Fake It - OP

Chapter 14

It was just after seven in the evening and I had just touched down in Jeddah. The week I spent with my parents was fun, we went out for dinner once together. My mom and I baked different desserts one day while dad was at work which turned into a gigantic mess after a certain disagreement which included flour. But overall it was nice to spend a little time at home. I didn't have friends in Canada anymore, so on the few days Mom and Dad were both at work I spent the day reading books, skipping my romance ones, and napping with Frank. I attempted to get back into my routine of running for a while every morning but it ended up not working out so well. I am hoping that with Oscar constantly being at the gym and the fact I am travelling with him now I can fully get back into it.

After Oscar and I's text conversation last week the excitement for me has only been growing. I love racing, and yes, I am travelling for me, but I have decided that completely fangirling at every race I come to is part of the plan. I was not going to mute any emotions during the races or try to at any time. I am not going to help myself by pretending.

I waited until the plane was docked to turn my phone off airplane mode, I was sitting near the front of the plane, some of the first rows in the economy, so I got to unload my suitcase from the overhead compartment quickly and exited the plane. My mom left me her car when she went to work one of the days last week and I went out and bought myself a new suitcase. This one was simple, hard-shelled to protect my things and black, but it rolled. All four wheels. I figured if I am going to be travelling more often I should probably have a suitcase that can function. Once I exited the plane, thanked the stewardess and secured my smaller bag on my shoulder I looked down at my lit-up phone screen to see a message from Oscar.

I'm here, just standing to the right when you come out.

The text was sent eleven minutes ago so he must've arrived just before my plane landed. Weren't Formula One drivers always late? I smiled at the text and replied.

Just left the plane, be there in a few minutes.

Just a heads up, there are a few cameras out here, remember how we said we could check in with each other?

Yep, two squeezes yes, three no. See you soon.

Cameras? I didn't manage to sleep on the plane, was wearing what I liked to call travel clothes, and my hair was in a top knot. To add to it I was wearing my glasses because I spent most of the flight reading and a hoodie that was a size too big for me. I thought of the man with the camera in Bahrain and panicked a little. I looked up from my phone and spotted a bathroom before the exit to where Oscar was waiting and ducked into it.

A few older women were washing their hands but being as the Jeddah airport was double the size of Calgary's I was able to park my things beside me and looked in the mirror. I quickly took off my hoodie and stuffed it into my smaller carry-on bag. I was wearing straight-leg sweatpants, which was good enough, and a tank top now. Again, I guess that had to be enough. Jeddah was a desert, just like Bahrain, I could do without the hoodie. I paused and looked at myself in the mirror. I was panicking, I knew that, I probably didn't need to be. No, I didn't need to be. 

I forced myself to take a deep breath. I was wearing some makeup, although minimal, and I just got off a plane. I don't need to be looking my best right now. I reached down and grabbed my personal item, slinging the bag over my shoulder and grabbed my suitcase handle. I took one last look in the mirror and fluffed my hair a bit. I can do this. With one final deep breath out, I exited the bathroom and descended the last escalator to the arrivals area.

My legs felt heavy with sleep and my stomach rolled with hunger but the doors at the bottom of the stairs opened and I looked up to find Oscar. He blended in well with the crowd, I guess that was the point. He's dressed in athletic shorts and an athletic t-shirt that looked like it fit perfectly and was a size too small and is standing just where he said he would be on the right.