City of Angels

Chapter 2

We arrived at LAX, and immediately felt the heat from the California sun. Back home in Michigan, we're lucky if the temperature reaches 70°. But here in LA, it's already 80° and its only noon. We start going torwards the baggage claim and collect our belongings.
"Oh my gosh, can you believe we're actually here? In Los Angeles? Because I sure can't." Kate says, smiling.
"It honestly feels like a dream." I reply, my eyes scanning the airport, soaking everything in.
"Or more like a nightmare." Brent says, totally ruining the moment.
"You didn't have to come, you know." I snap at him, annoyed with him already.
"Oh you're right, I could've stayed home and stayed with Aunt Marie. Yeah, no thanks. I think I would've died."
Our Aunt Marie is a nice lady, she's just really... different. She's in to all this organic stuff and won't drive a car or do anything that puts our planet 'at risk'. We don't usually stay with her because we can't stand eating the foods she eats, or stand watching the discovery channel all day.
"Good choice, although I think this trip would be more enjoyable without you here."
"Samantha, be nice! Maybe we should've left you and Brent with Aunt Marie and just took Kate with us!" My dad says.
I roll my eyes in response and glare at my brother.
"Yeah I think I'd like that way better, Mr. Johnson." Kate laughs.
"Kate, I've known you for how many years but you still continue to call me Mr. Johnson? It makes me feel old and professional, and you know us enough to know we aren't anywhere close to professional."
My dad was right, I've known Kate since we were like 3. I have to laugh at my dads commment about us not being professional, because it's so true. We aren't rude, but we aren't that polite around people we know like we should be. We'll have burping contests and eat on the couch while watching some sports game. Its just what we do.
"Yeah sorry, force of habit." Kate apologises to my dad. Kate is a lot more polite then is, she always uses her manners around us, even though we tell her she doesn't need too. Her family is big on manners and the complete opposite of mine, they always have a strict schedule and they can't stand 'going with the flow' like my parents.
"Hey, isn't that your mom, dear?" My mom asks me dad.
"Yeah, and my wonderful sisters." My dad never got along with his one of his sisters, which is why I've never met them. We start walking over to them, and its a bit awkward. My 2 aunts immediately hug me and ask me how I've been, even though I've never spoken to them once in my life.
"I've been good, I guess." I answer, smiling at them.
"And who's this?" My Aunt Julie asks me. My dad has told me earlier she's the cool one, the one that didn't hate him and that I would get along with her good.
"Oh, this is my friend Kate." They say hi and my Aunt moves on to Brent and starts talking to him.
"So, you're dad isn't close with his family?" Kate asks me.
"Not really, my Aunt Jen hated him and since she's the oldest Aunt Julie always followed her and did what she said. My dad and Aunt Julie are closer then him and my other aunt, though."
I see my Aunt Jen approach me again, and I can already see why my dad didn't like her.
"Samantha! How good to see you!" She says, way to happily.
"Uh, yeah, you too." I reply, trying to sound as happy as her.
"I'm so happy to finally meet you and your brother! And of course you're friend here, Kate? Is that right?"
"Yeah, it is. Nice to meet you too." Kate answers.
We all stand in an awkward silence before my Aunt Jen breaks it.
"Well we better get going, your grandma gets crabby if we miss our 1:00 lunch." She says.
And with that said, we head out of the airport and hop into my grandmas minivan into the traffic of Los Angles.