Comfort Zone

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Chapter 5

Paisley

13 and a half hours passed excruciatingly slowly, but we had finally began to descend into the bright city of Zagreb.

It was now 10:00 am here, and after a few embarrassing incidents on the flight, I was happy to have gotten the 5 hours of sleep I'd managed. It wasn't much, but in addition to my new-found adrenaline of being in a beautiful city, I had hoped to have enough energy to survive the day.

I stumbled off of the cramped airplane and into the airport, lifting myself onto my tippy-toes to search for Justice, whom I had lost on the walk down the airplane isle.

As I searched for her familiar brown hair, around me was commotion and noise. Countless people walked past me or bumped into me, and as my patience began to wear, I felt a light tap on my shoulder. I spun around, expecting Justice but instead seeing Ash, the boy who I had stumbled on, drooled on and fell on. I immediately felt the warmth of my embarrassment and idiocy rush to my cheeks as I looked up at him. Ash smiled and gave a small giggle.

"If you're looking for your friend she's right there," he said, nodding his head towards where I assumed she was.

Sure enough, as I stretched my neck to the direction he had directed me towards, and immediately spotted Justice, craning her neck no doubt in search of me, a worried expression painted on her face.

"Uh, thank you," I muttered.

"Sure!" he replied.

I waved over Justice and she quickly ran through the crowd, over to Ash and I.

I had expected Ash to walk away and find his friends when he had said what he came over to tell me, but beside me he stood, still, feet planted firmly on the marble airport floor.

We migrated our way through airport security. Finding and checking bags, taking out and putting away passports, and filling out various forms none of us fully comprehended (or even read for that matter).

"So, does 'Ash' stand for something weird like Ashley?" questioned Justice, after being seated on a very large bus which would transport us to our first accommodation in Zagreb.

Ashley's blonde hair appeared from the seat behind us, her barely visible eyebrows furrowed. "Hellooooo," she looked at Justice.

"Ashley right over here. Justice isn't that great of a name either you know,"

Justice laughed and whispered "Your name is gorgeous, but unless that hot piece of ass over there is gay, which I'm really hoping isn't the case, then it doesn't necessarily sound good on everyone."

They both giggled as furiously as you could imagine giggles to be, and as my eyes travelled to the back of the bus, there I saw him staring out of a window at the sparkling snow which surrounded us. His dirty blonde hair was pulled back in the same red bandana, one hand planted firmly on the empty space beside him on the grey seat, the other reaching up to scratch the back of his head awkwardly.

Seeing such a sweet boy sitting all alone on the back of the bus brought a feeling of guilt to my stomach. As I opened my mouth to as Justice if she would mind me going to sit with him, my thoughts were interrupted by Rebecca.

"I'm going to go sit with him. I mean look at him- over there all single and lonely... I'll bet I can change that," She said to Justice, who was now arched over our seat to converse with Ashley and Rebecca. The three giggled again, and I decided it was for the best. I mean, I'm not interested in making new friends let alone a relationship, and besides, I didn't want the new boy to become attached to the first person who showed him kindness if that person happened to be me.

As the bus ride went by, Justice and I laughing at our own and each-other's jokes, eventually the bus silenced. Eyes began to flutter shut and bodies began to droop against the bodies of their exhausted bus-mates. I ached to sleep as well, but the anxiety of being in such a far-away place wouldn't allow me that luxury.

With Justice's head rested on my shoulder, I was careful to be gentle as I twisted my neck to look at the back of the bus, for Ash. Instead of the awkward neck scratching messy haired boy I had looked at not long ago, now I saw a confident, hot Ash, who was laughing with Rebecca. Her blonde hair waved as her perfect body shook with fake laughter, her head thrown back dramatically. I quickly felt a pang of jealousy, but I just as quickly pushed the strange thought out of my head.

My lips pursed with concentration as I began to turn back around without waking up Justice, but I was startled as Ash's eyes wondered to mine.

I inhaled sharply, and when I expected his stare to quickly turn elsewhere, it stayed set on mine for what seemed like longer than it must have been, until he smiled shyly and his eyes returned to wondering.

I gently turned my neck so that Justice stayed asleep and positioned myself so that I could look out of the window for the remainder of the bus ride.

Street lights threw shadows onto the bright snow which fell onto the streets and sidewalks, contrasting in colour until snowflakes melted one by one, becoming transparent until fading into clear drops, on my window, on the street.

My happiness was cut short when I was hit by a startling realization. I had been so full of anxiety and nervousness that I hadn't noticed an aspect of this trip that would now put a damper on the entire experience... It isn't warm in Croatia.

I muttered a profanity, which fell out of my mouth louder than I had expected it to, resulting in groans from tired students and a few glares from the chaperones. Also, a loud and familiar laugh from the back of the bus and an angry look from the no longer resting head on my shoulder.

"Pais," she laughed. "What the hell is the matter?"

"I-I," I stuttered to speak the words that I didn't want to be real. "Ugh, I kind of, um... So, I may have thought it would be warm and summery here, and I mayyy have packed like only one warm outfit.... And it may be this one."

Justice immediately sat up and burst with laughter. After probably five minutes her laughter began to slow and she caught enough breath to make fun of me some more.

"Oh my god, Pais," she sat up and said.

"It's a good thing we're rooming and all of my clothes fit you."

We arrived at our Hotel Day & Night at about 1 pm check in time, and once we had our arrangements sorted out, we began to find our rooms. The hotel was two floors in total, and for our three week stay our students had rented out the entire place.

The layout was similar to an apartment a shared kitchen for each floor and about 10 rooms in each hallway. The rooms were small but livable, with either grey, modern looking bunk beds, or two black single beds diagonal to each-other. Every room had a unique and colourful wall design, which gave off a happy feel overall.

As Justice fumbled to open our bedroom door with her hands full of bags and suitcases, I wondered where Ash was staying and who he was rooming with.

Author's Note:

HEY HOES

This was one of my favourite chapters so far either than chapter one because stuff is actually starting to happen lmao, anyway have no fear some ash and paisley action will commence next chapter so get fired up cause I have some very good ideas hehehehe

I'm SO sorry this took so long for me to update! I already started writing chapter 3 so I promise it won't take nearly as long!! Please vote, and share with your friends! If you wanna hmu on twitter I am @ahsavlatoree or @emarosahemmings ! Mainly @ahsavlatoree though ! byeeeeeeeee