‘Ahhh! This is the life,’ I said to Dinu as I looked out the window of BA flight 632 and sipped an iced Coke. It was the first week of the summer holiday and we were on our way to Athens. Our plane was cruising at around 35,000 feet somewhere over the Alps.
Dinu nodded. ‘What makes it especially good is that we’re in business class and my annoying sister has to sit back there!’ He jerked his thumb towards the economy section of the plane.
I suppressed a twinge of guilt. Dinu’s mum and my gran were also back there. And of course Dinu’s cute little sister Mari.
‘I hear economy isn’t so bad.’ I was telling myself as much as him. I finished my Coke, put on my eye mask and plugged in my earphones.
I was dozing to Bluzie’s song ‘Take Me Back’ when I was rudely awakened by a tap on my forearm. I pulled out my earbuds, lifted my eye mask and squinted up at the person lit from behind.
‘How’s first class?’ Crina stood in the aisle with her arms folded. ‘I hope you’re enjoying it.’
I beamed up at her. ‘Loving it. How’s cattle class?’
She sighed. ‘We’ve got screaming babies all around us. Literally surround sound. Wanna trade?’
‘No, thank you,’ I said, putting my mask back over my eyes. ‘We’re the VIPs.’
I couldn’t see her any more, but I could feel her standing there, glowering down at us.
‘Stop moaning,’ I heard Dinu tell her. ‘We only have another hour before we land and then you’ll be in a luxury five-star hotel. All expenses paid and everything. And all because of us. So be grateful.’
‘Do you at least have some earplugs I can borrow?’ came her voice.
‘Here,’ said Dinu. ‘Take this comfort pack. It has earplugs, socks and an eye mask.’
‘Thanks,’ she muttered.
‘Sorry, miss, but you can’t be up here in first class,’ I heard a female member of the cabin crew say.
‘All right, all right. I’m going.’
I couldn’t help giving a wicked grin.
At Athens airport we found one of those golf-cart things to take us to baggage claim. Dinu and I let Gran, his mum and the girls ride in the cart with our carry-ons while we went on foot. It was a long way but it felt good to stretch our legs. I walked on the travelator while Dinu jogged along the one going the opposite direction. Then we traded places. By the time we reached the baggage claim, laughing and slightly out of breath, they were waiting patiently with our suitcases.
Like our entourage.
Sweet.
‘This must be what it’s like to be rich and famous,’ I whispered to Dinu.
But outside in the arrivals lounge my good mood deflated like a month-old balloon. ‘They told me there would be someone here to meet us with our names on a placard.’
‘And where are the screaming fans?’ said Dinu with a grin.
People were swirling around, crying out greetings and hugging relatives.
‘I’ll bet pop stars and millionaires don’t have to hang around for their rides,’ I grumbled. ‘Where is he?’
‘Maybe over there?’ said Dinu. ‘By that kiosk?’
As I looked at the sweet stall where Dinu was pointing, I noticed a skinny guy in a floppy canvas sunhat and orange mirrored sunglasses facing our way. When he saw me notice him, he moved behind a stand of magazines.
‘I think we’re being watched,’ I muttered to Dinu.
‘By Bluzie fans?’ He looked around eagerly.
‘Dunno,’ I replied.
‘Act cool,’ said Dinu. ‘In case they’re filming us.’
At that moment a stocky guy in a charcoal-grey suit and aviator sunglasses appeared before us.
‘Alex Pappas, Dinu Balan and family?’ he growled.
When we nodded he held up a placard with MANNASOFT GAMES scrawled on it. ‘I am Stavros, your driver. Please come with me.’
Before I could ask where he had been, he grabbed a couple of our suitcases and led the way out into a blast of late afternoon heat.
‘Look, Mummy!’ said little Mari. ‘A stretchy car.’
‘Woohoo!’ Dinu punched the air. ‘A limo!’
Stavros opened the door for Gran and Mrs Balan to get in first. ‘It has a mini-fridge with complimentary champagne, Coke and Pringles.’
Crina scowled as she slumped in the leather seat. ‘Coke is poison,’ she said. ‘So are all those other processed foods. And I can’t believe all six of us have just flown to Greece and now we’re in this giant car. We’re leaving a massive carbon footprint. We should have at least taken the airport bus.’
I glanced at Dinu and he just rolled his eyes: we understood each other perfectly.
As I cracked open a can of Coke I resolved to avoid Dinu’s annoying little sister as much as possible during this holiday.
Fate was having a good laugh at me just then.