Lock Up ⏐Charles Leclerc

Chapter 0

The arrival of the new year has always served as a symbol for a fresh start– a clean slate. For me though, a single night isn't enough to celebrate the arrival of a new year. I like to spend time with myself with the amount of attention I get for the other eleven months and the never ending list of things I need to do.

"Where are you going this time?" Navi asked as she stood by my balcony as I packed my suitcase. A cigarette was hanging from her point and middle finger, the smoke flowing through the open balcony doors.

I zipped my suitcase and lifted it off the bed with a grunt, Navi not bothering to give me a hand. This happens every year– she'd come over the night before my flight and just stand there as I try to fit as much as I can into my suitcase. She'd offer to help as soon as she walks through my bedroom but proceeds to light a cigarette instead. "You know I'm not telling you." I shook my head as a smile graced my lips. "I never tell you where I go yet you still ask every year."

"What if some crazy stalker follows you from the plane and kidnaps you? Or what if you have an accident and get stuck because no one knows where you are and then wolves come out in the night to eat your dead body?"

"Should I be scared or entertained?" I smirked, preparing all of my documents by my dresser and lying down on my bed afterwards.

From the corner of my eye, I could see Navi putting out her cigarette using the ash tray that was specifically placed inside my room for her. "Definitely entertained. Your dad wouldn't have let you go the first time if you didn't know how to defend yourself." She plopped down on the bed beside me and leaned her head on my shoulder. Navi was taller than me by a few centimeters but since we were lying down, she could easily reach me.

"Those Muay Thai classes were a pain in my ass."

"Language." Navi said and we both laughed, imagining my mother's voice. She was never one for cursing. As for my dad, let's just say that curse words were engraved into his tongue. "I'm gonna miss you, though."

"I love how you only turn sappy whenever I'm about to leave." I moved over to hug Navi who quickly stood up from the bed to avoid my embrace, a grimace on her face. It's like a switch flipped and she was back to her usual self.

"Call me that again and I'm going to leak our messages to TMZ."

"Go ahead. They'll finally find out about that one night stand you had with a certain Oscar nominated actor." I winked and she glared at me, knowing that she had more dirt in our conversation thread than I did.

"For someone named Valentine, you have a funny way of showing your love." She walked out of my room, most likely heading to the kitchen to grab something to eat. With the amount of time she's spent in my house, it already feels like a second home for her.

My laugh rang throughout the four walls of my room as I stood up to follow her downstairs. Before leaving, I checked my flight details for tomorrow and made sure that my passport and boarding pass were properly kept inside my carry-on, my destination emphasized in black bold letters.

Italy