chapter 2 - beautiful Deutschland

“Excuse me, you dropped your book,” a stranger sitting behind me said. I woke up from my deep dreamless sleep in a jolt. “Thanks.” I bent down to pick it up and put it into my bag. The PA came on.

“We are about to touch down at the Munich Airport. Please ensure that you have not left any of your belongings behind. Thank you for flying with us. We hope you’ve had a pleasant journey.” I yawned and gathered my things together. The airplane had just reached the airport the moment I woke up. I had a bed head. Smoothening out my hair, I look outside and notice that the airport has changed a lot from when I last saw it. I hope the town hasn’t changed much too. I liked it the way it was.

Gosh, it had started to snow. I thought winter was almost over. It was quite a bummer but that meant I could go skiing! Sabine is supposed to pick me up from the airport. I hope she’s here already. Sabine was my closest friend when I stayed in Germany. She was with me through good and bad times as I was with her. I wonder if she’s different from when we last met.
Munich’s airport was vast and it was tough to look for Sabine in the crowd. I expected her to be waiting for me at the exit but I didn’t see her there.

The floor tiles of the airport were shiny silver and it made me feel dizzy. As if that wasn’t enough, I have my suitcase to lug around and it isn’t feather light. There was an elderly looking couple walking next to me trying their best to placate the little girl walking with them who looked no more than 5 years old. She must be their granddaughter I thought. “I want go Disneyland! Disneyland! Disneyland!” She kept squealing at the top of her high pitched voice and her grandparents couldn’t do a thing about it. The lady knelt down in front of her granddaughter and said sweetly “Your mommy and daddy will take you there ok? Come to Germany with me and Grandpa first ok?”

The little girl pouted and stuck out her lower lip. Slowly, she nodded her little head which made her blond curls bounce up and down. This little girl was very cute and had a set of blue eyes which looked so innocent. That was when I realized I was staring at them the whole time. Clearing my throat, I walked away and noticed a very proverbial face in the midst of the crowd smiling to me, flashing her teeth in a wide grin. It was Sabine! She was here!

“Nabilah! You mushy face! I’ve missed you so much! ,” Sabine screamed, hugging me zealously till I couldn’t breathe. I can’t put in plain words how I feel right now. My happiness is just too overwhelming. “I’ve missed you too…you schlampe.”

We broke our embrace and looked at each other. Sabine looked much more stunning than before. Merely looking at her made me shrivel in comparison. “I see you’ve lost a lot of weight Bil. Did you carry out that diet regime I planned for you?” Diet regime? Was she kidding me? Her idea of a diet was cereal in the morning, apples for lunch, and oats for dinner. Like I was ever going to sit through that.

“Of course I did! Whatever would I do without your diet plan for me?!” She looked at me appreciatively and helped me with my baggage. “Let’s go Bil. My boyfriend is waiting in the car for us with our friends as well.” I remembered her boyfriend. Oh, I remember him alright. We were in the same class for a few years and were very close. He was I daresay the hottest guy in our year. I used to have a massive crush on him but I kept it to myself. My world came crushing down when one day Sabine told me that he asked her out. I remember I had to act all excited for her even though I was hurting inside. I never did tell her. I don’t think I ever will.

“BILLLLLLL!!!!!!” I cringed when I heard my name. Who was calling me? I squinted to try to get a good look at a few girls who were waving at me quite a distance away. They came running at me the second I got nearer.
“Oh!” I cried out. It was Sandy, Tanja, Denise, Jana and Romina! “Guys!” I screamed as I ran towards them. These girls were my closest friends and we hung out every single day the last time. Boy have they changed! They have matured so much during all this time. We group hugged so tightly I almost suffocated. Simply looking at all my darling friends’ faces made me smile. It seemed like only yesterday had I left them. Yet the faces I gazed upon now were faces of young women. I don’t know whether it was the wind blowing into my eyes but I was tearing. I will never leave Germany for too long ever again. Ah! But I have two dear friends in Malaysia who will eventually miss me in time.

“Bil, get into the car. It’s gonna snow like crazy soon! ,”said Denise who hastily threw my baggage into the car. In the car, I saw Sabine’s boyfriend holding the steering wheel in one hand and the other, adjusting his seatbelt. He looked at me and smiled. “Hey Billy! Long time no see! Still chubby?”

Chubby? True enough I used to be a little chubby but that’s changed now. I lost a lot of weight and am certainly not chubby anymore. “Hey Paul, nice to see you too.”
I expected to feel that usual burning sensation I always felt when I see him but now, I don’t feel anything at all. I guess my feelings for him are lost. This was for the best after all. If Sabine ever found out, I wouldn’t know what to say to her. She’ll think she’s been a horrible friend to me all this while. Which, of course she wasn’t and never will be. “Ahemm… So, where are we going to first?”

“Aren’t you hungry? ,” Tanja asked. To think of it, I was starving. I had earlier declined a sandwich snack from the air stewardess on the plane. “May I suggest a place to go?” I asked Tanja. “Where would you like to eat at missy? ,”Paul asked, looking at me but paying interest to Sabine. “Haltsmaul Paul,” I retorted. “I’d loooovveeee to eat at Döner Kebab! I haven’t eaten there for years!”

“Whatttt!” shouted Romina, much to my surprise. “I just ate there last week!” The others didn’t look surprised though. “Can’t you be a little considerate? Bil hasn’t eaten there for years,” answered Jana sounding rather defensive. Romina put on a very dismayed look and snorted.

“Whatever…” She folded her arms and sat back roughly trying to show her exasperation.
In all honestly, I have no idea why Romina is like that now. She used to be this fun, crazy, adventurous girl but now, she looks as though she could enter a beauty pageant. But that’s not all! I bet if she broke her flawlessly manicured nail, she’d scream till the whole of Germany can hear her. I guess she’s changed for the worse.

“What? Get a life and stop staring at me” Romina said suddenly. She noticed that I was staring at her with such a judgmental look plastered on my face. I shifted awkwardly in my seat. “Nothing.” She looked at me again and muttered under her breath. “Loser”

I no longer knew this previous close friend of mine. It was heartrending for me as I expected to return to Germany to a whole lot of convivial friends I’ve missed so dearly. I hope my other friends are still the same as before and not like Miss Grandeur here.