"Come on, come on.....pick up. Please pick up." I have the phone on my bed side table on speaker as I rush around my room grabbing random clothes and stuffing my carry on bag full. "Yeobo-shit! Hello? Ella?" His effort to only speak English with me will never be not cute. I smile instantly when hearing his voice. "Hey Jungkook. I hope I didn't pull you away from practice, but this is kinda important." "Nah, I was sitting.....on the floor, taking a break. Yep, it's break time. You called at the perfect time. You sound out of breath noona, are you ok? Are you sick?" I stop running around my room and sit on the end of my bed to catch my breath. "Yes...I'm fine. Sorry. I was running around my room packing in a hurry." "Packing? Where are you com-I mean going?" I take a deep breath and just come out with it. "Ok, so here's the thing. Kayla has flown herself alone to LA on one of her adventures. She's gotten herself attached to a group of guys who seem like bad news." "Tsh." He can't be laughing about this, can he? This is still my sister. "Did you just laugh when I said Kayla is mixed up with a group of bad guys in LA?" "Pfft! No! No Ella, I'm sorry. Im not laughing about Kayla...umm....Jin is making stupid jokes again and I couldn't help but laugh at them." I am still skeptical but this is too urgent to have a little heart to heart about how much my wild sister means to me, and any negative comments toward her are a huge no no for me. "Ok. So anyway...she won't leave unless I fly out there and spend one day with her. I told her I would do it as long as you were ok with it. So...are, you, ok, with it?" I start biting the inside of my cheek waiting for his answer. "Sure. Go save your sister." He snickers and I can't help but comment this time. "Jungkook listen. I know you might have some not wonderful first impressions of my sister, but she is still my sister and we are very close. Please don't laugh at her because she's gotten herself into a stupid situation. Kayla's a free spirit, she's always been this way. She gets an idea and boom, she's off. My parents sometimes wish I was a little more like her." He quickly responds to my outburst. "Ella, listen I di-" I cut him off. Wanting him to understand how Kayla is and that I'd move heaven and earth for her if she needed it. "No, please let me finish. If you have a certain, say...easy, impression of her because of what she did with Yoongi, please remember what we also did that same thing that same night. I love my sister and if she needs me, I will be there for her. Even when I have to fly across the damn country to pull her away from a group rowdy guys, who by the way apparently like to hit woman. I'm going to fly right there to get her safe. Even if I have to spend another day with her...in a hotel...not near any guys, for an extra day so she gets some more wild oats out, I'll do it for her. But I care for you and what we're trying to build, so telling me you don't mind me going would make me feel so much less stress in an already stressful situation." I take a deep breath and let it out and wait to hear what he has to say. I pray this doesn't turn into a thing where he doesn't trust me or whatever. "Ok noona. I am ok for you to go. I didn't mean to laugh again and it's not at your sisters expense I promise. My hyungs are being dumb is all. But I trust you Ella, and if you want to go on a trip with your sister I say go." I Breathe a sigh of relief. "Thank you baby." "Baby? Am I your baby noona?" How can this man get me blushing just by the way he talks? "I....um....st-stop it." I blush hard through the phone. "No, I want you to call me baby. It makes my heart flutter. Like when I call you noona. Do you like when I call you that?" I smile, still blushing hard, and quietly say "yes" into the phone. "No one is near now baby, you don't have to be shy." I laugh with him. Him calling me baby sets my core ablaze more than noona. I miss him even more now, just talking casually with him, having sorted out our issues. "But Ella? I have to go now....I have to practice more." I nod like he can see me. "Ok. I'm going to book my flight and make the drive to the airport." "Text me your flight time because I will probably be practicing for some hours still. But call me when you get into LA, ok?" He's so sweet. "Yes, of course I will. I'll talk to you soon." "Have a safe trip noona. I miss you." I close my eyes, sigh and reply, "I miss you too.....baby." He giggles into the phone, making me do the same. "I love it. Ok, see you soon. annyo!" He hangs up again before I can say bye back. This is the second time he's said 'see you soon.' I smile to myself as I sit in front of my laptop to find a fast flight that isn't a million dollars, thinking 'see you soon' must just be something Koreans say a lot in English. I don't give it another thought and start looking at flights.
As I'm walking through John Glenn International Airport, I am still fuming at the ungodly price I just paid for a straight flight to LA at the last minute. "Fucking hell Kayla...$780 for a straight flight round trip. I'm gonna kill you once I see you if those nasty assholes haven't already." I mumble obscenities to myself all the way to my boarding gate. I had about twenty minutes before boarding so I pull my phone out to text my sister one more time when I'll be arriving in LA and how long it should take me to get to the house she shacked up with these losers in.
I got it El! Just get your pretty ass on that plane and get here fast. We're going to have to much fun!! See ya in a few. Love ya!
I don't even reply, not wanting to spare another minute on my sister who is only excited for me to get to LA and not the fact that she's letting guys smack her around. Just wait until big sis comes up in that house. Those guys are gonna regret putting their hands on my sister. I then pull up my boyfriends contact and text him one last time. My boyfriend...eek!!
Hey baby! I'm sure you're still practicing but I wanted to send a quick text saying I'm thinking of you before I board my flight in a minute. I'll call you once I land, as promised.
