Hope for the Hopeless

It was departure day. Everyone in the household woke up too early, even if my flight wasn’t until 10 AM. The grandparents made their special pancakes for breakfast, and they only did that when someone was leaving. They did it when Aunt Hazel left.

I took time in getting up. But Spencer’s voice was echoing loudly from the hallway, calling out my name. Hell, if I’m leaving this place today, I might as well cherish my good ol’ bed one last time. I deserved this moment.

“Hey Arya, come on. You gotta shower and eat.” Spencer peeked in the slightly opened door. He’d already showered and dressed up, as if he’s the one who’s leaving.

I staggered up from my bed. My hair was a wild cloud above my head and my eyes, check, was drooping down with huge eye-bags below it. “Yeah, yeah I’m up. Whoa, aren’t you readied up early. What time do you leave?” I joked.

He gave me a sarcastic laugh (since he was very good at that). “Very funny Arya, now come on. We gotta get ready.”

We headed downstairs together. The grandparents were already waiting for us in the kitchen and a plate of grandma’s golden pancakes waited for me at my spot in the dining table. “Arya sweetheart, you ready?” Grandpa asked.

“Yes pops, just a bit nervous I guess.”

Grandpa got up and gave me a really warm hug, and smiled. “Arya Parker, since when did you learn to feel nervous?”

His words made me laugh instantly. “Since, never pops.”

“Now, that’s my girl!” he cheered. “We better get ready; you need to be at the airport by 8.”

Ah, crap. Here we go.

We reached LAX by 7:40 a.m. I still had about twenty minutes to waste at the airport—by myself. Great, this just great. They bid me goodbye. Grandma had a little waterworks session, and pops had to compose her. Spencer gave me his favourite guitar pick, which befuddled me since I didn’t really learn how to play the instrument since we were kids. I was giving it back and he only said, “Keep it. You’re going to want to use it in the future.” I shrugged off what he said and bid him goodbye before heading inside.

I felt my stomach twist in knots again when I was looking for seat to wait in for my flight. There was already no backing down. And a new life, although I’m not sure if it’s good or bad, is waiting for me a thousand miles away from where I was at. My palms were sweating involuntarily as I glanced at the clock. 9:50 a.m. Time was ticking fast and soon enough, I’ll be off to London.