Wishful Thinking

“… So please be sure to subscribe to our channel, and don’t forget to have your notifications turned on to be able to keep tabs on us when we upload our next adventure! Until next time, you guys.”

“Aaand… Got it.” I said after hitting the stop button on the phone recording. “Nice job, that’ll make a good short to hype up the audience, I think.”

Aaron let out a relieved sigh as his body became more relaxed. Good thing we had decided to record this in a quieter spot of the airport since that took several tries to get a decent enough take.

“Man, it’s hard to remember some of those facts and say them seamlessly without screwing up… I wish we had cue cards sometimes.”

“That would require paying a third person, since I only got two hands. Besides, we both know you’re too cheap to split our minuscule profits further.” I pointed out with a cheeky smile.

“I think you’re projecting your frugality onto me, my friend.” Aaron countered while flashing me a crooked grin. “But hey, at least I got you to edit out my blunders.”

Most of them… The little devil on my shoulder whispered. Some were just too funny to let go.

“Alright, we just need some B-roll footage of boarding the plane and a few shots from the air.” I said while picking up my camera bag; the only carry-on I planned on bringing. I have absolutely no desire to encourage the airlines to give me extra fees for any reason whatsoever. Learned that lesson the hard way during our first few times flying.

“Sounds good. Let’s go.”

Aaron picked up his own bag and together we headed back over to the seating area where at least two dozen other people were spread out among the rows of hard plastic chairs, all with various expressions of boredom and excitement as they waited to board the same flight we were planning to take.

Honestly, I never really pictured myself being here; about to travel overseas for the first time, with my best friend, on a mission to film a documentary piece for our little channel on the internet. But hey, not bad for two college dropouts, I’d say.

Aaron and I met back in art school when we were both nineteen and ended up being roommates with a third guy whose name escapes me; but he wasn't really worth remembering anyway.

We all didn't really speak very much to each other when we first moved in, other than to ask a question here and there or remind someone about class. For the first few months of the semester we basically walked on eggshells around each other since we were all strangers forced to live in an enclosed space.

We all kept to ourselves as much as possible, me especially as I holed myself in my room while trying to adjust to being on my own for the first time. Up to that point I only lived with my Mom. Aaron was pretty much the same, though he admittedly made more of an effort to socialize with us, albeit awkwardly.

Meanwhile, the third guy was an absolute nightmare to live with. He constantly left his dirty dishes in the sink and never shared the chore of washing any. He lay on the shared couch with his dirty shoes on. He habitually disturbed me and Aaron with his loud music that vibrated the very thin walls when we were trying to study.

And worst of all… He rarely bathed - if at all - and stank up an entire ten foot radius with his presence alone. Wherever he walked he left behind a thick miasma of foulness that was equivalent to a snail leaving a permanent slime trail.

One day, Aaron and I were just sitting on the couch watching TV when the other guy left for class, leaving his usual wall of odor behind. As soon as the door had shut, Aaron lets out a loud groan before magically producing a can of air freshener.

"That guys sucks, man." He said to me before wildly spraying fresh citrus everywhere to try and cover the awful stench left behind in our other roommate's wake.

I couldn't stop it, I laughed. The first genuine laugh I'd had since before starting college, even if it was being stifled by a combination of gagging and coughing from the twisted assault on my nostrils.

It didn’t stop there - he took my laughter as a sign to keep going, resulting in a full-on tirade. From there, we spent the next thirty minutes just voicing our shared grievances towards our shared roomie, and it was like a dam had been broken. All the pent up thoughts inside my head came flowing out of my mouth, and it was the same for Aaron.

We steadily became the best of friends pretty much after that, and along the way we learned what the other really wanted out of life.

The rest was history; now we share ownership of a web show with over a hundred-thousand subscribers and we’re taking a chance on our most risky venture yet…

Cyrenádos: also known as the ‘Singing Island’.

I had never heard of it before Aaron suggested going, but from the research I found out it’s only been recently converted into a tourist location in the last ten years. Before that it was uninhabited and there had been much contention over it. Now, it was on the rise as one of the most romantic vacation spots in the world.

