Spinning at the Seams

I groaned as I headed to the bathroom. Really why do people schedule flights before 8 A.M? I rubbed my eyes as I turned on the shower and stepped into it, letting the hot stream warm up my sleepy body.
My Mom had said we could fly out with Hunter and his family, and that my Dad would meet us at the hotel after a few days with them. I was glad to be spending time with Hunter and his family, but spending time with my dad was going to be a nightmare. I rolled my shoulders in the water, and grabbed my shampoo, letting my mind wander as I worked it into my hair.
Adam and I had made up, and the relationship had slowly gone back to how it had been before Thanksgiving. Marc hadn’t been happy about that at all, he kept telling me that something was wrong with Adam, and that he was hiding something, something big. But I choose to believe Adam when he said he wasn’t hiding anything, especially after he gave me my gift. I had to try not to flinch when he handed me a charm. It was a simple silver star, “for the girl who shines in my world,” he had said. It now lay on a chain around my neck, I refused to put it on a bracelet, and I refused to take it off.
I played with the chain, watching the star slide back and forth across the chain. It would look great on your charm bracelet, a voice in my head said. I shook my head causing water droplets to hit the star, making it shine in the bathroom light. No, it really wouldn’t. Not on that charm bracelet at least.
The only charm bracelet I owned had been a gift from my dad. He had given it to me for my fifth birthday after seeing me admire one in a store window when we were out Christmas shopping. He would give me charms for major events in my life. I had one for my ballet recitals, my first day of school, the twin’s birth, Julia’s birth, Christmas and my many birthdays. When my dad left I stopped wearing it, now it sat in a drawer in my desk. I used to pull it out sometimes, almost like a reminder of what used to be. I had tried to throw it out once, but then couldn’t and at 3 A.M. went to retrieve it from the trash before it could be picked up. I couldn’t let it go, it now stood as a constant reminder of what could have been, some of its links empty, while others were full. This charm didn’t belong there, not with the painful past, but with my bright future.
A pounding on the door broke me from my revelry.
“TONI LET’S GO!” I rolled my eyes at Marc’s voice and grabbed my towel from the hook.
“Happy now?” I asked as I opened the door to reveal a very annoyed looking Marc.
“No, I’m about to spend eight hours on an airplane to go to a state I never wanted to step foot in, to see a man I’ve never wanted to see again, and before I can do that I have to spend time with your friend, who I hate, yeah I’m thrilled.” I sighed, apparently I wasn’t going to have a happy brother for this.
“Is that all you wanted, to rant, because I get enough of that from Mallory, so is there something else you wanted?” I asked really hoping to change the subject.
“Yes, your friend called, they’re going to be here in ten minutes.” With that he walked back to his room, and I wandered into mine.
Once I was dressed, I sat on my bed playing out what was about to happen in my head, none of my scenarios looked good, I was in such a lose-lose situation I thought. I was not allowed to start moping as a horn suddenly sounded through my house. Nice Hunter, way to wake up my sister. I thought as I grabbed my suitcase and made my way downstairs and out the door, my siblings on my heels.
Roxy was sitting behind the steering wheel, pushing at Hunter who had his entire upper body pressed on the horn, he did not look happy. I carefully walked up to the driver’s side and tapped the window.
“Hey Roxy, Hunter what are you doing?” I asked, watching Hunter lean back into his seat, Roxy rolled her eyes.
“Well my little brother here is really not a morning person, and apparently he just found out that he will be sitting with my little sisters on the way there, and he has to entertain them, as my parents will be sitting with my cousin Hannah. Did Hunter tell you she’s going with us, she’s so adorable, and she just turned three and-" Hunter cut her off.
“And she’s freakin’ adorable, yeah whatever Roxy, can we go please? I’m tired, I have to sit with the annoying sisters, and I hate getting up before 5 A.M. to get ready for this stupid trip!” I raised an eyebrow in Hunter’s direction. Roxy gave me an apologetic look as she pushed her blonde hair behind her ear.
“Ok, let’s go then, and Hunter, shut up.” I slid in behind Roxy holding back a laugh as Hunter just muttered something. Marc took the seat next to me, directly behind Hunter, while my two sisters climbed into the back seat of the mini-van.
“Everyone ready? Ok then, let’s go!” Roxy said happily as she backed the van out of my driveway. I watched Roxy as she drove. She was humming some song, her head bouncing along to whatever she was humming. Her green eyes were watching the road, and when she caught me watching her she gave me a smile. You couldn’t help but love Roxy.
The trip to the airport took an hour, we met Hunter’s parents there, they had driven separately with Hunter’s little sisters and cousin. They smiled as we piled out of the van.
“Hi Toni, good to see you again!” Hunter’s mom said as she pulled me into a hug, his dad stood off to the side and smiled.
“Let her go honey, you don’t want to suffocate the poor girl. Hey Toni, nice to see you again.” I took a deep breath as Hunter’s mom released me, she gave some really tight hugs. I smiled at both of them.
