Repressed (Wattys 2014 Winner)

Chapter 4

“OH MY GOD!” Hellenia screamed on the phone, “Tell me this is a joke. Tell me! Oh, my God! You are going to London with Alex Sorja. Please let that sink in.” I told Hellenia that I would be leaving for London. Hellenia was in Amsterdam with Caleb and his ailing mother. Hellenia must have shifted her position because I heard scuffling and shutting of doors.

“How is Caleb’s mom?” I asked. I bit my cuticles, I had packed for the trip, and we left tomorrow morning at 9. I went to the kitchen and poured myself a glass of Diet Coke.

Hellenia sighed, “She’s alright, slowly picking up. Caleb’s worried. It’s keeping him up late, and well, it’s affecting both of us.”

“Hold on Hellenia, I am sure it will pass.” I replied. There was not much I could say that would or could help such a situation.

“Yeah, I hope it does too, Milla. So have you packed? What are you taking? Make sure it’s sexy! I want his brains blown out when he sees you. Do you think you could get that black Versace dress of Elizabeth Hurley?”

I scoffed, “Let’s try an approach where I don’t dress up like a skank and definitely don’t go commando over Alex. The more underwear, the better.”

“Pooh! You never like having fun. But please at least make sure you have some sexy lacy, co-ordinated lingerie!” Hellenia advised.

I laughed and gulped down my coke, “Already done, I literally cleaned out Agent Provocateur!”

“Your panties rock girl!” Hellenia cheered.

Growing up with Hellenia was a storm. She was always the one confident about her body and about her figure, clothed or unclothed. I was the one with billion qualms about my body even though I was a VS model. I sure did kiss people when I was drunk enough. But I never hooked up. Sex was cheap in that sense, I wanted my experience, to be meaningful and full of passion, love, desire, and lust and everything, the romantic novels said, that came with it. I wanted that

A beep on my phone told me that someone else was calling, “Hellenia, hold on somebody is calling me.” I glanced at the caller ID, it was Alex. I quickly told Hellenia, “it’s Alex on the other line, talk to you later okay?”

“Wow, I am impressed you are hanging up the phone on your sister for a guy you just recently met…you do have the hots for him.” Hellenia said and the line went dead. I clicked accept to Alex’s call, “Hello, Alex.” My cheeks started to burn, OH MY GOD, I was blushing!

“Hey,” he replied, his voice husky, “How are you?”

“Fine, why?”

“Nah, just making sure, that you are doing all good. Excited for tomorrow?” He asked again.

I went to my bedroom and sat on the orthopaedic mattress, “Yeah, hell yeah! I can’t wait, we will get the chance to meet my parents too! Would you like to meet them? I mean if it is not much for you to handle, it’s alright…if you don’t want to.”

“Milania, I’d love to, but are you sure they won’t feel awkward? I mean, we aren’t dating, yet.” He replied, I could almost see the mischievous smile he probably had on the other side of the phone. 

“No, I am sure, they would love to. Provided, you are okay with it!” I repeated and began to bite my cuticles again, “Oww!” I exclaimed in pain, I had peeled a bit of my skin too.

“What happened?” He asked, his voice full of concern.

“Oh nothing, just me and my cuticle biting habits.” I said. I got up, cleaned the finger and applied a Band-Aid.