Carpe Aestatem (original)

Chapter 47

Sam

About a week later

I was out cold after Kris and I watched some of The Office. I was sleeping so peacefully that I wouldn't have been waked until my phone alarm started blaring. I really didn't want to get up out of this comfy bed, but then I saw my calendar saying 'DUBLINNNNNNN 🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪'. It then hit me. We're going to be in Dublin for four days and two gigs! I can't wait. Georgie, my stuffed alpaca, was flung across my bed, and I still hadn't fully packed yet. UGH. All that I had left to pack was Georgie and a spare outfit. "Sam? Are you up yet?" Kris asked.

"I am. Give me a few minutes!" I shouted.

I got on a pair of leggings, my Fearless: Taylor's Version T-shirt, my blue sneakers and my USN STAGE CREW black jacket. I wore this during all the tech weeks that I was either ASM or Head SM. "What time is our flight?" I asked.

"It's at 11. It's only 7am right now. We have time."

"Alright." I said, nibbling on the cereal that Kris had put out for the both of us. "Is Maks coming with us?"

"He is. He's really excited. Have you been to Dublin before?"

"Unfortunately, no. The only time I've left the US besides this was for a trip to see my sister in Liverpool during Christmas break."

"When we were in Liverpool filming the music video for 'New Wave', I think we saw your sister. As soon as I saw you in the airport, you looked like a miniature version of her."

"You think you might have seen my sister?"

"I remember that she was working on something in a coffee shop. Was she back in Nashville before we got there for Eurovision?"

"She got back on May 2, I think."

"Ah. Okay."

Michelle called me two seconds later. "Shelly? Why are you up at 12am?" I asked.

"I don't know. You're going to Dublin today?" She asked.

"We are. We don't have the gig until tomorrow. We're also meeting Wild Youth tomorrow as well. We're all looking forward to it."

"Are you going to be playing?"

"Just for the meet and greet on Tuesday along with some interviews."

"Oh. Have fun in Dublin!"

"Thanks Shelly."

Michelle and I hung up and I went back to sipping my coffee. "I can't wait!" I squealed.

"I can't wait either. First time in Dublin!"

"I know!"

"Not the first time out of Slovenia, though!"

Kris laughed a little. "I know."

"You and the guys all traveled a lot last spring."

"Yeah. We went to all the pre-parties. Which we were advised not to do but we did it anyway."

"And you don't regret it?"

"We don't regret it, Sam. We don't. Even a few illnesses didn't keep us from participating."

I looked confused. "Bojan was sick in Warsaw, and I was sick in Madrid. If you saw the documentary episodes."

"And you did recover."

"We both did. Bojan had to leave in the middle but met us in Amsterdam."

I checked my phone, scrolling though exits that Michelle had sent me.

Michelle:
Have you left for Dublin yet?

Michelle:
Mom and Dad want to know!

Michelle:
Ik it's 12am, but I wanna know!

"Look at these texts my sister sent!" I said.

"Is she usually super excited about things?"

"When she's passionate about something, like this tour." I said, turning off my phone. "Are we meeting everyone at the airport?" I asked.

"We're meeting at the rehearsal space, Sam. Anyways, do you want a nickname I can call you?"

"Yeah! But I can't think of anything."

"Do you know what your name means?"

"Let me Google it."

I googled 'samantha meaning'. "It means 'God has heard', but its suffix derived from the Greek word meaning 'flower'."

"How about I call you 'cvetka'? It means 'flower' in Slovenian. I would have gone with the Dutch version, but it's just 'bloem' which sounds too much like 'bloom'."

"That's perfect!"

"Oh, my cvetka." Kris laughed.

"Are we going to see Wild Youth tonight?" I asked, taking the last few sips of my coffee.

"Tomorrow, cvetka. Tomorrow."

"Ugh. I wanna meet them so badly."

"They're honestly some of the nicest people I've met in my life. Besides Jere and the rest of Joker Out."

"Should we get ready to go soon?" I asked, putting the dishes in Kris's sink.

"Yeah. We need to be be at the rehearsal space in about 30 minutes. I'll clean up. You can go finish packing, cvetka."

I headed back to my room and grabbed all the things I needed for four days. Extra clothes, Georgie, and my travel essentials. My phone buzzed again. This time from the tour group chat.

Carpe Diem Summer Tour

Bojan:
Jenna and I are already at the rehearsal space. Status?

Avery:
Nace and I are on our way now

Jure:
Just woke up

Olivia:
MAČEK YOU NEED TO BE AWAKE WE HAVE A FLIGHT SOON

Olivia:
Sorry, Jan made me text that

Jan:
I did 😂😂

Sam:
JAN PETEH. Anyways, Kris and I are just about ready to go.

Bojan:
See you soon!

"Sam? Are you ready to go?" Kris asked.

"Give me a second!" I said, shoving random shirts along with jeans and an extra Eras Tour hoodie.

I got everything, including Georgie, into the duffle, put my drumsticks in their holder, and followed Kris out the door.