Roses's Dark Knight

„Are you nervous?” Blanca asked me this question like a million times.

„No!” was my answer every time she asked. But maybe if I am honest with her, she will stop annoying me. I mean she can read me like nobody.

„Okay, I admit, I am nervous, but in a good way. Maybe also anxious. I mean I never got on a plane before. I never traveled out of the country. I have only been in Dumbrăveni and Cluj. So yeah, I am a bundle of nerves. But then you, I was right, I do feel a lot better now that I told you.”

„Down girl. Okay.” Blanca was always asking you what the matter is and after realizing I had a lot going on basically regretted asking me. But it was the way we communicated. Because it was hard for me and even for her to let go. Sometimes we felt like talking and saying what you feel made you weak.

As the day approached, I was very calm. Like nothing can bother me anymore. And a feeling that everything will be okay.

I didn’t have a lot of things to pack. So, I just helped Blanca do her bags. She had a lot of things. Things that her parents used to send her on her birthday, Christmas and any other occasion. Like they could make up for the fact that they were not present for her growing up. This didn’t seem to affect Blanca that much. But then again, she almost never spoke about her parents or anything before coming to Dumbrăveni.

Bags were packed, goodbyes were said. And now Blanca and I are just checking our papers, because I am still a minor. She has already had her 18th birthday, like 2 months ago. She was my caregiver during the flight. Which I thought was funny. Because 9 out of 10 times I am the cool-headed person in times of a crisis. But papers are papers, and if that is what we need to say to go to Italy I am okay with that.

Not sure how much sleep we are going to have because believe it or not we got excited. And let me tell you that when Blanca and I get excited that means talking. And a lot of it. Since Blanca turned 18, I got myself into thinking about when we were children. I remember the time around the blood-oath. She was acting strange. Talking to herself, arguing with herself. Now she has some moments where she stares into nothing and I get a head ache. Might be connected or it might just be my active imagination. She promised me that while we are in Italy she will explain more and show me something important to her. I am not a smart one when it comes to presents or secrets. I just got to know. You get that to?

„Wow, can you believe it? A whole summer, beach, relaxing. Even if we have to work, I assure you that it will be fun.” Blanca said this a lot of times, because of that I feel it very hard to believe.

„Blanca?” I just have to ask her and find out before it makes me go mad.

She hummed that she was listening to me, even if she was looking for something in her bag.

„Why is it that when you get that distant look in your eyes, I get a headache?” I felt like I could not hold it in any longer. It feels like I am the one going insane now.

„Can we just get to my parents’ house and start from there? Please! There are some things I need to show you before I can explain.” Her eyes were seconds away from filling with tears so I let it go. I trust her. If she says that she is going to explain to me, she will.

One thing I have a hard time believing is the relaxing and heaving fun part.

Why do I have it very hard to believe it? Well because it is a resort, because there are a lot of people who go there. And maybe because I feel I have to pay her parents back for the trip and for agreeing to give us a job and pay us.

-----------flashback to before landing in Italy------------

Living in Cluj made it very easy to get to the airport. Because, well, it was only at the edge of the city. We only had to take a cab. And in no less than 20 minutes we were at the airport. That is considering there was a small amount of traffic at that time in the morning, because if it was a rush hour, it might have taken us 3 hours by cab and maybe 2 if we walked. Not so funny.

It was an adventure just to get to the check-in. Why you ask? Well, because someone, and I am referring to someone other than me got carried away and packed a lot. So, it started after the cab driver refused to go in the airport lane to drop us. We had to get out in front of a busy airport entrance that had a very narrow sidewalk. Lots of people getting out of the airport and a lot more entering. To say the least, it was interesting. A lot of angry shouting, a lot more of sorry. And not every sorry was coming from us.

Long story short, we got stopped by security and thanks to Blanca’s sweet talk and beautiful face we got help. He actually helped us get to the check-in desk. And even gave his number to Blanca with a wink. Wish I have that charm. She could get away from almost everything. One time she went to a party without her geek friend aka me and ended up late for the exam. I mean who goes to a party before the exams. She just sweet talked her way out of it, what she told the professor I have no clue but it worked. She got into the exam, even if she failed it, but she got in.

Check-in went uneventful. We had all the papers ready. The flight attendants were all smiling and very polite.

Got on the plane. And look out Italy cause here we come.