Working On A Title

As I stepped off the aeroplane I rubbed the sleep from my eyes.

Yay, I thought to myself, now I’m guaranteed to look like a panda.

I took a deep breath in. Ew. The air even tasted different. I seriously didn’t want to be here and both my Dad and his girlfriend, Sophia, knew this. I went into a restroom in Baltimore Airport to freshen up. Just as I thought, my black eyeliner was smudged all around my hazel eyes.

“Ugh,” I groaned, just then Sophia walked into the restroom behind me.

“Hey kiddo,” Sophia greeted me, “how’s it going?”

“How do you think it’s ‘going’ right now Sophia? I’m what feels like a million freakin’ miles from my school, my friends, my home.” I replied bitterly and went back to raking my finger through my long brown hair.

Sophia turned away from the mirror to face me. She put a finger under my chin, forcing me to meet her gaze.

“Kristen honey, I’m really sorry about the way this all happened. I had to leave everything behind too. My job, my friends, the house that your father and I built together. And I’m gonna have to speak English at work here too.

“We all had to sacrifice something to get here. But with Paul’s promotion, soon, this place will start to feel like home too, I promise.”

Sophia paused to take in my reaction and saw the tears that had swelled up in my eyes threatening to betray my rigid face. I blinked back the tears fiercely but I felt the lump in my throat rise.

“Oh sweetie, I’m sorry!” Sophia said softly as she pulled me into a hug with her slender modelesque arms.

“I promise it will get better soon. I know how hard it was for you to leave especially when you were just hitting it off with Aaron but—” Sophia was silenced my loud sobs. Hearing her talk about Aaron, who would have very soon been my boyfriend if we had stayed, finished me. I just stood there in the restroom crying, still in Sophia’s arms until some nosy old lady came over.

“Are y’all o.k. over here?” She said in some Southern twang.

I could tell from the edge in her voice she was looking for something. Juicy gossip for all the other ‘active seniors’ waiting in the terminal for her to return.

“Yes we’re fine, thank you” Sophia said.

Always her polite self.

“Oh well I just thought I’d ask. Your friend looks upset,” Ms. Nosy Parker said looking slightly confused.

Way to go for stating the obvious. I thought to myself.

“Actually I’m her father’s girlfriend” Sophia flashed the old lady her 600 watt smile as she said this.

Before this conversation got any longer I cut in. “Please, can we go home?”

Sophia smiled. It was the first time I had called Baltimore home.

“Sure thing Kristen,” Sophia replied looking happy. And with that we left the restroom and headed outside to find my father.