The island was due to have a special midsummer festival a little over a week from now, so this was the perfect opportunity to go and capture it on film for a documentary piece… At least, that was the excuse Aaron gave me.

Methinks it has more to do with the fun fact that the island was populated heavily with women.

"What time is it?" I asked Aaron since he was already looking at his phone.

"10:16 AM."

"Perfect, that leaves me just enough time to call me Mammo. Watch the camera, please?"

“Yeah, yeah. Tell her I said ‘hi’.” Aaron snickered, snagging the camera bag out of my hand. I ignored his teasing look and proceeded to pull my phone out to speed dial as I walked away for some privacy.

The tone rang for a couple repetitions before it was cut short by my best friend in the world. Twenty-three years old and still referring to my mother as such… but I've never been one to sugar-coat the truth.

No offense, Aaron.

"Rye-Rye!"

I smiled at hearing her voice, despite the childish nickname that made me sound like an old loaf of bread. But who was I to talk?

"Hey, Mammo." I greeted softly.

It may sound stupid to other people, but it was our thing. Who cares what they think?

"Where are you now, Sweetkins?" She asked eagerly.

"We’re minutes away from boarding if it’s on time. I just wanted to check in with you before since texting is all you’ll be getting for roughly seventeen hours.”

“Thank you for that. Are you excited?! I looked the island up online and it looks absolutely beautiful! And it sounds so romantic… it’s just a shame you’re going with Aaron and not a girl.”

Not this again… I silently begged her to drop it and quickly tried to nip it in the bud.

“I’m going there to do work, not just play around, Mom. Remember?”

“Yes, yes. I know. For your little web show, I got it. Just please be sure to bring me back one of those cute little figurines I saw advertised! You know the pudgy ones that look like Betty Boop with long blonde hair."

"Sure thing, Mom. Though I'm not sure where you're going to find room to put it...?"

She collects so many random things you’d think we lived in a pawn shop…

“That’s for me to worry about.” She retorted haughtily, to which I rolled my eyes.

Before I could try to respond, a loud voice called over the speaker in our designated area.

"Now boarding; Flight 1669 - nonstop to Larnaca, Cyprus.”

"They just called to board, I gotta go now."

"Alright, please be safe! And don't forget your motion sickness pills!"

The reassuring sensation of a small and freshly refilled pill bottle in my pocket did nothing to stop my hand from naturally reaching down to double check for it. I let out a small sigh of relief as I reached in and pulled it out.

"Don't worry, I got 'em right here." I said, rattling the orange bottle near the phone for emphasis. Although, if anyone should be worried about losing them, it's me.

It wasn't that I couldn't handle riding in a car or plane or anything, but certain situations where my eyes perceive movement tended to mess with my stomach and makes me dizzy. I can drive a car no problem, but if I'm the passenger I have to look out the window for most of the ride... It didn't matter that I could be sitting in place in my seat, my body would still respond as if it were going through the motions.

I don't really understand it, but it doesn't stop me from resenting my own body for it. It certainly made playing first-person video games near impossible for me unless I took these pills.

"Good, and remember to keep an eye on Aaron… you know how easily he falls asleep when he gets relaxed at anything. Wouldn’t want him to get sunburn and ruin your plans."

"Don’t worry, I will. Bye, Mammo."

"Bye sweetness, I love you!"

"Love you, too."

Before I could hit the end button I heard her shout one more thing.

“Maybe bring home a girlfriend while you’re at it!”

… Dammit.

I sighed heavily as I closed the phone and put it away. Girlfriend…?

As it is I can only imagine what kind of disasters awaits me during this trip, usually when things can go wrong for me – they do. You’d think I was born on Friday the 13th with how unlucky I am at life. I’m more worried about something going wrong than finding a girlfriend.

Hopefully Aaron’s natural good luck will balance my bad and we’ll make it out of this unscathed…

… Or maybe that was wishful thinking.