Chapter one
Ridhima looked up at the ship. It was like looking up at the titanic in modern day. From the outside where she stood, she never could have imagined something so great happening to her all at once. Just a week ago she had graduated with her degree in music and got a phone call for the manager of the Ecstasy ship asking her to be a piano teacher to a five year old child prodigy for one year.
Although the ship would not be sailing continuously for one year, the five year old girl was going to be sailing on the Ecstasy for a year with her father who just happened to be the owner's best friend. The ship was to sail from Florida to Mexico and back to Florida every five days. The details of her job had not been told out in detail, but when she had been told that she was going to be paid a hundred thousand per month for a whole year, she took the job in a heartbeat.
Ridhima was supposed to meet the manager, Mr. Rice at the front of the gate. Her excitement was great. She did not know who the actual owner of the ship was, but was pretty sure that she would not be meeting the man. All she had to do was be a teacher to a child geniuses on a cruise for a year, and get paid big time.
She reached the front of the Ship gates with her passport and free ticket that the manger hand sent for Ridhima. Almost automatically Ridhima was directed to the manger Mr. Rice when she showed her passport at the front of the gate.
"Miss Ridhima Gupta?" The manger asked as Ridhima approached him
"Yes" she said. She looked up at the man to see him to be old maybe old enough to be her own father's age. He wore a suite as she would have expected him to. He wore old style glasses that defined his old age even more. "We've been expecting you, your job on the ship is going to be simple, you are to spend two hours each day from seven to nine teaching five year old Kosar the piano, she is already an expert at the piano, but your job is to keep her interested in the subject. She will be coming to your room every night at seven to learn…" The manager started to walk expecting Ridhima to follow behind him as she did he continued to talk "…on the ship you can buy anything from the gift shops or drinks for free, and the food just like the guest will be free. The owner of the ship is a very private man, so don't be expecting him to come and introduce himself to you. Dinner is at six each night and you will be dining with me and my son Mark who also works here…" The manger made a few turns from one corner to another, going up a few flights of stairs from here and there as he continued to talk "…Kosar is not the owner's own daughter but he treats her like his own daughter, I suggest you treat the young girl well…" the way the manager was speaking it seemed like he thought of Kosar as a spoiled child genius not a talented young girl who could bring greatness to the future. "…Kosar's father Sahil Khapoor is more of an outgoing man, you may get a chance to speak to the man a few times as he is very involved in his daughter's life"
"And the mother?" Ridhima asked as the manager stopped in from of room 202 on upper deck. "the mother passed away three years ago, I suggest you not mention her again" the manager had a monotone voice that never seemed to elevate in sound.
The manager handed Ridhima the room card and walked away but before leaving he said "if you want to purchase anything from the Ecstasy you can with the room card and the bill will be paid for by our owner." After saying that one last thing he left and Ridhima slipped the card to the room to get a chance to look into her new room for the next year.
Inside was the most beautiful sight she had seen. There was a large queen size bed at the left hand side. In the dead center was a grand piano on a one foot high stage that seemed to give the instrument a bit of a glow. Towards the back of the room was a balcony with an open sea view.
Ridhima dropped the bag which she had been caring on the bed and walked out to the balcony. The Ecstasy was still at port but she could smell the salty open air.
*****
Armaan was so excited. This was going to be the best year of his life. After many, many, many weeks Armaan was able to convince Sahil to come with Kosar and spend a year on the Ecstasy. Kosar was five years old and as every child her age she should be going to school, but to Armaan's luck Sahil's daughter just happened to be a child prodigy and was now being home schooled on Armaan's expense.
Armaan hired the best of the best teachers from all over the world to educate Kosar. The only difficulty he had in finding a good teacher was a piano teacher. Kosar was a prodigy in music and in order for her to not be bored in the subject he needed to find a good teacher for the girl. After much research Armaan had heard of Ridhima Gupta a recently graduated student who was by many of her teachers said to be the next big thing in the art of music.
Armaan put on his white shirt and black tie as he started to leave his room to come to the main lobby to find his best friend Sahil and lovely daughter Kosar. Sometimes Armaan wondered how he was such good friends with Sahil. They were both big business rivals in the cruise line business but in the end were best friends that called each other up on even the littlest of needs.
In the main lobby Armaan noticed a lot of guest recently entering the Ecstasy gathered in the lobby trying to find their way to their rooms. Even with the rush Armaan was able to spot a little girl in a white frilly dress. "Kosar!" Armaan yelled across the lobby to get her attention.
As soon as Kosar saw Armaan, she let go of her dad's hand and ran to Armaan with a big childish smile. She ran right in to his arms giving him a big hug, she was able to feel herself being picked up from the ground to Armaan's chest.
"Nice seeing you again Armaan" Kosar said rapping her little hands around Armaan's neck. Kosar was a girl who talked like an adult and truth be told her mind really was at a level of an adult.
After giving little Kosar a big hug Armaan set Kosar back on the floor and shook hands with Sahil. He gave a smile to his friend "finally you two made it!" Armaan said, he was dress like all the workers on the ship. Usually on the first day one the cruise Armaan dressed like the rest of the crew workers to get a chance to know that the guest had concerns of and such and to be able to better improve his Ecstasy for the better.
"Yeah we finally made it buddy" Sahil said with a laugh as all he and Kosar followed behind Armaan as he showed them their room.
*****
It was nearly four in the afternoon when the Ecstasy finally set sail. Ridhima headed out of her room to explore the ship a little to get a feel for her new home. She walked out towards the elevator and clicked the up button. The doors opened, she saw a young crew worker in the elevator also. She stepped in as smiled.
Boy did that boy look amazing in the crew uniform she thought.
Ridhima was a very talkative person and found this as an opportunity to make her first friend on the ship. "Hi" Ridhima said as the elevator door closed.
Armaan looked at the most beautiful woman in his life. He had just dropped Sahil and Koar to their room and here he was in an elevator with the most beautiful woman in the world, and she just said hi to him. "Hi" He said back.
"so do you work here?" Ridhima asked, knowing well that the man obviously worked there, he was dressed like all the crew members.
"yeah, I'm a steward" what the hell? Armaan thought to himself. did he just said he was a steward, the guys that clean all the rooms?
"That's nice, I'm Ridhima a piano teacher, hired by one of the manager, it's my first day" After Ridhima said this the elevator stopped on the floor and she got out, waving at Armaan as he just looked at her and thought to himself as to how stupid of an idiot he really was.
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