The Beta Cancri Queen

6 - "Oh, stupid Belladonna..."

Hoshiko

The plane was parking and here I was - waiting for the moment we would be allowed to get off this plane. I felt too weak at this point, to even pay attention to Belladonna's rants about how much time this was taking. I just missed Ma so much - I wanted to ask her about how her trip to Japan was, since she had left on the same day that I did for Portugal.

I, in turn, would tell her how everything about Portugal was beautiful: the people, the culture, the history, the views, and most especially and most particularly... the food. It was so delicious. Portuguese cuisine was definitely my favourite cuisine after this trip. My work experience was even better there. Of course, speaking Portuguese wasn't that hard, although I learnt it starting from zero, thanks to my Portuguese dad. I was originally born in Portugal, but grew up in the UK, with my Japanese mother. 

I miss my dad.

Knowing the language came to good use when I got the best work experience ever: the opportunity to volunteer at a hospital. Everyone was so kind at the charity department of paediatrics hospital. It was amazing to have worked with social workers and have met with so many people, and with so many families being helped under the charity, and the lively children! They were all so cute and just as naughty at the same time and it made me think that they were just like other children. No different. I saw so much potential in them. So much innocence and passion. One little seven year old girl even told me she wanted to become a doctor. I wanted to tell my Ma all that. Thinking of all this, I smiled stupidly at the air in front of me, and Belladonna seemed to give me a glare that I noticed from the corner of my eye.

I had enjoyed everything in Portugal except for the presence of Belladonna. She wasn't too bothersome, though, since she was away doing her own thing most of the time. That was how our lives were, actually: she grew up in her own family and I grew up in mine. We barely talked, and if we did, it usually did not end well. She was just so different to me.

Not long after, the seatbelt light turned off and everyone rushed to stand in the middle aisles like cavemen. I am not a cavewoman, but I stood up too. I wasn't going to allow myself to get stomped on by other people and let them go; I wanted to get out of here as soon as possible, and so I quickly hurried to get my things. There was no point of doing this, though. All I had was my small black suitcase - I mean, that was all that I needed for a week in Portugal. As for Belladonna? It was good that she had her own 'things to attend to' during this past week but a shock wave hit me the night before when we were packing - she had three whole suitcases that she had checked-in today worth so much shopping! Of course, I didn't blame her for being rich and I wasn't jealous at all. I was just so annoyed at the fact that me trying to hurry would not make any difference since we would have to wait so long to collect all of her suitcases at the belt. It was more infuriating because I myself didn't have any bags checked-in at all, so this whole nuisance was caused by her. Oh, stupid Belladonna...

So I stared ahead, waiting in the line in the middle aisle, with Belladonna behind me, still on her phone. And that is when I saw it: a very familiar face, about 10 rows ahead. It was only just a glimpse but I recognised it. It was the... killer in my dream! The same one. The exact face. Panic rushed through me as I realised that the person I saw earlier come out of the bathroom was him, and he had passed me! To worsen the situation, people shifted so much that I lost sight of him and unfortunately the door then opened at the front. The line finally started to move as people got off, but instead of being relieved, I couldn't stop thinking of that face. I was just speculating about so many things in my head. It felt so odd and paranoia was killing me.

I reached the door and when I stepped out of it, something just snapped in me. I instantly began walking fast, hoping to perhaps find him. Belladonna probably called out, somewhere behind me, but I didn't care at that moment. In the journey from the gates to the border force, I paced and even almost ran at moments in the middle. I could see all the people that just got off the plane and even surpassed most of them but him. I think I saw every single passenger that got off in front of me except for him. I was about to enter the line for the UK border force, and I was scanning all the lines. But there was no sign of him at all. Did he pass through already? Did I even see correctly?

My questions were short-lived as a staff member suddenly began approaching me as if concerned - probably thought I was lost, not that I didn't feel like that at that moment. He began approaching and so I decided to walk away and tried to enter the line when someone violently pulled me back by the wrist and jerked my hand downwards. It was none other than Belladonna who made me turn towards her. Her ugly face became even uglier as she frowned furiously. My wrist began burning slowly, and when I looked at it I realised that she had scratched me with her long pink nails.

I could have slapped her at that moment.

But I didn't. It would take too much effort and I was a germaphobe, especially to her. And... I was allergic to her.

She was babbling about something when a weakness flowed through me. With an empty stomach that had been empty for hours, I was on very low-energy, and running all the way here did not help anymore. I felt so physically withered like a plant, like I was dying.

She probably swore or said something alike and continued rambling as I turned away. I didn't care about her at this moment. Genuinely. Her insults that she shot at me did not actually hit me, but by my silence, actually seemed to automatically ricochet and hit her back, because she immediately became quiet to the point that she was muttering, and she followed behind as I entered the line. I had gotten manipulated and bullied by her too many times in the past before I learnt this valuable lesson: to not give her any value.

After all, she was no match for me.

And... I was feeling too dizzy to even respond. I just wanted to go home. To my ordinary, simple, lovely home. And I hoped she would go back to her palace. And I wished time would pass quickly, so I would not have to see her again ever in my life.

The line was moving so slowly, to my disappointment. I didn't find him, but perhaps it was a mistake. Perhaps it was all an illusion, since I was quite drowsy and tired. And even if it was true, it did not matter, I felt stupid that I ran all the way here, because even if he was the person in the nightmare I had, then I don't know what I would do. What would I have said if got to him?

Anyways, I sighed and took out my passport from my cross-body bag and as I turned the pages, I noticed red marks my wrist again. The lines were bumpy and my skin looked so rough, and by looking at them I was reminded of the throbbing I was still experiencing. I winced as my skin grazed the bag as I closed it. Standing in the line was becoming harder and harder the longer it got. My state was so bad and I was feeling so sick at that moment, that tears started welling up in my eyes even though I didn't want them to. I stared up at the ceiling as casually as possible but it wasn't helping. This wasn't the time to get emotional and I had to be strong. This was nothing and everything would get better very soon.

I would go home, and my Ma would be there, welcoming me in her arms, then I would take a relaxing hot shower, eat her delicious food and go to sleep in my comfy bed. Thinking these kinds of thoughts were the only thing helping me.

I wish these events did come true.

Author's note:

Thank you for reading!

Hmm... why are strange things happening to Hoshiko?

By the way there is a new main character entering next chapter so stay tuned this Sunday!

(A new chapter is uploaded every Thursday and Sunday. )

Also, I would like to announce that I now have a youtube channel! It is called XprettypandaX... (≡^∇^≡) I'm so excited!!

You can also find my currently ongoing poetry book here on Wattpad called: "Romantic Eucatastrophe".

The links for these are on my Wattpad profile too. :)

-- XprettypandaX