Chapter 86: Chapter 86

It is only a short flight but thanks to the alcohol, I feel I slept the whole night. I still feel warm and I bet my face, especially my cheeks are still red.

We are still at the airport and it is late afternoon. Our professor and the whole class decided to eat at a nearby restaurant which we pass on our way to our accommodation.

It is my second time in Germany. The first one is when I went to Manor Sullivan.

“Here I go again, reminiscing and connecting every memory with Dmitri,” I sigh, feeling disappointed in myself.

I take out my phone and see my wallpaper, Jeff and I together, looking happily. A girl from behind teases me,

“Hey, it hasn’t been a day and yet you miss him already. Free yourself up, bride-to-be, soon you won’t be able to have fun” she even adds and the others laugh, too.

My professor who’s just about our age and kinda cool scold them, “Let Anderson be, at least she’ll get married, I just don’t know about most of you.”

Everyone laughs. We go straight to the parking lot and on the right side of it, a familiar car, and a man who looks like a chauffeur nods his head and smiles at me.

He seems nice, so I greet and smile back. I don’t know but I think I’ve seen him before.

We need to walk a few more blocks until we reach the minibus. The school rents this for us. It isn’t very cozy but it will serve its purpose just fine.

As I sit down, I make sure no one’s behind me, and I recline my chair, “Oh, that feels good.”

“You seem very tired these days, Avery,” asks one of my close classmates.

“Yeah, feel so tired with work, and other stuff,” I shortly respond. I don’t normally share my problems with other people, well, not anymore.

“And does your boyfriend happen to be on the other stuff?” she teases as if implying something.

“Oh, no,” I strongly disagree, “Not, him. I don’t have problems with him, actually, I am lucky to have him,” I clarify, and then she stops bugging me.

I look outside the window, “Yeah, Avery. You are lucky to have, Jeff. So, pull yourself together, will you?”

***

Our accommodation is a three-star hotel, so it is not bad at all. The good thing about this tour is we can pick whatever rooms we like, as long as you can afford it. And since I don’t like being around so many people, and I don’t like spending much in a room alone, I ask Peach to be my roommate for the next two months.

But in this hotel, we will be staying only for two weeks. Our agenda in Germany will be finished in two weeks, and then we will move to our next destination.

Since we arrive here in the late afternoon, our professor gave us this night as our free time. Everyone’s been planning what to do, while I have no plans at all.

We wait in the lobby while the tour agent booked our rooms, still feeling lethargic and tired, I close my eyes while hugging my luggage.

I am about to take my power nap when some girls from another group scream and giggle as if there’s no tomorrow.

I think I hear the other one saying, “Ah! So handsome! You are so gorgeous and yummy!”

And the other girls just do the same, but since I am not interested, I choose to keep my eyes closed and go back to my power nap.

I don’t know how long it took, but finally, we are in our room.

“Hey, Peach, are you hitting the shower?” I ask her.

“Uh, yeah, are you?” she asks back.

“No. Just go ahead, I’ll sleep first, I feel so tired,” I explain to her.

“Hey, Avery, you are not pregnant are you? You seem to be sleepy all the time,” her question makes my heart jump. But is it possible?

No, impossible. I am in my shot, and we only started having sex two weeks ago.

“Nope! I’m not!”

And just like that, I fall asleep.

***

I am awakened by my phone call notification that has been going on and off non-stop. I decide to look for the source of noise and find it inside my bucket purse.

I see Seid calling via FaceTime, so I immediately answer it.

“Hey, what’s up? Are you on your way to work?” I greet him.

“Oh, yeah, and you? Why is it so dark? Are you still at home?” he asks.

“No. I am in Germany,” I answer nonchalantly.

“In Germany?” he seems surprised. “What are you doing in Germany?” Oh yes, I must not have mentioned it to him. I am becoming more and more forgetful, aren’t I?

“Oh, yeah, actually I was about to tell you when I called earlier. But, you were with…” I didn’t finish the sentence.

