Thrills, Kills and Sunday Pills

Cheesy Smiles at the Charging Station

The flight didn't look like it was gonna be as dodgy as I'd have thought. We had to drive out of Dudley to a proper UK airport and explain to the lady at the baggage area that yes, my backpack was all I was bringing, and yes, I needed to take it on the plane with me. 

The deal is I move into a small apartment for a year and a half, which is all paid for prior, and I look after myself, get a job, buy myself to satisfaction, and hopefully get a taste of a better life. I know I won't, but I'll do it to get out of Dudley. 

"Bye, honey," said my mum, turning to leave. 

"Bye," I said. 

"Oh, Reef," she said, turning me around with a hand on my shoulder. I look at her and see a worried look in her eyes. She stares for a while and eventually gives me her fakest smile. 

"Don't forget to keep your underwear clean. No blasting Red Hot Chili Peppers at four in the morning, and try to get into a school."

I roll my eyes. 

"Hun you're going to be here for eighteen months, at least try to learn something you can use," said my mum.

"Sure," I said quietly. 

"Ok. Have a good time." 

She walked out of the airport, leaving me to find my gate, wait for half an hour and charge my phone for the flight.

I sat down at the charging station and plugged my phone in. I had Rock War by Robert Muchamore in my bag, so I pulled it out and opened it to my bookmark.

Rock War is the best book ever. It's about these teenagers who form bands and go this huge competition. Theres tonnes of references, tonnes of drama, and the best part is one of the main characters lives in Dudley too. 

As I'm reading, a girl comes to the charging station and sits right next to me. I look over, and she gives me a big, cheesy smile. I roll my eyes. I hate people like this. 

She looks upset with my come on, so I raise the side of my mouth a little bit into some description of a smile. She looks satisfied with that and plugs her phone in. 

"Hi," she said quietly.

I nod. 

"What flight you on?" she asked. 

I pointed at the gate 32, which was my gate. 

"Same, what a coincidence!" she said.

"Not really," I said. 

"What's your name?" she asked. 

"Gowah," I said. 

"That's a cool name I guess," she said.

"The last name's cooler," I said.

"Is that right," she said, sounding fascinated. 

"Yeah," I said. "I share a last name with the frontman of My Chemical Romance."

"Way!" she said.

"Exactly."

"Gowah Way!" she said aloud. Then she realised what I was getting at. "Oh."

I smile and nod. I know it's unoriginal, but I wasn't in the mood to make anything better. 

She took the hint and stopped talking. 

I opened my book again and it was the part when Jay got kicked out of Brontobyte. It was interesting, because it was all over a drummer that was obviously better than Tristan. If he can't tell an open cymbal from a closed cymbal, which is general common sense, he should burn his kit. Even a person who can't play drums should know that. 

"What you reading?" asked the girl.

I looked over at her with a pissed off glare, and she smiled innocently at me. 

"What part of go away do you not understand?" I asked.

"What are you reading?"

I looked back at my book and tried my best to ignore her. "Art."

"Cool," she said.

An announcement came on for our flight to board, so I unplugged my phone, put in my earphones and played The Longest Wave by Red Hot Chili Peppers.

"Gotta go."

"We're on the same flight. Can I come with with you?"

I sighed and hung my head back. She was annoying. But she was also undeniably adorable. 

"Fine."