Not Exactly What it Seems

She could see some kind of difference in the way I acted toward her, but I doubted she knew what it was. I tried to make it expremely obvious without actually having to tell her outright, and she was staying surprisingly ignorant. Did she see it and decide to ignore it because she did not feel the same way, or did she really just need it spelled out for her?

The way his face lit up as we boarded the plane made me smile to the point where he actually noticed and asked me why I was smiling. It wasn’t my fault that the guy I was totally into was oblivious to the way he makes me feel and act. Seriously. I’d never acted like that before and I wasn’t sure if I really liked being so…girly.

Though he did not push me for an answer, I knew that he was super curious. What was it that made him so attractive to me? And I don’t mean physical appearance because there was no denying that he was gorgeous. What about his personality held me like no other guy had held me before? Did I really want to know?

He had been on airplanes before, but never one with me. I always made things enjoyable and got pleasure out of annoying the crap out of all the other passengers. Really though, he found it a little too funny. I was able to wipe the smile off his face by mentioning that all of my family would be at the mountains, including the overprotective ones. For some reason he did not appreciate that.

Fleetingly, I wondered what it would be like to kiss on an airplane, but that was extremely random and awkward so I banished that thought. Besides, Hayden would never want to test that experiment with me. Unfortunately.

Once we landed down in Vermont, I was anxious to get off the plane. My head was pounding and I could not see straight, though I would not tell anyone that there was something wrong. I just needed to get off and stretch my legs, then I would be better. But as I chanced a peek at Hayden, he was looking at me with worry evident on his face. Apparently I did not look so well and maybe he should take my bag for me. Like I’d ever let him carry my bag as if I was not capable of doing that myself. So I scoffed at him and walked toward the front of the plane, almost falling into some guy’s lap. Now that was embarrassing.

He didn’t seem to be mad, but I was mortified that I was that dizzy. Once I felt the cool air of the terminal, though, I felt better. A little bit anyway. I wasn’t sure where my family had gone, but I knew my way around the airport. I was planning on going straight to baggage claim. Once I found Hayden and Frankie, I grabbed their hands and dragged them across the airport. I noticed a few cameras waiting eagerly and laughed that they thought they would actually catch my family. Though I always looked different, my family changed a little bit when we were off on family outings as a normal family. No one would know them, especially when they met up with me, Frankie, and Hayden.

But Hayden seemed to be a little disconcerted that all of the cameras were searching around seemingly tirelessly. And that, my friends, is what we like to call the paparazzi. Don’t get me wrong, they annoyed the heck out of me, but it was their job. I personally would never have the patience to wait for hours upon hours and sometimes still not get the picture. That would suck. Like I said though, they bugged the crap out of me.

We found my family waiting in baggage claim as I suspected they would be. And it took 53 minutes to get all of our bags. I know- I counted. I am that much of a freak.

Once we got to the house, Hayden seemed to be in shock. I couldn’t blame him this time. Even after all the time I spent at the house, I could not help but marvel at the beauty of the place. Every wall has a story, every staircase a myth waiting to be proven. The house belonged to a Victorian era countess who was intent on proving the worth of the United States. There were many balls that took place in the house at the time, much betrayal, many lies, and even a few deaths. But that was part of the charm. It held a unique story.

For the rest of the night, I passed the time in the basement (I had deemed it my own in this house too) telling Frankie and Hayden about all of the legends and stories. They were captivated and seemed to be thriving off of what I would say next, or what tail I would be telling once I finished the current one. I loved being a storyteller. It was so satisfying. And knowing that they were wrapped around my finger as I was telling them was just about the greatest thing ever.

And, of course, Mark and Anthony had to come down right in the middle of a story about one of the deaths. They wanted to hear about it so I had to start all over. I was not a happy storyteller. But they too became enthralled in my story and were unable even to interrupt me. That was surprising.

That story was followed by one of scandal. And during the introduction of that one, my cousins Jayden, Pete, and Nathanial came barging in. Seriously, they were like a stampede coming down the stairs. It was not cool that I had to start all over again. Jayden was seventeen, Pete was sixteen, and Nathanial was eighteen. They all should have been old enough to know better.

Then again, that was my family for you.

So again, I started my story over. From the beginning. I was not a happy storyteller. But they were a good audience once they settled down. And the fact that I had the power to manipulate the situation was just about the greatest thing ever. So as I was getting to a really tense part of the story, I subtly grabbed the remote for the lights and shut them off all at once. Everyone in that room screamed like a girl when only Frankie should have.

It was priceless. But then again, I was kind of sadistic.

They were furious at me, but all I could do was laugh hysterically to the point that I actually fell off the couch. Hayden tackled me and started tickling me as my punishment. That only made me laugh harder. Eventually I screamed mercy so he let me go. By that time, Anthony had turned the lights back on.