I smile to myself as I slide my phone in my back pocket of my jeans. I hear a call come that my flight has started boarding. Standing already, I walk to get in line to board. Once on the plane, I pop my AirPods in, play covers by my favorite singer, Jungkook, and lay my head back to relax. The flight is about five hours, so I hope to catch a small nap.
I awake to a nudge on my shoulder and open my eyes. The flight attendant is speaking to me so I quickly remove my airpod. "Ma'am we are getting ready to touch down, so we need everyone buckled and everything in an upright position, including our guests" I smile thank her for waking me. "Have a nice trip ma'am." She gives a huge fake smile that's she's mastered over the years. After she walks away I roll my eyes.....I hate being called ma'am. I'm 30, not dead. The landing is as smooth as any other, once the exit plane sign lights up I stand and grab my bag from overhead. I made sure to fit everything I needed in my carry on because there was no way I was paying to check a bag after what I paid for the damn ticket. We'd only be here for two days anyway. Now that my mind has calmed some I panic a bit, not really remembering what I actually packed to wear for this trip. I was in such a frenzy all I remember is grabbing random items and shoving them in my bag. I sigh, as there isn't much I can do about now. I quickly exit the plane and walk as fast as I can toward the exit. While walking I text Kayla saying I landed and am on my way. Then I call Jungkook. It rings and rings. "Pick up baby." I hear the voicemail prompt and stick my lip out pouting as I wait to leave my message.
Hey Jungkook, I just called to let you know I landed safely and mission 'Save My Dumb Sister' has begun. You laugh into the phone, but continue, You must be busy right now but I'll have my phone with me all the time....so...call me when you have time. Ok.....bye!
I hang up the call, slide my phone back into my back pocket, and start walking out to find a taxi.
I am able to land a taxi in a couple minutes and tell
The driver the address my sister gave me of where she is staying. The drivers eyebrows shoot up and he nods his head looking impressed. I look weirdly at the way he's acting and just lean back and look at the scenery. I've never been to California before, let alone Los Angeles. I don't see much greenery like in Ohio, but instead see a lot of sand....and a lot of skin. Everyone is half naked walking around. I blush at the thought of walking around in just my bathing suit. No fucking way! I laugh a little to myself imagining me and Kayla arguing because I'm wearing too many clothes and she's not wearing any. I feel my phone vibrate and pull it out, hoping to see my boyfriends name. I frown. Kayla.
Hey sister! How much longer until you get here? I thought you'd be here by now.
I look up and ask the driver how much longer and he says about ten more minutes, which I relay to Kayla. "Once we get through this little suburb, we'll enter your ritzy district." I look at him funny. "Ritzy? What do you mean, Ritzy?" He laughs while looking at me. "You serious babe? You're yankin' my chain right? The address you gave me is where the rich of the rich live sweetheart. Is this news to you?" My eyes bug out and I say nothing. The driver notices and starts getting nervous I took him on a joy ride and am not planning to pay. " Sweetheart, why don't you check your address one more time and read it out to me again. Just so we know I'm headin' to the right place." I nod and grab my phone again and open my sisters text with the address. I read it slowly again and the man nods. "We're headin to the right place sweetheart. Can you trust who sent you the addy? I mean, someone ain't tryin' to pull one over on you are they?" I look at him again, feeling some anger rise inside me. "She better fucking not have. It's my sister." He looks back at me again surprised. "Oh shit! I hope old sis is being truthful, 'cause we're here sweetheart." He pulls up to what I assume is a small guard shack and stops to talk to the man. I look at the huge iron gate and high ivory stone walls. What the hell is that, a gated community of the filthy rich? "Sweetheart, these guys say this is as far as I go and you just give 'em your name. If you're on some list they'll drive you to the house you're supposed to go to." I stare at the driver and nod but hear a knock at the window I am sitting by. Startled by the knock I roll it down only some. "I need your name miss." The guard keeps his eyes on the clip board while the other guard keeps his eyes on the driver and me. After I give him my name, he looks up at me. "I'll need to also see a photo ID. License, military ID, state ID. One of those please." I nod and grab my wallet out of my purse to pull my license and hand it to the guard through the small opening in the window. He scans the ID and directly hands it back to me. He then looks over his shoulder and nods to the other guard. I see the other guard proceed to pull a wad of cash from his jacket pocket. "How much is the lady's fare?" The driver looks back at me and I shrug and shake my head, not knowing what the hell is going on. While the guard in the front settles my fare, clipboard guard opens the door for me. "Are you ready miss?" I whip my head to the man, and just stare. "Miss? It's time to step out so we can escort you to your party." I have a party? Kayla, I have to get to her, is all I'm thinking. I nod and open the door and step out. "Miss, your bag." I stand staring at the huge gate, the taxi having already abandoned me. The guard clears is throat and asks again, a little louder. "Miss!" I turn to look at him again and snap out of my daze. "I can take your bag Miss." I smile and hand him my bag. At that moment I see a golf cart come into view. "Miss, Reuben will take you to your party." I smile and climb on the cart, the guard placing my bag in the back. "Have a nice stay miss." I again smile and nod. Who the fuck lives here?