She ended up agreeing that this was a good idea after all. I didn't actually need her permission or anything; I just liked having her approval before making big decisions.

I managed to get some extra money from my parents before I really set out on my adventure. I didn't actually plan on using it, but I figured it may as well be there just in case. I figured wrong. Since the cruise was completely being paid for, Penelope brought no extra cash, so I ended up using up most of mine on just getting us on an airplane so we could go to New Jersey.

Before that, though, after purchasing the flight tickets, I went and made a bold move. I was so tired of always being considered the girl who 'looks like Penelope, just not as pretty' so I did something to make us look different. No longer would I have that brown hair of mine, so close to the dark brown hair that she possessed. No, I went ahead and dyed it- I couldn't do much about our similar eye colors or facial structures. I went with blonde.

When I met her at the airport, all Penelope said was, Damn! You look hot Rosie!

It's the expensive stuff, too, I said. It'll last me a while. Just have to retouch the roots. I smiled, put on some shades, and led us to the line where we'd have our baggage checked and all that. We spent the plane ride bashing on other people back home who had thought they were doing the coolest thing this summer but obviously didn't have it as sweet as we did! We didn't even notice that we had some celebrities from one of those MTV shows on the same section as us- the lady next to us said it when we were getting off at New Jersey- because we were so excited!

We kind of rushed to the get on the ship when we were near the deporting area because we made it a little late. We ran over there- luggage rolling loudly behind us- and made it just in time for them to let us know we were not late at all.

After an interesting conga line leading us to our rooms, Penelope and I were already exhausted and ready to flop onto our beds in our junior suite. It was absolutely beautiful. We happened to have our own beds, our own television, a mini-fridge, and even a grand piano! Maybe I should have become a marine biologist instead of a veterinarian... We decided to just hang out in our rooms for the rest of the day and officially start our adventures the next day.

What do you want to do first? Penelope asked me the next morning. She was lying on her bed, her head propped over her hands in the most relaxing way possible.

Chill... I said. Then I sat up and said, Or...

Or...? she repeated, sitting up, as well.

In the day that it'll take before we're in the Bermuda... I started. Why not go crazy with all the magnificent features this ship has to offer? After all, it's all being paid for by someone else.

She smiled and said, Spa!

We put on our bikinis- our bathrobes over them, of course- and headed out of the room. While Penelope had let her dark, wavy hair down, my hair was in a side ponytail. I had even put a little yellow flower behind my ear to give the impression that I belonged in the tropics, even if I didn't. We were just outside the spa, when Penelope looked down over the railing to another one of the ship's renowned activity centers, the fitness center. Oh no, not the fitness nut again.

No... I mumbled as I pulled her over. It's relaxing time!

Yeah, she said, but think of all the pounds we're going to gain after the spa when we go to the café!

You'll burn it off at the club! I exclaimed. Let's go relax!

No, she said, crossing her arms defiantly.

Pen! I exclaimed. Fine! Then go get me at the pool deck when you're done.

Pool deck? she asked as I started walking in the opposite direction. What are you going to do there?

Get in the pool maybe? I said when I turned back to look at her.

You can't swim, genius, she said.

Okay, ignoring the 'genius' remark because I am actually a genius, I said. I'm going to hang out and meet a cute guy, okay?

Fine, she responded. I just hope his abs are as sweet as the ones on the guys who are in the gym.

Fine, I responded. I stomped away, angry, and did my best to make it to the pool deck. I had to ask a few people along the way, but finally I arrived. It was packed. There were children running around, teens crowding the whirlpool, and adults all around the edges, their foreheads creased with worry as they watched their children splash each other.

I managed to avoid being pushed into the pool and decided to just sunbathe. When I finally found an empty lounge chair, I put my bag- the one Penelope had brought but I took from her on our way to the spa- next to it, took off the bathrobe, and lied down. I was sharing the round table- those with the umbrellas in the middle- with someone else, though I couldn't tell what he looked like because he had a magazine over his face. Was he sleeping? I ignored the fact that I wasn't alone and, taking out a magazine of my own, I lounged on the chair like any other girl would have. I wondered if he was alone, but didn't bother much about it after a couple seconds.

No sunscreen? asked a warm voice. I looked up to find the man watching me. He was alone, it appeared, his one bag next to a single pair of shoes. He looked young, probably in his early twenties, and very handsome, indeed. He had auburn hair- long for a guy, unless you're from California or a Jonas Brother- and beautiful blue eyes. His eyebrows, a little thicker than the normal, were raised