The water beneath us

Chapter 4

  I felt numb the whole ride to the airport. I watched as other cars streaked past us and wondered if anyone felt as lonely and betrayed as I did. The gorgeous lady driving kept her eyes ahead, and made no effort to start up a conversation. I was very grateful for her lack of words. 

  After what felt like a few minutes alone with my thoughts, I looked at the screen with the time. 10am, we'd been driving for nearly 2 hours. The airport wasn't far now. If I squinted my eyes I could see a plane disappearing into the clouds ahead, and it hit me. It would only be a few moments and I'd be leaving my home, and everything I knew and loved. 

  Don't get me wrong, if this wasn't some forceful almost kidnaping like scene I'd be grateful to be going on vacation. But a year long vacation seemed too long, and you'd usually go on vacation with company. This felt like end of everything I knew. 

  Finally we pulled into the parking lot, and I jumped down out of the monster like vehicle. As my feet hit the pavement I felt that weird, almost painful sensation shoot through them and I started to wobble weirdly trying to get them to feel better, the lady watched me with an expression I can only explain as a cross between amusement, and somewhat disgust. She hauled open the trunk, and grabbed my suitcase with such ease and grace I felt like I was watching a commercial for Chanel suitcases. Once my feet regained feeling I walked over to the trunk and grabbed Inky's carrier, then I slammed down the trunk door. 

  Inside the airport so much attention was drawn to us, I felt out of place and uncomfortable under all the stares of people around me. Beside her I felt like trash, you could tell she was wearing designer everything, and held herself with such elegance and poise you couldn't help but be mesmerized by everything about her appearance. She was too perfect to belong on the same planet as me. With every passing second around her I felt my self esteem deteriorating. 

  Finally, we reached a spot in the airport and a man came over to meet us, instead of asking for identification or my passport he led us out through a door. I'd never been on a plane before in my life, but I had been at the airport numerous times to greet Mila as she flew back home from Florida each Christmas, so having spent time here before, I knew this wasn't normal. 

  The morning sun nearly blinded me as I stepped through the door and followed them to where ever we were headed. The lady lifted her purse up to shield herself from the sun rays and squinted her eyes, if you ask me she was being a little over dramatic, but her skin was so white she probably would burn the second she took her purse down. 

   We approached a black jet and I blankly stared at the back of the lady's head, was she serious. "Were not really flying in that, are we"? I blurted out. She whipped her head around and grinned maliciously at me "Is it not to your liking"? She responded. Her grin and taunting words shut me up. She whipped her head back toward the jet and strutted off to board. I shuffled along behind her, keeping my distance, something about the way she smiled and taunted me sent ice water through my veins. 

  Half way up the jet stairs I turned and looked off toward the field beyond the airport fence, the orange sun shone brightly through the trees, and the scent of pine floated toward me, my home was wishing me a farewell. 

  "Can we please hurry this up, I would like to leave before the day ends" the lady shouted from inside the jet. I scurried up the last steps and watched as the staircase lifted off the ground and clicked into the side of the jet. 

  As I walked away from the stairs I peeked inside the sitting area and saw the lady sitting in the front row admiring her perfectly styled French tips, she glanced up at me with disinterest and went back to analyzing her nails. I decided to not sit near her. I chose a seat four rows behind her and plopped down. I placed Inky's carrier in the seat beside me, and watched as he poked his paws through the front, at least I had him.