This Girl

Chapter 43: I don't wanna be a Kardashian

That's the first time I've ever sworn. Apart from saying it to Siri in fifth grade. I still feel bad about it. Should I really have stooped down to her level? Anyway, it's over now.

"Ready to go?" Alex asks, piling my suitcase into the car. I nod and hop in. Bubbles and Callum are in there with us, they'll drive Alex's car back. Our parents are all working, so they've already said goodbye. 

"Are you guys sleeping in the same bed?" Bubbles asks, giggling, her hands intertwined with Callum's in the back seat. 

I roll my eyes. 

"There's a king bed in the apartment," Alex says, wiggling his eyebrows at Bubbles in the backseat. She laughs. Its Callum's turn to roll his eyes. 

"She has a nice dress!" Bubbles says. 

"Does she?" Alex asks, raising an eyebrow at me. I roll my eyes again and look out the window. We drive along the highway for a few minutes before Callum speaks. 

"What's your cousin's name?" He asks. 

Alex doesn't turn around. "Her name's Beth. She's marrying Jason."

Callum nods. I look back at Alex. "Who else will be there?"

"The whole family. My aunts, cousins, uncles, my Grandma. Their friends. Ed Sheeran," he shrugs. I do this big jumpy thing of surprise in my seat. 

"Ed Sheeran?" I shriek. He grins at me, eyes probably sparkling under his Ray Bans. 

"Yeah," he says. "Grandma's paying." 

I must look flabberghasted because Alex laughs and we spend the rest of the trip in silence. My silence, obviously, a shocked silence. 

***

After saying goodbye to Bubbles and Callum, Alex and I pass through security and board the plane. 

We take our seats. I look around. "Alex, is this first class?" I ask, turning around in awe.

"C'mon, Nat, you lived in Paris, you have money, how can this not be normal for you?" he asks, reclining his seat and drawing the blinds around our small cabin thingo. 

"We usually just fly economy," I say, reclining my seat as he does, but further. He nods. The flight attendant comes up to us. 

"Hi!" she says, overly cheery. "Would you like some beverages? We have sodas, spiders, champagne, water, and juice. Do any of these options suit you?"

"Lemonade, please," I say. She nods and turns to Alex.

"Your best Champagne please," he says. "Oh, and a muffin."

"Of course, what flavor?" she asks. 

"Choc-chip," he says. She nods curtly and walks away. I turn to him. 

"Alexander!" I say. He smiles. "You're not twenty one! How can she even allow that?"

He laughs. "It ain't like you've never gotten drunk before, Nat. Live on the edge, you boring girl," he says as the woman returns with our orders. We thank her and I turn back to him, biting my straw. 

"I'm not boring," I say. He shrugs and tears a piece off his muffin. 

"Maybe not always. But don't you ever wanna do something... reckless? I'd do it with you," he says. 

"I can be reckless!" I say. He shrugs. 

"You better show me," he says, eating his muffin. 

"I will," I say. He looks at me. I grab his champagne glass and drink it. I don't stop at just one gulp. It burns down my throat and tingles my tongue. Before I finish the glass Alex lightly pulls it away from me.