How To Date A Greek Boy

You're Going To Get An STD

Dedicated to Alice, for all the love she's shown the book, and her awesome comments XD
 Tu mast hain yaar ;)

“Right. So we go up to them, and ask them if they have a package for Istanbul or Ankara. We volunteer to take that package and thenwegettoTurkey!”
Fran had parked in the airport parking lot and we were good to go. My brilliant idea on how we get to Turkey was to empty out our bank accounts and book a flight. Fran’s was more economic. She decided to go to the courier service to ask if there was a parcel to be delivered to Turkey. We could volunteer and get there, paying much less. “Like in Eurotrip.” She grinned.

We went up to the courier office, and spoke to the woman at the counter.
“There’s nothing for Istanbul or Ankara as far as I can see.” Her eyes scoured the computer screen.
“Well, how about anywhere near there?” Fran suggested.
“There’s one for Athens tonight.”
“Athens isn’t in Turkey.” I frowned.
“Well, Greece is sort of close to Turkey.” She offered.
Fran thought about it. “Tonight?”
“Yep. I can put you on for that, to Athens.”
“Athens sounds perfect.” Fran grinned.

“This is scaring the crap out of me.”
“Yep, the thought of Greece does that to people.” And then, “I wish Sparta still existed like back then.”
“Why?”
“We could totally go there! I want to see the bloodline of kids who were trained fighters.”
“Thank God they don’t have those barbaric customs now.”
“SHUT. UP that is so cool! How awesome must those guys have been? Look at me, I’m 12 and I can shoot a flying bull’s eye. Kids like that are awesome! I want a kid like that!” Fran fangirled. “Plus, they grow up to be hot. All that training must be giving them an eight pack. I’d like to think I’ll have a hot son, and all his friends will think he has a hot mom.”
“Please, please do me a favor and get sterilized. People like you should never have kids.”
She lightly hit my arm and sunk lower into her seat in the waiting room. I plugged my earphones in and slowly started sinking into my songs, until I was lightly shaken by Fran.

“It’s time.” She said softly. One look at her made me understand what she was thinking- it was starting. This trip was actually starting.
“Before we get on this plane, Lee, there’s something I want to tell you.”
I nodded.
“Wherever this takes us, whatever we do, we’re always going to stay together. No matter how many other people we meet, and whatever we go through, we depend on each other, and we stick it out together, as we always. It’s always going to mainly be a party of two, no matter how many others hop onto the bandwagon. Okay?”
“Okay.” I smiled, hugging her tight.

Fran was right. From now on, it was going to be a party of two.   

We went back to the courier office and they gave us shirts so that we could be identified and not run away with a pound of whatever it was that someone wanted to courier to Athens. And then, before I could stop and think about what we, two 18 year olds, were even doing, we were taking off for Athens, Greece.

The party for two had started.

 “Inhabited for more than 3,000 years, Athens is widely known as the cradle of Western civilization and the birthplace of democracy. The city presents a confusing blend of historical and modern features. Athens is famous for its archaeological ruins and monuments such as the famous Acropolis, the Parthenon, the Ancient Agora and the Theatre of Dionysos just to name a few.” I read out to Fran from the Wikipedia page I’d opened on my phone.

 “I’m listening. You don’t need to think I’m going blah blah blah in my head because I don’t want to listen to you drone on about Athens, because that’s totally not what I’m doing, okay?” Fran rolled her eyes.
“What a bitch.” I grinned.
“Hey, hey now! You’re going to be spending at least the next two months with mostly me. You don’t want to go there now, do you?”
“I could just run away.” I smirked.
“Remind me to buy rope when we get to Athens.”
“For suicide? Already? I thought I was a better companion!” I faked hurt and wiped an imaginary tear.
“Nah. The rope’s to tie you and haul you with me wherever I’m going.”
“Hey now! You’re going to be spending at least the next two months with mostly me. You don’t want to go there now, do you?” I mimicked.
“I like this part of you best.” She smiled.
“The part where I’m kicking your ass with my degree in sarcasm?”
She rolled her eyes. “Nah, the part which is open and happy, not worrying about grades and just joking with me.”
I smiled at her softly, valuing her for the guts which made her speak her mind. We settled into a pregnant silence.

“I hope I can hook up with some hot Greek guys.”
And just like that, Fran was back, and it wasn’t silent anymore.
“How do you know they’re going to be hot?” I chuckled.
“You’re not the only one who googles stuff!”
“Just a question, what did you type in?”
“Greek boys.”
“You’re going to get an STD before 25.”
“I think dying due to an STD is better than death due to overworking of brain cells.”
“My brain cells are not overworked.” I glared at her.
“Hey, I didn’t say I was referring to you. Is that the guilty conscience I hear talking?” She said slyly.
“I’m going to look out of the window now.”