Loving Astrid

1

After a couple insults back and forth, the pair ended the call, and she called her ride instead, who had promptly arrived in the lot of the beach.

Grabbing her shoulder bag, she dropped her phone into it, checking to make sure she didn't leave anything behind, and made her way through the sands of the beach towards the parking lot.

Spotting the dark grey tinted windowed Range Rover, she walked towards it, getting into the back seat.

Her driver for the time being turned around, "Miss Koslova, airport?"

She nodded. "Yes Basel, thank you."

She sat back, relaxing in her seat and put in her AirPods, letting song lyrics fill her mind.

—

An hour later they reached the airport and she quickly put on her large dark sunglasses, stepping out of the car. She rounded to the passenger side, knocking on the window. Basel rolled it down, to which she leaned in slightly, blowing him an air kiss and saying goodbye to the middle aged man who'd been of much help to her.

She crossed the paved lot quickly, noticing the lingering Paps in the area.

Sure she wasn't world famous, but she was Europe famous, if that could be a term. Her Belarusian background placed her in many European magazines, resulting in her featured in many European media outlets. American ones were less aware of her, to which she was thankful for. It was the reason she had enrolled in Brown University rather than opting to study abroad.

A bodyguard accompanied her as she made her way to the waiting plane, several Paps having caught sight of her. She kept her head low, shielding the left side of her face with the her hand, her right covered by her bodyguard.

He gently pushed her along towards the plane, shielding her as she climbed the steps. As she got in she muttered a quick, "Thank you" to him, moving further into the plane.

She reached the built in bedroom, dropping her stuff to the side, and falling into the comfortable bed.

Her other luggage had been shipped that morning, and Addy had confirmed with a text that it had arrived. Now all I have to do is collect it at the airport, she thought, pleased.

As she felt the flight take off, her eyes started falling shut, and within a couple minutes, she was asleep, travelling having taken a toll on her body.

—

She awoke to the flight attendant above her, lightly shaking her shoulder.

"Ma'am, we'll be arriving shortly..." She stated gently.

Astrid nodded haphazardly.

She sat up, taking a moment to get oriented. She wearily blinked her eyes, feeling drowsy from the short nap. Swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, she stretched before reaching down to grab her shoulder bag.

She walked into the washroom, observing herself. In her reflection she noted her waist length hair was tangled. She tied it back in a haphazardly made low bun, shorter strands of hair framing her face.

Her big green eyes blinked back at her, rimmed red from the lack of sleep, the thick dark lashes framing them. Her eyes always reminded her of her father. He had the same colour. Her mom had brown eyes, though the prettiest shade of brown she'd ever seen.

She blinked back the moisture in her eyes at the thought of her parents, sniffling slightly before rubbing a hand over her face in attempt to relax.

I'll find time to see her, she promised herself.

She bent over to reach the tap of the sink, her 5'10 frame making it hard to maneuver comfortably around the little washroom. Splashing cold water on her face, she took three deep breaths, hurriedly walking out of the washroom.

Just as she exited, she heard the pilot asking those aboard to be seated and belted— the plane was landing.

—

She stepped off the stairs of the private jet, issuing a last wave at the remaining attendants before making her way across the pavement and towards the building.

The cool nighttime Providence air invaded her senses as she got there.

She got through the airport security, quickly clearing for VIP and made her way to her baggage claim. After a couple minutes a man with a trolley came out with her two bags on it.

"Thank you, I've got it from here," she signalled to the worker.

She wheeled the trolley towards the exit, a slight smile forming on her face at the thought of seeing Addy again.

Although Addy was her aunt, she was only 6 years older than her. Addy was her moms youngest, and only, sister. She was also Astrid's legal guardian, ever since the incident.

Thankfully that evil wench has her period, so she won't be here to embarrass me, she thought to herself.

In the past, Addy had received Astrid from the airport with— for lack of a better word— creative signs. The last time it had been a 'welcome home from prison', a cliche, though she'd gotten more advanced with another saying, 'welcome home from your sugar daddy's funeral'.

She'd gotten several disgusted looks for that one, she remembered.

She walked through the busy airport, looking straight ahead and keeping her head held high— which wasn't too hard with her height over the majority of them.

Exiting the airport building, she walked through the terminals, waiting on the side of one of the roadways.

Pulling out her phone from her shoulder bag, she called an Uber, leaning against one of the pillars in wait. It was only a minute later that the Uber messaged her in notice of arrival.

She matched the car pulling up in front of her to the description, carefully opening the door and peering inside. The young man at the drivers seat turned around to glance at her, eyes widening in reaction.

His eyes trailed over her, failing to hear her request having been too focussed on her features. 

Astrid sighed. "Would you mind opening the trunk? I need to place my bags in."

He nodded jerkily, a blush rising up his neck as he undid the hatch of the trunk.

She strode around the edge of the car, heaving one bag off the trolley and lifting it into the trunk, before doing the same with the second bag. Shutting the trunk, she slid into the backseat, ready to go home.