The Nerd's Playbook

|04| Welcome To Spain

Dedicated to novadreams for the beautiful song she recommended(brave by Sara Bareilles). The lyrics were descriptive and very relatable. For all who suggested, the songs were equally awesome and I love you for that. I've more songs in my playlist now ♥

The summer air was heavy and sweet
You and I on a crowded street
There was music everywhere,
I can see us there In a happy little foreign town
Where the stars hung upside down A half a world away, far, far away

♥♥♥

Rule number four: I know this might seem crazy but whatever happens, never leave your luggage in the hands of someone you barely know. A lot of people did and have testified to how greatly their stupidity cost them.

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AROMATIC SPICES AND SWEET BREEZES seeped through the freshly scented air as I paced the buoyantly furnished terminal of the Matacan airport. My eyes furtively stared at the pristine baby powdered walls, pastelled with intricately designed artworks and large screens displaying various arrival times and departure times. If heaven had an airport then I was already there.

Classical music hummed at the background as I pushed pass a sea of faces, both foreign and native. A satisfied smile lingered on my lips. I was finally in Salamanca. This was the beginning of something great and I could feel it within me.

I walked through the throngs of people in awe. Matacan airport was like nothing I'd ever seen before. It's not like I'd seen much, but I could already tell the difference between this exotic place and the drabness of where I was coming from.

There were many tourists strolling and taking pictures. I was almost tempted to pose and take one when an English couple approached to take a picture of the antique beside me.

"Can you move a little? You're blocking the light." The man frowned as he looked through his camera.

"Naive teenagers," I heard his wife hiss.

The inner rude girl in me wanted to point out how bad she looked in her oversized yellow sundress. But instead I settled on, "I don't know much about fashion but I know yellow isn't really your color,"

I felt her anger radiate in waves as she cursed. I quickly stepped back, "Happy holidays," I smiled sheepishly then slowly backed away, my hands struggling to pull my luggage along. You know the nerds who regularly pick fights without meaning to? Yeah... I was one of them.

"Disculpe señorita, ¿necesita ayuda con el equipaje." Excuse me Miss, do you need help with your luggage.

I spun to see an old Spaniard smiling slyly. He wore a ratty denim shirt with partly tattered black trousers hanging low beneath his waist. I looked at him in confusion. What did that mean? I flipped through my Spanish guide, "Tu hablas ingles?" You speak English? I paused, "Español es difícil," Spanish is difficult.

"Sorry chica. I speaking English. Bags. Need help?"

I clasped my hand.s around my luggage tightly. There was no way I was allowing anyone steal my luggage. I smiled and humbly refused his offer.

"I promise, I charge not much." He grinned, and I spotted that he was missing a tooth. That creeped me out the more so I jumped back.

He took a step closer, "Afraid not un poco."

It was good he could tell I was afraid. I'm sure I probably looked like I had seen a ghost with the perspiration forming on my face . This was so not the welcome I was expecting. I felt a hand on my shoulder. Good! Now it was two creepers against one helpless high school girl. I turned timidly and saw a girl around my age. Her face was kind and sweet, and she'd beautiful gray eyes. "Hi, I'm Penny," she bubbled.