Something Like Wintertime

I pondered how much I had on the plane ride home. A loving family (or two); check. The boyfriend of my dreams; check. The chance at becoming a surf/skate star; check. Everything was escalating for me, all at once. But I was going to enjoy the ride and get the most out of it while I could.

I was listening to Meg and Dia as we made our way from California to Nevada. Shaun held my hand and lifted the arm rest up, and I leaned on his chest and looked out the window. He slung one arm around me and stole one of my ear phones, just as the song changed to Full Moon by The Black Ghosts.

Shaun smiled and rolled his eyes. "Twilight freak," he muttered. I mocked hurt and shut my eyes. He chuckled and kissed my lips quickly. "As long as Edward whatever their last name is isn't taking me place!"

"Shaun, they're the Cullens, first off. Second, I'm team Emmett!"

"What's the difference again?"

"Shaun, I've explained this five times! Emmett is a big teddy bear and Edward, well, isn't."

"Am I a teddy bear?" I giggled.

"You're my teddy bear!" I said. Shaun smiled and kissed me again. I giggled again and held his face to mine. When he pulled away, I held his hand in mine and smiled. I really had everything I could have ever asked for; I still was unsure of how I was lucky enough to end up with it all.

Somehow, I fell asleep halfway through the flight. Shaun gently nuged me, letting me know we had to get off the plane and head out to my grand parents home (you know, where I lived!). I nodded, picking up my on-flight bag, then followed Shaun off the plane.

It was weird walking through the terminal in Las Vegas. Everyone recognized Shaun and me, or one or the other. Camera flashes continuously went off, and I smiled with my hand in Shaun's back pocket. His arm was lazily draped around me, a smile also present on his face. It was three days to New Years Eve, so there was a helluva lot of traffic in the air port.

Finally, we found our luggage carousel, grabbed our stuff, then headed outside to wait for my mom's boyfriend, Denis. Instead, my mom showed up, Hellen, my oldest sister, was in the front seat, but got out the moment the car stopped. She came and nearly tackled me to the floor, but I just smiled and hugged her back. Her dark hair was now a multitude of colors, most like mine.

"Missed you so much, Chelz!" she yelled. I giggled again and kissed her head.

"Missed you too, babeh!" I said, using the nickname I gave her when she was young. She smiled at me, then let go of me to hug Shaun. Once she did that, we both knew that Shaun was officially part of my family, like I was his.

Something inside me stirred then. This was a sign; it meant that Shaun and I were meant to be.