“Well, yeah. I was with Kendra and boy, she’s been setting me up to different women, and even made me an account in some dating apps, do you believe that?” he complains furiously.

I laugh at his story, “That’s Kendra Higgins for you, Seid. You should have known.”

“So, did she say something? I think she saw me with our video call last time, but she hung up,” I feel my face frowning.

“Uh, she certainly did, but she never talked about it. Hey, don’t be sad. Maybe, once you come back here in the States, she can truly forgive you,” he tried to cheer me up.

I keep quiet for a second, I don’t know if it is already time, but I think he has to know. After all this time, he remains one of my confidants. And he’s been a good person to me.

“Hey, why are you so quiet? I thought your plan is to stay there so you can heal? Did the plan change with the engagement and all?” he asks with worries on his face.

“I, uh, I,” I don’t even know what to say or how to even start, I gulp and try to compose a sentence, and myself, “Seid, we plan to stay here for good. I mean, that’s one more thing we need to discuss, that’s why I called the las-” I am still explaining when he hurries to say goodbye,

“Hey, Avery, let’s talk about it, next time, okay? I gotta go, bye,” and there he ends the call shortly. I sigh and put the phone on the bed.

I can tell by the look on his face that he isn’t happy at all.

It’s only been two minutes, but my phone’s ringtone goes off again.

Thinking it is Seid, I didn’t bother to look at who’s calling and immediately press the answer button and blurts out,

“Seid, listen, I know that-”

“-Well too bad, gorgeous lady, Seid is out of reach for now. Sorry to disappoint you,” the voice says with rudeness in it.

When I accept the video call invitation, I see Jeff’s sulking face.

“Babe? Hi!” I immediately get up from bed and fix myself.

His face looks annoyed. Oh, shit! I forgot to call him, I fell asleep, “So, you’ve spoken to Seid and yet you didn’t care to update your boyfriend?” the smell of jealousy is in the air

“I, uh, sorry, I fell asleep, and then he called, and-” but the words won’t come out just right.

“Babe, I understand you no longer have feelings for Seid, but please, remember, I easily tend to get jealous. I don’t forbid you from talking to him, but I hope it won’t cause a problem to us, would it?” his sentence sounds more of a warning.

“Of course, babe. I am sorry. I was awakened by his call. I fell asleep immediately after we got here. My head is still spinning until now. Actually, I slept throughout the whole travel,” I try to explain as calmly as possible.

“I’m sorry, do you want to sleep more? We can talk later,” he says apologetically.

“No, talk to me. I miss you. You know what, Peach said something funny earlier,” I begin to share my experience here.

“Tell me about it,” Jeff says, I can see him preparing his food, and I just find him so sexy when he cooks.

“Well, she asks me if I was pregnant, cause I’ve been a sleepyhead lately, right?” I giggle and laugh.

Jeff immediately grabs the phone and puts the camera near his face, “Are you? Are you pregnant, babe? Tell me!” I don’t know why, but his face brightens. He seems excited.

To be honest, I’ve never thought of having my own family and wedding, let alone, having a baby.

“Err, sorry to disappoint you, but I am not. I am on my shots, remember?” I coldly clarify him, and he seems a bit sad about it. But he doesn’t want to show it.

“I see. Well, you still need to go to the doctor, especially if you are feeling exhausted lately,” he says with full of concern.

“Hey, Jeff, have you ever thought of having a kid? To be honest, I haven’t. And I am a bit afraid. So, I am sorry to disappoint you, but it’s not my priority yet,” I look down and say it with a soft voice.

But he smiles at me, “Avery, I won’t let you into something you don’t want. Having a child is a mutual decision, and if you are not yet ready, I am cool with it. So, don’t you have activities tonight? Why don’t you go out and get some fresh air?” he even advises me.

“You think it will help?” I ask him

“Of course. Have fun and send me the pictures, okay? I have to go, I’ll cook first, I love you, Avery,” and he says goodbye.

“I love you. Talk to you soon,” I respond.

“Should I go out or not?” And now I have another option to choose from.