Chapter 85: Chapter 85

(Avery’s Thoughts)

“Wake up sleepyhead, you still need to pack,” I hear Jeff’s voice, but my body doesn’t want to get off to bed.

In fact, I don’t even want to join the tour anymore, but since I already signed up for it, I have no choice.

I remain sleeping and don’t mind his wake-up call. So he pokes me non-stop on my side until I burst into laughter.

“You really don’t want to wake up, huh,” he pokes here and there.

“I’ll tickle you until you get up,” he continues to tickle me until I could no longer breathe because of too much laughing.

I tap his shoulder, “Okay, okay, I am awake now. Stop it!”

Then he showers me with morning kisses. And I hug him.

I look him in the eye and say, “I am going to miss you, two months is so long,” I frown.

He kisses me deeply, “Babe, it will pass by fast. Remember, this is for your career. I can wait for you. After that, we’ll plan our wedding, okay?”

“Can’t I just stay here, and practice being your wife?” I ask silly.

“Get up before I change my mind, we’ll have an eternity of being husband and wife. For now, you are a curator, and I am a bartender, okay?” he refuses my alluring proposal.

“I’ve prepared your breakfast, eat before you leave, and make sure you bring all your important documents, okay?” Jeff nags like a mom.

Well, that’s the downside of having a wonderful boyfriend.

Before he heads out, I ask him for the last time, “Aren’t you going to send me off later?” I sulkily ask.

“No, I hate seeing you go, and I hate saying dramatic goodbye. I prefer picking you up at the airport, though. That’s how I met you, anyway,” he shouts, and then I hear the slamming of the door.

I go back to bed and lie down. For a few days, I’ve been feeling a little lethargic and lazy, and down.

But I hate to admit that the information I got last week took a number on me. I even got more confused, an unnecessary feeling I need to get rid of.

Maybe, for some reason, I think this trip will let me settle whatever unsettle feelings I have for Dmitri. Maybe I am just confused with him around.

But this tour will give me a chance to think things through, without them on my side.

I sigh, and I get my phone. I send a message to Seid, it’s been a while, and somehow, I want to hear some news about Kendra. I wonder how she’s doing now.

“Hey Seid, you home?” I ask after he answers my video call.

“Avery, I c-can’t right now, actually I am at-” he suddenly disappears from the camera, and his whispering voice cuts.

The next thing I hear is a woman’s voice, “Seigfried, come on here, don’t you dare use your phone during our game night,” a strong, loud and familiar voice shouts.

The screen goes black, but I hear him whisper, “I’m at … talk to … later,” he answers but the line gets static. I couldn’t understand well..

Then he shouts, “Yeah coming,”

But the woman’s voice gets louder, “Let me see. Who’s that?”

“Nothing, just an old friend,” he argues.

They are fighting about the call, is she his new girlfriend? Finally! I am about to celebrate and hang up when a woman’s face appears.

We definitely see each other. Our eyes definitely meet. But after three seconds, before I could even speak, the call is cut.

Kendra. It is Kendra. I finally get to see her face again. But, she hangs up. Did she really not see me? I am pretty sure she sees my face in the video.

I finally get to see my bestfriend, but I guess, I guess she is still mad at me, deeply and gravely mad at me.

My heart aches, and I bury my face in the pillow next to me.

“I am sorry Kendra. I am so sorry. I miss you so, bad, K. I wish you were here. I wish I was with you.”

I cry my heart out.

***

My professor and the other students are already waiting for me at the boarding gate. They all frown at me. After all, they know me as anything but punctual.

Well, everyone changes. I used to be punctual, but not anymore. Well, I am not happy about it either.

“Last call for passengers of FLIGHT ROJ507, please proceed to Boarding Gate #7 immediately. Everyone, this is the last call…”

They have already announced our last call We need to hurry.

“Hurry, hurry! You are always a pain in the ass, Anderson,” my professor scolds me.

Then we hurry to the gate and show our boarding pass to the assigned attendant.

After successfully boarding, we now have to wait until the bridgeway is connected.

Once it is ready, we walk to the plane. And on the right side of the bridgeway, a couple of black cars, and a private jet are there. I suddenly remember the scenario when I traveled with Dmitri.

I immediately block the thought, “Oh dear, Avery. What the hell! You haven’t left France yet, and there you are mentally cheating on Jeff. Behave yourself and think about anything but him.”

So I avoid my gaze at the private jet and focus on what’s ahead of me.

The plane isn’t that packed and I manage to sit in a window seat, Every window seat, is actually my favorite, whichever transportation, and whatever place it is, I will surely take the window seat.

“He gave the reserved window seat for you,” the voice of that woman from the restaurant invade my thoughts again.

I must have gone crazy. Shit! What the hell is happening to me? I will ask Dr. James to increase my meds.

My seatmate notices my restlessness so she asks, “Hey, Avery, you okay? Are you afraid of flying?”

“Not really, just thinking of some things,” I say.

“Do you want to let that off your head?” she offers with a grin on her lips. I nod and I follow her.

She brings me to the small bar, “This!” she excitedly says, “Liquor will always get things off your head. Come on. Take a sip!”

I hesitate a first, but I realize, I think a shot or two isn’t bad.

So I take the first neat shot, and another, and then another, until I get a little dizzy and tipsy.

But hey, my seatmate is right. It will really let things off your mind. So, once we return to our seats, we take a rest during the whole flight.