Disco Balls and Plane Tickets
Chapter 4
Melissa: I stepped out into the crowded street below and looked around before pulling out a pair of sunglasses and stopping a bench on the corner. I sat down and took out the guidebook. Thumbing through, I quickly highlighted everything that sounded the least bit interesting, and then resorted to the map at the back of the book. I highlighted the locations on the map, then chose my first destination. It was only noon and the sun blared down on the backs of pedestrians as they made their way down the crowded streets dodging people left and right. Within 10 minutes, I found myself outside one of the most beautiful churches I could have ever imagine and became a little camera happy at the sight of it. I had just taken about the 10th of which when I heard a voice behind me. “Hey, Melissa,” I turned around to see a tall boy with dark brown hair. He waved and looked both ways before running across the street to meet me. “Hey, Spencer,” I seemed to be excited to see someone else who didn’t want to waste time sleeping. “So, you’re on your own too. Let me guess, you couldn’t get anyone to leave with you, so you got pissed and decided to go off on your own,” he summed up the mornings events. “Yep, all three of them are out cold by now, they wouldn’t budge & I couldn’t sit still.” “Same thing here,” he filled me in. “So ya wanna be travel buddies,” we both laughed at what he said. “Sure, why not, no one else will keep me company,” I replied and we entered the cathedral. It was the most beautiful scene I had ever set eyes on. I stared in complete awe at the intricate detail on everything from the doors to the large gothic style ceilings to the colorful stain glass windows in which light illuminated casting shadows on the cold stone floors. It was more beautiful than I could have ever imagined. In hast, I grabbed the camera out of my backpack and snapped even more pictures. “Dude, slow down,” Spencer laughed at me as I turned around to get one of him unexpectedly. We laughed. “I can’t help it,” I whispered in the quite hall, “it’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever been.” After the cathedral, we sat down for lunch at a tiny French Café, then walked up the street to a museum. We went through it quickly and 3 hours later were back on the street walking in and out of quaint little shops lining the street on the walk back to the hotel. I decided to splurge here and there on a few cute items, a shirt or 2, a cross necklace, and a toy for one of my cousins. I picked up 3 post cards at a tacky souvenir shop next to the hotel and we both retreated to our separate rooms. When I got up stairs, I entered the room to all three slowly waking up from their much-to-long sleep. They questioned me on what I did and what I bought. Still mad, I tried to answer each question in a nice manner. Really, they shouldn’t have made me go out alone at all. I told them about meeting up with Spencer, the beautiful cathedral, museum and everything else in an attempt to make them feel as if they had missed out. And they had. The four of us quickly got ready for dinner and headed down stairs to meet the rest of the chorus. Dinner was at a classy French bistro where the food and service was very good, but the lack of sweet tea in a foreign country depressed me. When dinner was over, we all stood outside the restaurant as people left for the clubs and the hotels. “So,” I looked around the group with a huge smile brooding me face, “anyone wanna get out and have a little fun, maybe go to some clubs.” The all looked at each other. “Oh shit,” I thought, “please don’t tell me they’re gonna be like this the whole trip.” “Come on guys! You’ve been sleeping all day and you’re on vacation. Live a little, have fun,” I exclaimed…or rather whined. “I’m out,” Heather said and Rachel agreed. I looked to Lillie who tried to avoid my gaze. “Fine, I’ll go with you, but you owe me,” she said when I started putting on my sad face. “Yes,” I yelled, smiling even more than before. As the other two left to return to a deep sleep, Lillie and I turned the corner, headed for a night of fun.
Chapter 5