Paris and Rome.
I wiped my damp hands on my jean skirt and peered at Gael from the corner of my eye, admiring his strong features and the way he always seemed to look presentable whereas I always looked like a hot mess with my jeans and chipped nail polish.
"Nervous?" he asked with a grin. I nodded even though I knew better than to wear my feelings on my sleeve. He might be able to catch a glimpse of my fear, but he had no idea of the hurricane wracking havoc inside my stomach. Boarding a plane had always been one of my many phobias ever since I took my first ten-hour flight from Moscow to NY, which I spent bowled over the matchbox toilet. I could only hope I had grown out of that habit.
Gael grabbed my arm and pulled me against his chest whispering, "There's nothing to be nervous about, Soph." His warm breath, smelling of fresh coffee with the slightest hint of mint, caressed my cheek. I sighed and leaned against his broad chest, inhaling his aftershave I had grown to love during the six months we had been dating.
Six months. That's a long time for a nineteen-year-old. A lot can happen in six months. One can finally graduate from school, move out of the motherly abode and seek to get a job to support one's music career. Or make friends, go partying, enjoy youth. My cheeks started to burn. Really, I was such a moron to have the thoughts I had when my boyfriend couldn't be more caring and supportive. But it wasn't my fault I saw him more as a friend than a lover.
"You never told me how the gig was," Gael said, as though reading my mind. I raised my gaze to meet his dark eyes.
"Great. But I might as well have mimed naked on stage."
He smiled. "Now that would've definitely grabbed everyone’s attention."
"Everyone was so drunk I doubt they'd have noticed the difference."
"You have to start somewhere. You'll be a star soon enough." He always said that which is why I had learned to keep my mouth shut and never tell him about my gigs.
"Why Rio?" I asked, changing the subject.
"What?"
I moistened my lips. "You never told me why you're taking me to Brazil."
Gael averted his gaze. His eyes glazing over for a moment told me he was considering his answer. Maybe he was even hiding something from me. Even though we had only been dating for months, I had known him and his family for way longer, even before my sister died and his brother was killed around the same time. While I was still having nightmares, Gael seemed to barely remember Derrick's name.
"It's a beautiful city…for lovers," he said eventually.
"Been there before?" I marveled at how I wasn't even jealous that he had invited other girls to join him on his vacations.
He shrugged. "A few times."
I laughed, feeling the uneasiness in the pit of my stomach again. "Care to elaborate?"
"There isn't much to say."
His lips curled into a grin. I nudged him playfully. "Ah, I like your style. So you take a chick down there, and then get her all drunk on samba and the Brazilian flair so you can hook up with her. Not bad. If I were a guy with money I might just do the same. Not."
He laughed as he pulled me closer. "No other girls, Soph. Just me and my family on a boring, private beach. I didn’t really have a good time." He pointed behind me. "Let's board."
I nodded and followed him through the usual boarding motions. A flight attendant accompanied us to the aircraft.
"Take a seat. I'll be right back," Gael said.
Shrugging, I did as he instructed, surprised to find Gael had booked us first class seats with all the extra perks. Then again, what did I expect? That he fly economy like every other normal human being? As I slumped into my window seat with the extra legroom, I watched him talking to the flight attendant, his voice too low to hear, his hand hovering in mid-air mere inches away from her arm. I turned away, slightly irritated with myself that I still wasn't feeling the jealousy I thought I should feel.
Gael returned to his seat with a glass of water, which I drank hastily. "Ready for the trip of your life?" he asked, grabbing my hand.
"Looking forward to it." I smiled and leaned back. My eyes felt heavy after the lack of sleep from