Loving Marcello

Chapter Three

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"Call me when you safely get to your hotel. I want to make sure you reach your destination in one piece." Uncle Benny worries, his brow furrowing.

I giggle, "I promise I'll be fine, old man."

"I just wanna make sure. You never know, Brimmy." He replies defensively.

"I know, and I'll call you." When he still doesn't look convinced, I continue, "Promise."

He sighs, "Fine." Pulling me into a tight hug, I smile at his protectiveness over me. It feels good to have someone worry about my well-being.

The sound of a female voice over the intercom interrupts our hug as it calls out my flight. "Stay safe, Brimmy, I love you." He says, releasing me from the hug.

"Will do. I love you too, Uncle Benny." Smiling, I wrap the strap of my carry on bag over my shoulder. Turning around to give one last wave, Uncle Benny smiles sadly before waving back.

Just as I board the plane and easily find my seat, my phone lights up, and I see an unknown ID plastered on the screen. Ignoring it, I click my phone off, but it calls again.

"What?" I snap impatiently after answering the call.

"...Brimmy?" A familiar voice sounds from the other end.

Derek.

"Brimmy, you haven't been answering my calls." His voice replies to me sadly.

"Oh, I wonder why," I remark, sarcastically.

He's been silent for about 30 seconds, and I'm getting ready to hang up, but what he says next makes my whole body tense up even more.

"I miss you."

This immediately causes my mood to abruptly drift south as my face scrunches up with anger. "And I wonder whose fault that is," I say curtly.

He ignores my statement, "I hear you're going to Italy." Comes his response.

"And that's none of your flipping business." I snap.

"Brimmy. I just want everything to go back to how it used to be. I want you back." He says, and I hear another familiar voice in the background. Recognising it as my ex bestfriend's, my anger flares to a dangerous level.

"Well, you should've thought about that before CHEATING ON ME WITH MY BEST FRIEND," I scream before ending the call, unaware of everyone staring at me.

My eyes find several people looking back at me, immediately causing embarrassment to replace my anger.

"Sorry," I mutter, looking down at my fiddling fingers.

An old lady nearby pipes up, "Don't worry, hun, there's no need to be sorry. Whoever you were talking to seemed to deserve it." She says, but not with sympathy, more like determination.

I smile, already liking the lady, "Thank you." I say, telling her with my eyes how much I appreciate her statement.

After several minutes, the plane seems to calm a bit and the focus is no longer on me as everyone goes back to whatever they were doing before my interruption.

I sigh, staring out my window, trying not to think about what just occurred.

Note to self: Don't answer any more random numbers.

I shake my head, draping my blanket over me, tucking myself into the comfy seat.

Thank goodness I let Uncle Benny pay for my ticket, or else I'd be seated in one of those uncomfortable chairs the whole plane ride.