“Nice to see you guys too, thank you so much for letting us ride here with you, and for letting us stay with you for a few days, we really appreciate it.” Hunter’s mom waved her hand.
“Nonsense, you guys are like family to us, I couldn’t just let you fly without some adult supervision, besides you guys deserve to have some fun, now come on, we have a plane to catch!” Hunter rolled his eyes as he handed me my bag.
“Yeah, lets go, the faster we get there the faster I can fake a stroke to get out of sitting with my sisters.” Mrs. Jameson narrowed her eyes at Hunter, and then proceeded to walk forward her husband next to her. His sisters held their dad’s hand, Olivia and Diana followed them talking a mile a minute, while Marc trailed behind them pulling his bags as he went, leaving me to walk with Hunter and Roxy.
“So Hunter tells me you have a boyfriend,” Roxy began as she walked next to me, I was about to respond when Hunter cut in.
“Yes she has a boyfriend, may we all throw a party for her. Meanwhile your brother is single and hating it, thanks for reminding me of my status Rox.” Roxy just rolled her eyes.
“Jeez Hunter, will you just get over it please, so you’re single, big deal, I’m single too, but you don’t hear me complaining.” Hunter shot daggers at her.
“Hunter, let it drop ok, seriously, I have enough drama at home right now,” I said calmly, I knew Hunter and Roxy could go on for hours, best to stop it now.
“Fine, whatever,” Hunter muttered, Roxy just shrugged, and then proceeded to walk into a pole.
“Ow! Who put this pole here? And why did no one tell me that pole was there?” Hunter and I burst out laughing, both of us holding our sides for support. Roxy’s screams and our laughter caused our families to turn around and look at us. When they saw Roxy kicking the pole and then holding her foot, they burst out laughing as well.
“Why did you just kick the pole?” I asked as my laughter started to come under control.
“Because it hurt me, and needed to be taught a lesson, so I kicked it to prove that I was stronger than it, but that just hurt my toes,” she said like it was the most obvious thing in the world, we all just burst out laughing even harder, I could feel tears rolling down my face as I walked laughing hysterically the entire time.
“Flight 785 to Denver is now boarding, I repeat flight Flight 785 to Denver is now boarding.” I sighed as I pulled my headphones out of my ears, Hunter stood up beside me.
“Here are your boarding passes kids, now just line up!” Mrs. Jameson said as she handed us our tickets, we all thanked her, besides Hunter who was still upset that he had to sit with his sisters.
“So I guess I’m next to you!” Said an excited voice next to me, I turned to look at Roxy who was holding up her ticket, pointing to the three.
“No, actually Roxy, you’re sitting behind me.” Roxy looked confused.
“No, I’m next to you, see yours says two and mine says three and then both say A.” I just shook my head, apparently common sense wasn’t genetic.
“No Roxy, that A is what seat in the row you’re in, and the three represents which row your in, it says so in the little boxes.” Roxy frowned and then held the ticket up to her face. I saw Marc raise and eyebrow as Hunter shook his head.
“Oh, I guess you’re right, so who am I sitting with then?” she asked looking around at the group, I pointed a finger at Marc, who looked suddenly scared.
“No, she is not next to me, no way.” I took his ticket and pointed to the three.
“Yeah, you are, have fun.” Marc snatched the ticket back from me, and then threw a look at Roxy.
“If I’m sitting with her,” he emphasized her, which Roxy just smiled at, “then who are you sitting next to?” I pointed to Olivia and Diana who were busy writing in their notebooks.
“And I’m sitting across from her thankfully,” Said Hunter, ignoring Marc’s glares. I hit Marc in the back of the head.
“Be nice,” I said quietly, Marc looked at me. “His family is being very nice to us and you know it, so be nice, it’s only for a few days and then we go to dad’s, I would recommend you decide which part of this trip you want to have fun during, because you don’t want to spend this whole trip miserable do you?” Marc narrowed his eyes, but didn’t respond. “That’s what I thought, trust me, Hunter and his family are cool, and it won’t kill you to get to know them, start with Roxy, she’s the most,” I paused looking for the right word to describe Roxy, “entertaining.” Marc opened his mouth to say something but was stopped as Roxy grabbed his arm.
“Come on seat-buddy, let’s go. I really don’t know much about you, only that your name’s Marc, but that’s all, so do you have a girlfriend? Of course you do, you look like you would have one. So what’s it like being a twin? I’ve always wanted to be a twin you know.” Roxy kept talking as they handed in the tickets and got on the plane, Hunter grabbed my arm.
“You do realize that your brother may end up strangling Roxy by the end of the trip right?” I nodded as I handed the attendant my ticket.
“Oh, I know, that’s why I switched tickets with him, I wasn’t going to sit with Roxy.” Hunter starting cracking up behind me as I headed for the plane. This trip was going to be very entertaining, and very life changing.