Valentina
As I sit on the uncomfortable benches that stan in the airport departures lounge, I wonder what on earth I am doing. Leaving everything behind me and leaving the only country I know, without anyone I know to hold my hand, to explore the world and discover myself. Right, it sounds a bit crazy for me I know!
I could feel my heart banging against my chest like an angered lion wanted out of its cage... my breathing grew faster and faster all while my brain fought to keep my body's panick mode under control. I just hope this trip will be worth it. That it will be the making of me.
My name is Valentina, Spanish blood but was born and grew up in the UK, just like my parents; It was my grandparents that emigrated here. At 20 I thought I was old enough and wise enough to go off exploring this big wide world, all on my own. Except I used to think this as a child and I still got lost in the forests and fields near my house, feeling so scared and vulnerable, yet I still went back and did it a hundred times over. Wondering about until my parents found me, scared out of their minds. Oh how that feeling has just returned to the pit of my stomach like unwanted food poisoning, linguring until I admit defeat.
I watched the screen for my plane to announce boarding, it felt like it was taking ages! I had already had a snack in Costa, looked at all the lovely expensive perfumes, picked out a magazine and a load of refreshments, not forgeting the new book I had just picked out to occupy me for the 15 hour journey; seeing as I wont have anyone to talk to. Now with all that done there was nothing else to do but wait for my plane to board. What is a girl to do?
I shifted and stired for what felt like hours in that seat waiting for my flight number to flash up boarding. I clutched my flight bags in anticipation and people watched for a bit; It was comforting to acknowledge all the different types of people in the world and how each had completly different stories. For hours you could imagine the types of lives each of these people had, each life being created in your head as fascinating as the last.
As the arm of my watch traveled slowly past each number, I asked myself, who will I be house sharing with for the next 2 weeks? And where should I go next? What amazing part of the world do I next want to disover, or better still is this next place going to discover me? With all these uncertain questions I decided to shut my brain off before I ignited my anxiety chimp and decides to fill my ears with the sounds of my current favs playlist, my earphones also blocking out everyone around me that too were stressed. What do they say about people losing their heads as soon as they walk through airport doors...
I must of drifted off in a light sleep because when I woke, sat bolt up and thought to myself, shit. I looked at the board and my flight said last call for boarding. I scanned the terminal looking around me for any directions to the gate.
Gate 12, gate 12, where is it! Yes!
Found it!
I ran, and ran and ran, pushing padt many unsuspecting traveller's slowly making their way to their gate ON TIME, until I got to my own damned gate. I reached it just as they were closing the gate...
" I'm sorry! I lost track of time!" I kept repeating, shut up you're making yourself seem immature and irresponsible! I quickly shut up, puffing and panting, the ground crew made one last radio call to see if there was still time for me to get on, please please let me get on, I don't know how many more knockbacks I can take, the ground crew lady nodded and pointed to my passport and boarding pass to scan, rushed me to the doors towards the plane, the deafening sound of the engine isolating my senses as I sped up the metal stairs... panicking to find my seat as I speadily walk down the aisle, feeling as if everyone were looking at me as I scan every seat number above their heads. The colour rose up to my cheeks, the air escaping my lungs.
Right. Seat f5. Where is it?
I found my seat and who I was about to be sharing this flight with for the next 15 hours, I let out an internal groan. In the middle row sat 4 young men around my age I would guess, and they were all easy on the eye to put it subtly but one on the furthest seat away from mine staring right at me was the most handsome looking man I have ever seen! This was gonna be one of the most awkward plane journeys ever! Atleast after 15 hours I wont have to see them again. I hope, but Fiji is a small island.
I had chosen the middle seat when booking my flights last year, don't ask me why, I thought it would be a good idea to sit between two strangers; whereas this endearing guy was sat on the end on the right hand side by the window.
I shuffled into my seat breathing in as much as I could as an attempt to not show more to the unsuspecting guy in my way than he was bargained for. Why do I always end up embarrasing myself?! I sat, more like fell into my seat, now all hot and flustered as I wrestled with my luggage, knees up by my chin whilst trying to shove my bag under the seat in front, fought to take my hoodie off due to the hotflush I felt like was experiencinga due to all the comotion I was making. I tried not to make eye contact with any of the guys around me, I could feel the heat of embarrassment that had risen in my cheeks and I was not prepared to share it with anyone, let alone these boys whome looked like they'd just come out of a Vogue magazine!
