Behind The Scenes

65. Jo

I'm sitting at my gate reading a magazine when I see a message from Hero: Our car smells like sexツ

Oh God. I almost choke on my Starbucks frappuccino...

Another message: What is it, baby? Too upset to answer??

I can imagine the his stupid perverted smile behind the screen. He is such an idiot.
I reply: You're a perv, jackass.

Him: I won't take it to the car wash until you come back, I assure you.

Oh my God, no.
TAKE IT TO CAR WASH NOW!!, I reply, as if I'm yelling in his face.

He replies with a smiley face and then I inform him that I'll call him before boarding.
I go back to leafing through my magazine and find an interview with Anna on After. I read it all, it's very interesting. I should buy the book, I want to know more about Hessa.

A few minutes later Hero sends me a photo:

He's an asshole, but I love him.

I answer him: Oh yeah? Wait up.
And I send him the photo of my frappuccino.

Look at this!, I attach to the photo.

Him: Bitch.

Me: I love you.♥

I can hear him chuckle after this last message of mine. I really love him. And I already miss his laugh.
I flipped through two other magazines and other people started lining up for boarding. I take out my ticket and passport and get in line too.
I call Hero.
He answers after only three rings. "Hey, gorgeous," he says in a hoarse voice, he might have slept a bit.
Gorgeous... "You never called me that."
"Really? I've never noticed it," he says nonchalantly. "So? Are you embarking?"
"Not yet, but we're all in the queue already. What are you doing?"
He yawns and I sense that he is stretching. "I was resting. What did you do while waiting?"
"Nothing, I've read three magazines and I've decided I want to read the After book," I inform him.
"Why?" he asks curiously.
"I want to know more about Hardin and Tessa's story, don't you?"
He makes a moan. "I'm too lazy and I don't like reading, so then you tell me something, okay?"
I nod. Ah, yeah, he can't see me. "Agree. Oh, we're embarking. Shall we talk when I get to San Francisco?"
"Sure. I love you."
"Me too. Bye," and I end the call.
I text my sister before putting the phone in my backpack: I'm embarking for San Francisco.

She immediately replies: Okay, be careful little sis.♡

"Ticket and passport, miss."
I show them right away.
"Have a good trip!"
"Thank you."
With every step I take towards the plane, I feel closer and closer to home.
I have a great desire to call my father. I haven't heard from him for quite a while.
I arrive in the plane, I put the trolley with my super strength up my head, I sit down and let my dad's number ring.
"Dad!" I exclaim as soon as he answers.
"Honey! Everything okay? Are you leaving?" I hear the happiness in his voice.
"Yes, I'm already on the plane actually. I'm making a stopover in San Francisco."
"I'm glad we'll see you at last. It's been... how many months?"
"Four months," I add.
"OMG! Four months, it seems like a lifetime! How much have you grown up?"
I giggle, sometimes he still treats me like a child, but I love him immensely, he's my favorite. "Daddy, I'm 21, I can't grow up that much now," I remind him.
He apologizes and agrees with me.
I hear Mom's voice in the background, I think she wants to steal Dad's phone to talk to me. "May I talk to Mom?" I hear her complaining from here that I rarely
call her.
"Jo! How are you? What happened to you?" my mother stars asking.
"Mom, everything is fine. You know... I've been busy."
"Is your fiancée with you?"
I don't like it when she says "fiancée". "Please, we're not getting married!" I giggle, but it really bothers me.
"Alright then. Your boyfriend. Is he there too?" she repeats.
I hesitate for a moment. "Umm... no. He had to go to his family. He has one too, right?"
"Oh..." she says disappointed. "I would have liked to know him."
"I know..." I too would have liked them to know each other, but he has to go to London and I can't help it.
We talk for a few more minutes but then I hung up because all the passengers are on board and flying assistants have already requested to turn off our electronic devices or put them in airplane mode. They were pretty quick to do all the boarding, apparently we will arrive on time.
I have the seat on the window side and next to me there is a middle-aged couple. "Hello," I greet them politely.
"Hello, miss," the woman says, with a gentle smile on her lips.
This flight lasts only one hour but the other... San Francisco-Sydney: approximately 14 hours and 45 minutes. A suicide.
I can do it, I say in my mind to encourage myself. But the journey is still very long.