How To Date A Greek Boy

The Tritanic

After breakfast, we’d planned to leave for the airport, do the courier company drill, and get the hell out of this country. India had been quite an experience, because so much had happened. But now, I was eager to move on.

But at the airport, we were struck with a brand new dilemma.

“There’s no courier company which will hire us like the others. They have only regular staff, company employees. No volunteers.” Fran announced in an annoyed voice when she came out of the office after an hour of trying to convince the woman at the desk and showing her all the old courier tickets. She’d still refused.

“What do we do?” I asked her.
“We’ll have to take a regular flight.”
“ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! Those are expensive as fuck!”
Fran froze, and kept staring at me, saucer eyed.
“What?” I raised an eyebrow.
“You said fuck.” She said in wonder, like she was a depraved child who’d just been given candy.
I remained silent, looking at her with an ‘are you kidding me?’ look.
“This is awesome! You’re finally swearing like a normal teenager!” She clapped her hands. “Can you say it again? I want to hear you say ‘fuck’ again and again! I w-“
“Uh, Frankie? I think we should concentrate on the flights.” Kon lightly interrupted her.
“Oh yeah, sorry. I’m just so excited because you sa-“
“Frankie, focus!” Marie sighed.
“Yeah, yeah, I’m focusing.”
“We don’t have a choice. We’ll have to fly.” Crista sighed.
I nodded sullenly.
“So, which was the next city you had in mind?” Hector asked.
“Um…” Fran and I looked at each other as I racked my brain for a random country.
“Oh. My. God. Please tell me you know where you’re going?” Marie said, her eyes widening.
“Wait, so you just go anywhere?” Hermes said with wonder. “Like nomads?”
“International nomads.” I said. I never thought I’d be proud about the fact that we were basically just roaming around the world aimlessly, but now I did feel proud about our international nomadic status.
“I suggest we choose the cheapest flight.” Crista said.
Hermes had started opening his mouth to suggest something, but he shut it when she said that. They all knew it was the most sensible thing to do.

“The cheapest flight is to Du-what?” Kon frowned, looking at the list of prices.
“Dubai.” I corrected him. “It’s a nice place. There’s this really tall building there, the Burj Khalifa. It’s a hotel.”
“I don’t want to see tall buildings if I’m not going to be able to live in them.” Hermes shook his head. “Next option?”

“Excuse me, Sir?” The attendant at the ticket counter smiled brightly at Hermes.
Stop smiling at him so brightly, you siren! Have you no shame?
Okay, when did I get so protective over strangers?
They’re not strangers. We’ve spent so much time with them, they’re friends now.
That’s when it hit me. By pure coincidence and craziness, Fran and I’d made a new set of friends that’d followed us all the way from Greece.

“Uh, Leanna?” Kon snapped his fingers in front of me.
“Huh?” I snapped out of my daydream.
“I heard you discussing your travel plans.” The attendant smiled at me, but less brightly. “And I thought maybe you could use these?” She handed me some slips of paper. “They’re exactly as many as you guys.” She said, craning her head to check if we were any more.
‘Air India offers you 50% off on flights to London!’, the flyers announced in bright red and white font.

“London, huh?” I looked around our little circle.
“There’s no drinking age!” Fran exclaimed with glee.

Crista had taken on the role of resident travel planner, so she’d researched and got us a youth hostel to live in. It was much cheaper than a hotel, and we could all live in one big room, sleeping in bunk beds. That arrangement was much more amicable, because then we didn’t need to camp out every night in each other’s rooms.

After checking in and dumping our bags in our room, we headed back out.
“I want to go on those double decker buses!” Marie screeched as we were walking down the road.
“Yeah! One Direction shot their first video on that!” Crista squealed. Kon and Hermes groaned simultaneously at the mention of the famous boy band, as Marie and Crista started arguing whether it was indeed their first, or their second single video that had been shot on a London bus?
Fran spotted a bus stop and we sat down, waiting for the much hyped bus.

“This is awesome!” Crista had run up to the front of the deck, and now stood leaning over the railing, looking at the streets below. “Marie! Come, let’s do the Titanic thing!” She urged a very excited Marie.
“The Titanic thing?” I asked Hector.
“Just watch.” He said, amused. Marie went up and stood behind Crista as they both spread out their arms and stood at the front of the deck, just like Kate and Leo had in Titanic. Fran burst into giggles at the sight of them, as amazed onlookers from the street pointed at the two girls who’d struck the pose on a double decker bus. I saw a teenager take out her Iphone and take a video. She may have uploaded it on Snapchat. After all, it’s not every day that you see such things.
Crista and Marie looked behind and giggled excitedly at us. I gave them a thumbs up. Suddenly, Marie was beckoning to us.
“Seriously?” I laughed. “No way. I am not doing that!”
“Come on! It’ll be fun! You’ll never get a chance again!” Crista laughed.
I didn’t even have time to think as Kon pulled me up. Fran nudged and winked as he dragged me, laughing, to the edge of the deck, right next to Crista and Marie. I stood there, blushing like a tomato, as he spread his hands out.
“Come on Leanna! I know you want to!” He teased. My hands firmly gripped the railing, refusing to come up.
And then, all of a sudden, his hands were on mine, easing them off the railing, spreading them out. A sudden gust of wind made me shut my eyes and enjoy the feel of it.
“Uh uh, open your eyes, remember?” I heard his gravelly voice behind me.
“The more I see, the more fun it’ll be.” I whispered, remembering his words. I opened my eyes, in time to see Fran dragging Hermes and a very reluctant Hector out of their seats. Hermes took her to the edge and they struck the pose, just like the four of us had. Hector, the odd one, just stood to the side, shaking his head.
“Hey you! Traitor! Come here!” I said, moving towards him. “You don’t get to sit by the side and laugh while we go on YouTube!”
“I’m odd. There’s no one to stand with me.” Hector frowned.
“I’m always ready, baby.” Kon spread his hands out, calling him in for a hug. Hector shook his head at Kon.
“You’re going down with us too.” I smiled at him. Kon pulled him in between us and raised his hands. I could feel Hector’s chest rumbling with laughter.

And just like that, I became part of the only Titanic Pose to be struck by three people. I was part of the very first Tritanic

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-Hera