Carpe Aestatem (original)

Chapter 12

Jenna

I was curled up under my comforter when my two-year-old tuxedo cat, Mittens, started making biscuits in my bed. "Mittens, let me sleep a little longer." I groaned.

Then she walked up further onto my bed and decided to cuddle with me. She's such a lover. I'm going to miss her so much on this tour. "Jenna, you have to get up. You have to be at the airport in an hour and a half." My mom said creaking open my bedroom door and Mittens ran out of the room.

Then my alarm finally went off. It was now 6:30AM and I had to be at the airport by 8 for our 11am flight to Chicago, then we have a four-hour layover in Chicago and then we fly to Warsaw. We could have flown to Belgrade, which would get us to Ljubljana a little faster, but we went with Warsaw because it's a bigger airport. This morning was a little more smooth sailing, unlike yesterday when I had a radio interview and I accidentally slept in and had to rush to the radio station.

I put on my Måneskin shirt, my jeans, my Converse and the Demoni hoodie Olivia gave each of us. All of my things were by the garage. I had a polaroid of me, my parents, my brother and our cat as a thing to remind me of home. Being away from your family for four months is a lot to handle, but if you're on a different CONTINENT for four months, it's a little different. If I were going to UCLA this fall (which I'm not), it would be a little easier. Thank goodness all four of us deferred for a year. I walked downstairs where my mom was cooking my favorite breakfast of all time: waffles. "There's our little superstar!" My dad shouted.

Mittens was already eating her food. "Had to make this for you." Mom said.

"Last time eating with you until October!" I said, taking a bite of the sausage my dad made.

"We are so proud of you, Jenna. All of this hard work paid off, and now you're going to tour!" Dad exclaimed.

And then my phone buzzed.

Carpe Diem Summer Tour

Jan:
Bojan lost his phone at the after party last night. We're trying to get him a new one before the show on Friday.

Jenna:
Oh no!

Kris:
But he made it back in one piece. He says hi. He's not in Finland with Jere, like a lot of people are saying. They were like tied to the hip since the Madrid pre-party.

Sam:
Jere?

Olivia:
Käärijä's real name. My mom met him.

Jure:
Was that your mother we spoke to? The one with a Northern Slovenian accent?

Olivia:
Yeah.

"Who were you texting?" Grant asked, leaning over my shoulder.

"Grant Xander Cooper!" Mom scolded. "Respect your sister's privacy."

"Sorry."

"It's fine. I'm gonna miss you, stinker. Take good care of Mittens for me."

"Yeah. I get to be home alone for an hour!" He said.

"While Mom and Dad take me to the airport."

"Where are you staying? In Lejublanya?"

"It's Ljubljana. Lube-lana."

"Ljubljana."

"You got it! I'll tell you everything!"

"Jenna, we have to go." Dad said. "Wrap it up."

It was now 7:15. I scarfed down my waffle and grabbed my guitar. I had my passport, my bags and my guitar, most importantly. And my phone. "You ready to rock, love?" Mom asked.

"Yep! I'm so pumped."

Grant hugged me. "Bye, Sis. I'm gonna miss you"

I ruffled his hair. "Tell me how skating goes, okay? And take good care of Mittens for me."

"I will. Have fun!"

"You see how well guitar lessons worked for me! You might even consider taking up an instrument!"

"I'm joining the USN band and playing the trumpet, you doofus. And you'll be in California..."

"I deferred so I could work on my music career a little more before going out of state." I explained.

"Oh yeah!"

"Jen, we have to go!" Dad called as he was putting my guitar into the trunk of his car.

"Bye, buddy!"

Mittens walked up to me. I picked her up. "Bye, my Mittens. I love you." I said, giving her a huge kiss.

Mittens started purring. "I have to go. Bye!"

"Have a good trip!" Grant called as I closed the back door.

And I was off on a journey that I knew I would remember for the rest of my life.