Coming Alive in August

My eyes burn and my body feels like it isn't attached to me. I lift my arm up and stare at it. I keep moving it but there is no feeling in it whats so ever. I sigh letting my arm fall to my side and stare off at the cars driving by the LAX Airport. My eyes keep falling heavier and heavier. This is the last time I take the Red Eye flight. My eyes fully shut and my breathing slows down. I rock back and forth slowly with both my hands on the handle of my rolling luggage.

A loud car horn wakes me from my mini nap. I groan and open my eyes to see a white car. I smile at the waving girl in the drivers seat. She pops the trunk of her car so I can put my things in there. It takes me a few minutes to get all my things in the trunk and to sit myself in the passenger seat. I slink down in the seat sighing and closing my eyes. "I couldn't sleep on the plane. I had a baby crying next to me and a fat guy snoring. Ugh, coffee! Now!" I groan.

Claudia starts to laugh as she drives away from the airport. "Hello to you too, Kai," she says.

I open my eyes and straighten myself out. I stare at her and lean against the arm rest. "I'm sorry. I am really happy to be here. Its been so long since I have came to visit you! I am finally old enough to go to Angels and Kings!" I smile. Claudia glances at me quickly and smiles. I watch her grip and ungrip her steering wheel then stop at a red light.

She turns to face me with a friendly smile. "Happy to have you back. We can go tonight if you want even though its Monday," she looks away at the lights as it turns green. She starts off her driving again. "We can either go home and you can sleep or go get a Starbucks," she looks at me quickly with another smile.

"If I sleep now I will be grouchy later. I do love Starbucks so lets go there," I nod and pull my phone out my pocket. I stare at my background and giggle not realizing I am till Claudia clears her throat. I smile at her and show her my phone. "Third time with Andy. I should have threw myself at him, he's so nice," I put my phone back into my pocket with a stupid smile still on my face.

Claudia laughs softly. "You love that guy, huh?" she shakes her head continuing to laugh.

I shrug tapping my hands on my thighs happily. Claudia parks the car and turns it off. She turns around in her seat and grab her purse from the backseat of her car. "Lets go!" she happily says. We both get out of the car and walk into the Starbucks.

My eyes will still barely stay open. Every inch of my just feels weak and I have never felt this awful before. There was really no reason to feel like this. It was just a plane ride, no big deal.

My purse slips off my shoulder and falls to the ground. Claudia stops for me and half smiles. "Go, go. I'll be a second," I tell her and bend down to get my purse. I shoot up quickly putting it back on my shoulder at the same time. I feel my elbow knock into what felt like someone's face. I turn around quickly and take hold of the person behind me. I squeeze their cheeks with my hands and open my eyes wide. They were blurry to me due to my burning eyes. "I am so sorry. I am tired and I am just sorry," I yell at them. I drop my hands and look at the ground.

He places his hand on my shoulder. "Its alright. I was standing to close to you. I get hurt all the time," his thumb rubs over my shoulder.

"Ian, lets go. Stop flirting," someone calls out. The hand on my shoulder drops.

"See you around," he says and walks away.

I smile weakly and then rub my eyes. I look around for Claudia gaining my full vision back. I grab my glasses out of my purse and put them on. Claudia waves me over to wear she is standing at the counter. She already has a coffee in her hand. She holds it out of me and I take a quick sip. She smiles then takes her own. "Hmm, I love iced Carmel Macchiatos," she happily says.

I smile at her then order myself an espresso and a Java Chip Frappuccino. I take the espresso like a shot in one gulp. "I elbowed a kid in the face. He must have been short for me to be able to do that because I'm really short," I tell Claudia. I keep my lips attached to my straw and take sip after sip of my frappuccino.

Claudia laughs and pats my head lightly. "You could have elbowed Patrick or Pete! Did you not see what they looked like?" she continues to laugh. We head out of the little place and go to the car.

"My vision was blurred, I couldn't make out what they looked like. I feel so bad," I start to laugh myself. I relax back in the passenger seat. "Off to your apartment?" I tap my fingers on my cup happily.