Carpe Aestatem (original)

Chapter 48

Avery

We just arrived at the airport in Ljubljana. I was so excited that I could hardly sleep last night because we're going to DUBLIN! Sam's constantly filming everything, and she's taking her sister's video camera ON THE PLANE. In case if it gets lost. My bffs and I all made sure we packed carry-on only because it's only for four days. IN DUBLIN. What could go wrong? "How much longer?" I complained as Jure was getting the band's bags checked.

"About five more minutes, ptica." Nace said.

"How much longer until the gig?" I asked, trying to figure out a way to keep myself entertained.

"It's tomorrow, Aves!" Jenna elbowed me.

"Jen!"

"What?"

"Why did elbow me?" I asked.

"To try and get you to stop complaining about how long this is taking." Jenna giggled.

"I'm just bored." I said, pulling my phone out.

I scrolled through Instagram and some of the posts I made during our time off in Ljubljana this past week. There's a cool photo of me and Nace at Tivoli Park (it's so pretty), which was one of my most liked photos ever. I love that park. It's way better than the local park near my house back home in Nashville. Man, seriously one of the best places I've been to. "Okay, that's all figured out. Onward!" Jure said.

I breathed a massive sigh of relief. "That took forever." I said.

"It was only ten minutes!" Sam said, pointing her camera at me and resumed vlogging.

Now Sam was talking about how we got lost in the airport when we first arrived in Ljubljana about three weeks ago. How have we been with Joker Out for almost THREE WEEKS? And I feel like I've known Nace my whole life! Nace was the first guy I had in my life. I never really had a father since my dad died when I was six months old. I finally found out the reason why I loved playing the bass guitar. Not just because I like it, but it's also because of my dad. I lugged my bass along with my duffle as we headed to the holding area. "Hey! Let's check this out!" Jure exclaimed, running on the moving walkway.

Mark got himself positioned across the runway, got his phone out and began recording as Jure ran across the walkway. He's such an adrenaline junkie (and a ray of sunshine). The rest of us followed. "Hey, should we check out the coffee place over there?" Olivia asked as we were about to pass the little coffee shop.

"Coffee does sound good." Maks said.

We stopped and got a whole bunch of coffees. Slovenian coffee over any other coffee (besides Starbucks, of course). I really like how Nace makes his. I love Nace so much. As we arrived to the gate, we all had to get a photo saying we were on our way to Dublin. After tons of pictures and Sam vlogging almost everything, I had to ask the most important question. "How's the seating arrangements going to work?"

Bojan shuffled all the boarding passes. "Okay, here's how this is going to work. Jenna and Olivia, you're going to be sitting with me."

Jenna squealed and clapped her hands in delight. She LOVES Bojan. "Avery, you'll be sitting with Nace and Jan."

I squeezed Nace's hand, and he stroked it. "I know you're excited, ptica." He said.

His tattoo sleeve was one of the prettiest things ever. "And Sam, you'll be with Jure and Kris."

Bojan got the boarding passed handed out. "How much longerrrr?" I said.

"Fifteen minutes, Avery." Jenna said. "Come on, we'll be in Dublin in a few hours! No need to complain!"

"It feels like we've been here for an hour!"

"Probably because we have." Sam said, stopping her video.

"Is the coffee helping?" Olivia asked.

I took a sip. "Yes." I said, savoring the coffee snd not letting it burn my mouth at the same time.

"Looks like someone's enjoying her coffee!" Nace exclaimed, taking a sip of his own.

"Anyway," Bojan said. "Do any of you know the legal drinking age in Ireland?"

"Why?" Sam asked.

"You don't have to try it, but there's a drink called Guinness, which I think you might like."

Olivia's eyes grew wide. "Wait. We're eighteen. We can't drink in the US yet! The legal age there is 21!"

"Just looked. It's eighteen." Jenna said. "I'm a little skittish though. I'm not sure if I'm going to like it."

"You don't have to try it." Bojan said.

"And you can join the sober club!" Nace laughed.

Nace, fortunately, doesn't drink a whole lot. I leaned my head on Nace's shoulder, and he gently stroked my shoulder. "You doing okay?" He asked.

"Yeah." I said, tempted to text either Mom or Cassie. In the end, I needed Mom. She texted me first, actually.

Mom:
How's Dublin, Aves?

Avery:
We're still in Ljubljana. Haven't left the airport. I'm holding up. Second gig since finding out about Dad. And idk how Wild Youth is going to see me.

Mom:
You're going to do great, kiddo. Cassie and I cheering you on from home, and I know if you dad was still alive, he'd be cheering you on as well. You're making him proud.

Avery:
Although I'm not playing the bass guitar he passed down to me?

Mom:
Yes. Bessie is in your room. Although you took your travel bass, you're making Dad proud.

Avery:
Thanks Mom. We're boarding soon.

Mom:
Hopefully no one loses their luggage! 😘

"Who's Bessie?" Nace asked.

"My favorite bass guitar. It was my dad's. It's red and white. The white and cream-colored one I have with me right now I call my 'travel bass' because it doesn't matter to me as much if it gets lost or damaged, unlike Bessie."

I held my boarding pass to my chest. "Okay, flight to Dublin at 11am is boarding now." The lady said over the mic.

"FINALLY!" I exclaimed, grabbing my duffle, my backpack and my bass.

We walked out to the tarmac. "That's my luggage." Bojan said, "you better put it on the plane."

What could possibly go wrong? We're going to Dublin, of all places.