How To Date A Greek Boy

The Festival

 “Okay, so first what do you want to do?” Marie discussed with us all when we got to the festival.
“Music!” Crista said.
“Music good?” She asked us.
“We’ve got to do everything! Doesn’t matter what order.” Fran said. Typical.
“Okay, so to Music section!” She hollered and led us down one of the crossroads.

In a little while, we were part of a huge crowd that was standing before a stage. We cheered as the band came on and started belting a song in Greek. Fran and I didn’t understand much, but the rest were going absolutely berserk, screaming their hearts out, cheering.

I decided to just soak it all in, even though I couldn’t understand it. I closed my eyes and let the beats and instrumentals wash over me, and soon enough, even I was bobbing my head to the beat and enjoying it in my own quiet way.

“Oi, open your eyes!” Kon nudged me.
“Shhh, I’m trying to soak.” I motioned with my hands so he understood.
He chuckled. “Open your eyes and soak. The more you see, the more fun you’ll have, Leanna. Look, or it’ll all disappear. Poof!” He waved his hands in front of me.
I looked around me, and started soaking in the atmosphere as well. I didn’t know this place, I didn’t know these people, I didn’t know the song the band, Olympus was playing. I didn’t even know the meaning of the words!

The Greek girls fangirling over Olympus, the lights, the stage, the band Olympus themselves- I took it all in. Some girls were singing with the band, some in the back were even starting to dance to the fast beat. Hector was carrying Marie on his shoulders and was going mad trying to keep her there, because she kept swaying and bouncing. I laughed.

I knew I’d never have the chance to see it all again. This was a once in a lifetime thing.

The next place we went to was the clothes and shopping section. Thankfully, Fran and I had the Greek currency money. We went crazy buying trinkets and earrings, and a t-shirt which, in proud, bold, letters pronounced ‘I heart Thessa’. While I was looking at anklets, Hector came up to me.
“I need help.” He said and blushed. “I buy something for Marie.”
I tried hard not to melt at the adorable way he was getting embarrassed asking an almost stranger for help. “She your girlfriend?”
He looked up, a little startled that I was so direct. “Yes. Two months now.”
Don’t say “awwww”, Lee. Don’t say it! You’ll make him awkward! Resist the urge!
 “So what do you want to buy her?”
“She likes stuff like this. But I don’t know, so much over here.”
I looked around, trying to put myself in Marie’s shoes. “I think you should get this.” I picked out a funky colorful bracelet, with some stars on it.” Marie didn’t look like a hearts person, I think she’d die if she wore something with hearts. Without questioning my judgment, Hector bought the trinket and paid for it.
“Thank you.” He smiled at me as we were walking back.
“You’re welcome. And Hector?”
He turned.
“I’m sure she’ll love it.”
He just smiled.

Hermes eats a lot. I think he just stuffed an entire country into himself in the past hour.
We were in the Food area, and there were stalls here. Kon and Hermes, who knew the best things to eat, made us have a taste-gasm, stuffing us with dish after dish. And though we’d stuffed about 1378 kinds of things into our mouths, Hermes was still plowing on, hungrier than ever. Even Kon had taken a break, but Hermes looked like The Terminator, ready to assassinate any kind of food that presented itself to him, on a plate or otherwise. Fran and I got a nickname for him – The Herminator. We decided on it when he was on his 569372th edible item.
“Don’t you think you’re going to get kind of…fat?” Fran asked him.
“Those are the kinds of things girls worry about.” He laughed and continued stuffing himself.
“He’s like a polar bear.” I told them. “They eat a lot before they go into hibernation, to store up on fat.”
“I’ll be the hottest polar bear ever.” Hermes retorted.
“Polar bears are fat, and hairy. And they live in Antarctica, which is full of ice. You'd die if you were hot. Want to reconsider your previous statements?”
“You know a lot about polar bears, huh? You went on a date with one?” He smirked. The others burst out laughing as I glared at him.
“I’ll tell you something. Never argue with Hermes.” Crista laughed as Hermes finally finished his hog-a-thon and started moving towards another part of the festival.

As we were going back to the cars, Hermes offered to show us around the city. His simple theory was - “Everyone see Thessa in day. You see during night.”
We walked around as Hermes showed us all the places and carefully guided us around the city. Thessaloniki was really beautiful. I was glad I’d taken his advice and come here.

Right, this chapter IS short, but I'm spacing out the events in this book. Part of the editing. I plan to have short chapters, with short intervals, and more frequent updates. Sound good?