I sat back looking straight ahead of me and listened to the flight attendant carefully as they went through all the safety procedures. I then grabbed my sweets for the air pressure that caused me agonising pain, my new magazine that I tried to distract myself with whilst trying to keep my flight anxiety at bay, practically burning a hole in the paper whilst trying to read "How to take your riding club horse, to the next level and affiliate" Well that won't be much good to me with my horses stuffing their faces at home for the next year whilst I'm on a voyage of self discovery. Finally beginning to get engrossed in this article I was then brought back to reality by a strangers voice...
"Hey gorgeous", said the guy on my right who was seperated from his friend on the other side of me. I looked at hime suspiciously, "woah! I was only being friendly" he laughed out loud with this infectous laugh that I couldnt help but join in with.
"Hey" I replied back, trying not to blush (the usual thing that happens whilst speaking to any guy within my age bracket)
"My names Adam, nice to meet you! Now we've got 15 hours to bond whilst my mates try to dissown me" again he laughed, I presumed he was the joker of the group. Now his friends looked at us expecting me to reply,
wait what even was my name? God these boys are already making me lose my mind and we've only just left the ground!
"My names Valentina, nice to meet you all too!" I replied rather shyly,
"Where are you from? America?" They at least sounded American,
"Yes we are! We have just started our traveling journey and our first stop was London. We had hoped to see the queen but she text me the other day saying that she had to cancel our coffee date as she had a lot of royal business to attend to, I think she said babysitting p
Prince George and Princess Charlotte" Adam explained, adding a wink at the end of his point.
"Wow! She must be a really busy lady to have to turn down someone like you!" I said, how was this coming out of my mouth! I never talk like this. I shot him a quick cheeky smile before turning my back on him to face his other friends, "so, your names are?"
"I'm Benny" said the one on the other side of me,
"My names Luca, lovely to meet you" said the heart-throb on the end, flashing me the sexiest smile I have ever seen on this planet!
With my heart in my mouth I nodded at the guy inbetween them, his floppy mousy hair curling around his eyes,
"I'm Jackson" he shyly said. He looked like those Aussie surfers you get in films. Luca was more mysterious, bad boy sort with dark brown hair and green peircing eyes as if they were emerald jewels. I couldnt keep my eyes off his. But it seemed he felt the same as he kept staring me down. I felt the heat rush to my cheeks, again!
Adam with his joker boy smile, blue eyes and brown curly hair called the air hostess over. " I'd like to buy these lovely people a round of drinks! What will it be for the lovely lady?"
"Id love a Pina Colada please" I said, barley a whisper. This is my favourite drink, why not get in the spirt if I'm about to spend two weeks on an island anyway!
The guys ordered four beers and the air hostess tottered off to get them. "Thank you Adam!" I said,
"I wouldn't of thought you were the type of girl to go for rum based cocktails" he said, again with that joker boy smile "Most girls go crazy for gin"
"Well, I'm a girl full of surprises! And most certainly not like other girls" I glanced a quick look over at Luca, who again returned the look.
"Luca loves surprises" he replies smirkely. He must of seen the moment between us earlier on!
The waitress comes back and hands us our drinks, "now I hope you lot dont go to wild!" She says with a worried expression on her face,
"Dont you worry, I'll keep a check on them" I replied. What on earth was going through my mind?! This new authoritive and cheeky me was awsome!
"So T, I can call you that right?" Adam asks,
"T is a new one but sure go ahead! After this flight I won't be seeing you again."
"And that is exactly what I want to know. Where are you staying for your trip? Fiji isn't a massive place so we are expected to bump into eachother" he replys,
"I'm house sharing with some other holiday maker's, Just trying to keep my travel costs down you know?" I said trying to justify my reasons on why I thought it would be a good idea to house share with four other randomers for two weeks being a young woman on my own, brave or stupid?
"We're house sharing too! But only with one other person" we both look at eachother now, both thinking the same...
"Wait what is the name of the house you're sharing?" I ask,
"Paradise lodge, right on the sea front," he replies, a lot more serious now,
"OMG. I guess I better get used to your jokes then." I said not believing it. How am I going to survive for two weeks in a house with these guys and with heart-throb Luca?
I turned around to him for the breifest of seconds where our eyes connected, and a slight smirk appeared on his lips with a glint in his emerald green eyes, as if he knew exactly what was going through my mind. I bet now is my chance to live a little and take risks? as I gave him a smile back.