Broken Charms

Arriving In Athens: Part One

"I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,

in secret, between the shadow and the soul."

― Pablo Neruda, 100 Love Sonnets

---Harry---

I have no idea what time it was when we finally landed at the airport in Athens. It was past midnight obviously since it was dark outside but I was completely jet lagged.

Astrid, Anne and Niall had booked a flight just after the show in Lisbon but Danny and I couldn't find seats in the same fight so we had to book the next flight to Athens which was at noon and had a transit flight in Milan. Honestly, how far was Athens from Lisbon that we needed to take a transit flight to get there?

I could tell Danny beside me was as exhausted as I was. He was brushing his eyes as often as I did trying to stay awake. It took us twice the time as it would have normally taken to find our luggage since we were both so tired that we couldn't see straight.

Danny was a good travel buddy. He usually was quite, reading most of the time but when I asked him something he always answered me politely eager to start a conversation with me. That's what had happened when i had asked him what were going to do when we got there. he had informed me that we were going for a few days to their house near the sea to spend a few days away from their parents. He also told me that staying at a house near the sea usually implied swimming which left completely stressed out since I hadn't packed a swim suit with me.

"Honestly, dude. You're coming to Greece and you didn't bring a swim suit with you? It's like you were going to the North Pole and not bringing a warm coat with you." he had said and he was probably right. Astrid had told me that there wasn't a place in Greece that wasn't within a hundred kilometers distance from the sea. It was almost like an island. That was why we spend most of our time waiting for the flight to Athens in Milan shopping. Danny had helped pick a swim suit and I had helped him pick a gift for his brother. He told me that he hadn't seen his brother since Christmas which made me feel sorry for him but then again I understood him. It wasn't like I was seeing my sister more often.

As soon as we exited the airport, a hot air hit me face like a wave. It was early June and the warm air breezing lightly in the air was making me sweat. Astrid was right. Here were nine moths summer and three months winter. I followed Danny too exhausted to ask where we were going, trusting him to know what he was doing. he led us to a train station.

"Are we going to grab a taxi?" I asked.

"Not from here. We are going to use the suburban railway since it's still open then we are going to take a cab." He said yawning. I didn't object maybe it wasn't worth it to take a taxi from here. But I had no idea where Astrid's house was so I stayed put and waited for the train. The train came quickly and soon we were stepping off to an open space. There was a huge boulevard below us and beside was a huge building which I guessed it would be a mall or something like that. I followed Danny, who after a few minutes of walking found a taxi waiting to take us. I had a little problem my huge luggage around since I usually had a body guard carrying my luggage. This trip to Athens was a secret and bringing security with me would attract attention and I didn't want that. Astrid had guaranteed me that where she was living no one would pay attention to me.

The taxi ride was not as long as I expected soon the taxi driver was driving in the huge boulevard i had seen before. Danny tried to navigate me and started showing places and suburbs of Athens as we passed but through the dark I couldn't see clearly. What I did notice was a huge stadium on the other side of the road. Danny explained to me that it was built for the Olympic Games and it had many uses. Many had come there on their tours. Once I saw it I could easily imagine what it would be like to sing there. Pure adrenaline rushed through my veins as I was thinking what it would be like running up and down the stage. if we ever played there it would be magnificent. Soon the taxi was taking us to the suburb where Astrid house was. Danny told me that a lot of ambassadors used to live there and it was a safe region. I was stunned by the environment there. I used to think that Athens was just another huge city with tones of house the one on top of the other and a gazillion of cars driving endlessly. But I was wrong. We were driving past trees and huge houses that could be barely seen behind the thick bushes surrounding them. Astrid's house was at the end of the road hidden behind a thick line of trees. It wasn't as huge as the rest of the houses but it someone could easily sense the luxury in it.