Passport to My Summer

Packing Turquoise

Loud music, bonfires, and summer love is what the first thought was that came to my mind when I thought about summer. Moving from what seemed like millions of places to where I am now, i'm not quite sure of the definition my brain has provided for me. Packing my clothes in the big duffle bag I've had since my first, and last year of dance from 3rd grade was very nerve racking. Being in a warm, swim type weather filled area for 3 years really catches up to you when you are shopping at the mall. Stacks of crop tops and beige khaki shorts lay on my bed waiting to be packed. Not sure what I'm gonna do. I don't think my toes will appreciate the frost bite from my flip flops.

When my parents first split, it was all a blur. From one thing to the next all I knew was my dad had drifted to a state near the equator. And me? I was living with my light-hearted mom in the suburbans. I was definitely not use to the warn urban air filled with thug life and elegance all in one area morphed into what is Los Angeles. As for my life...we'll not anything else big happened for about 2 years up until now. I am happy to see my dad. But not sure what to expect. I'm imagining long lonesome walks down a dusty trail and maybe an ice cream cone a day to feel like actual summer. Make that two.

I'm sure my mom would have took me shopping to by some fleeces or something, but this all was planned quickly. Like in a week or two. Jacqueline, my mom, travels for her work a lot and is not liking me staying at home. She says she doesn't believe I'll get out much this summer, so she is thinks I'll make some new friends up there and maybe get a tan. Ha. Me? Friends? Even more so, TAN? Let's face it. None of those are in the cards for me. I'm a complete opposite from my mother. Her, a tan, and petite people person with short brown tinted hair just didn't match up with my end if the winter chunkiness and my sport like legs. Also not to mention, my frizzy, curl-filled hair that was a dirty blonde and a strawberry brown in the winter. Skin whiter than the clouds.

Personality? I haven't quite figured that part out yet. My mom popped into my room which made my heart skip a beat for a second and I must of looked dumb standing there thinking about Minnesota.

"Oh darling in so sorry I forgot to take you out shopping yesterday!" she said with a puppy eyes like face and came over clinging to me.

"Mom don't worry about it, I'll go shopping when I get down there and by some long sleeves from Rue 21 or something." I muffled my jaw against her shoulder.

"Okay Tori, just make sure to look in the clearance isle!" "You never know what good deals are out there!" She chuckled softly and then pulled a bag out behind her back.

"What's that?" I asked eagerly.

She ruffled the bag loudly digging through what seemed like multiple items before pulling out a beautiful turquoise colored pair of mittens and a scarf to match..

"Oh mom, it's beautiful." I said softly with my voice cracking just a tad at the end.

"You really think so? I'm glad you like it." She said grinning.

"This is actually perfect. Thanks. I thought you said you didn't have time to go shopping?" I asked.

"Well I was walking around in the mall trying to find a phone charger last weekend when I went to Florida because I forgot mine here at home. I saw that and just thought...I thought you'd like I little piece of me up there in Minnesota." She said a little choked up sound in get voice.

I was not sure how to reply to that. So I just winged it.

"I'm going to miss you so much mom. It's only for the summer though. Then I'll be back." I started to get choked up to but quickly swallowed away the tears.

"You are right dear, just finish getting packed and then I will inform you about your schedule and your plane flight." She said this softly and laid my passport on top of my duffle bag. 

I stared at it for about 7 minutes. On the inside was a picture of me from my first year of junior high. If you looked closely, you could still see a little zit i had right in the middle of my nose. Hopefully nobody else would noticed it when i checked into my plane...! But hey, things could get so much worse than just my white, puffy blemish, right? From that moment on, I literally ate my own words.