Summer of Experience

Chapter 5- Cross My Heart

Walking through the airport of this place was nothing compared to the airports that I am used to. If you were to stand in along the one main hallway that runs across, you would be able to see both sides clearly. The smallness of this place was already setting in and I wasn't even in the town yet. This was just further proof that this summer was going to be uneventful. I cautiously looked around the airport for my aunt, hoping that I wouldn't make eye contact with an already familiar face.

It was absolutely insane how attached I had become to a guy that I only met hours ago. It should not have been this hard to say goodbye. But I couldn't think about that. I had to let it go because as great as that plane ride was, I was most likely never going to see him again. It was time to put on my big girl pants and stop acting like some boy obsessed little girl. He was just a guy and I couldn't let this keep me down for the rest of my summer. No matter where I was spending it, I was going to make the most of this summer before I had to begin my senior year.

 With this in mind, I continued to look around. Finally I suddenly saw a flash of pink through the crowd. Bingo. Looking closer I could see the joyful face of my aunt as she skipped her way towards me. It seems as though she had seen me first. This lady could certainly not be considered a 35-year-old woman with a husband and two kids. She seemed like she could be my age with the amount of energy she had. Not to mention her interesting sense of style. My aunt is an artist and believe me when I say she like to show it through her look. She had chin length brown hair with one big streak of bright pink, her signature look. She was wearing a pair of tight jean caprees with a tight striped pink and red shirt and a floral cover up. Now I would think this outfit was cute and would probably wear it myself if it weren't for the large amounts of colorful paint stains. This was my aunt and it felt so good to know that she had not changed at all.

Taking me out of my trance she finally made it over to me and brought me in for a suffocating hug. I breathed in her familiar scent of paint and lilac and hugged her back with as much force as I could.

 "Aunt Libby! I have missed you so much." I whispered not being able to say it any louder. I found my eyes getting teary for unknown reasons.

 She suddenly pulls back to look me up and down.

"Oh my god Mere it is so good to see you. You seem to get more beautiful every time I see you. How was your flight?"she asks as she begins to lead to the baggage claim.

It seems as though my search for my aunt has taken longer then I thought because this area seems to have pretty much cleared out with only a few bags remaining.

 "It was good." I said not wanting to go into further detail incase I let something slip. I did not want anyone to know about my eventful plane ride. It was my little secret.

 Looking around I suddenly noticed that we were alone. "Where are Stella and Marcus and Uncle Jeff?" I asked Aunt Libby who didn't seem that fazed with the fact that she was alone.

 "Oh I left them at home. I wanted you all to myself for a little." She said with an infectious giggle, which soon had me laughing along with her.

 This is what I wanted. Someone who I could finally relax with and would help me forget all about Tyler and our wonderful short time together. Although my summer was going to be spent in a place where internet connection would be questionable, I was just happy to be spending it with people who always made me feel at home and like myself.

 ****

 After grabbing my luggage and making our way to the car, my aunt and I set off on our hour and a half drive. We quickly caught up, me telling her all about my school year and how my parents were doing and her telling me about her recent art projects and the oh so interesting gossip of the little town, which was our final destination. But within twenty minutes my eyes seemed to close without my permission and I drifted into a much-needed nap.