one of them - j.flatters

xiii. found family

JULY 2018 - HAWAII
When James told the younger kids they would board a plane for Hawaii, none of them thought they had heard his words right. But when the director repeated it, hoping for a better reaction from his protégés, cheerful and excited shouts was all you could hear in the studio. The older cast and crew watching them with tendered eyes, delighted to see all of them so happy about the trip. For some of them, it was their first time getting out of the country and even if their parents could escort them, Eliana had deliberately chose to hide the trip from her mother. Yet not for the same usual reasons she would hide something from her but because the teenage girl knew that her parents were struggling with money. She knew Annie would never declined an opportunity to be with her daughter even if that meant putting the family's finances at risk. So every two weeks, Eliana would send back some of the money they would give her for her expenses, saying that she didn't need it and that the production would pay for most of her groceries. Which they did, in a way. She had asked for early payment of her fee so she could be financially independent from her parents. Annie and Victor never doubted their daughter's honesty, gladly taking any money they could spare.

The first week of their trip had gone quite fast, they had the chance to swim with dolphins and different mammals of the sea, putting their diving certification at work. It was a first for Eliana as there wasn't any beaches like these in Canada, unlocking a new fear when her body was near the ocean's fauna. The others would laugh but Eliana had found out she was extremely scared of what swam beneath her, the immensity of a world she couldn't see. After a long day of training in the water, Eliana tiredly swam back to the shore, her body more exhausted than the others from the constant stress that clutched her heart and lungs. She let herself fall onto the sand, its harsh texture gluing to her wet skin which caused Jamie to chuckle at the sight of the girl.

"You good here, Lia?" He asked, sitting next to her while the other kids had decided to stay in the water, playing and splashing each other. Eliana only groaned, her arms covering her face from the blinding lights of the sun yet only his presence made her cheeks warmer, not the sun. "I can't believe we have to return soon."

To that, Eliana straightened her body in a sitting position, finally locking her eyes with his cold blue ones as his words sank in her mind, slowly getting around the idea of their trip's end approaching. "Is it bad that I don't want to?" The girl frowned at her own words. She had never felt happier and stress-free than in Hawaii with all of her favorite persons by her side.

"I think it's natural. I mean, who would want to leave," Jamie motioned his arms around their figure, causing the girl to gaze around and really taking in her surroundings. "this."

"Damn, right." Eliana agreed with the boy, a smile plastered on both of their faces as their eyes finally reunited with each other, longing to see the other one. Jamie and Eliana stayed on the beach until the other kids finished playing. They didn't say much to each other, only enjoying the other one's company and the comfort it brought them.

Bailey was the first to run back to the shore, joining her friends by sitting next to Eliana as she threw her arm around her shoulders. The cold water dripping on the girl's neck causing her to shriek in surprise. Soon, Trinity, Jack, Britain, Filip and Duane also regained the beach. All of the kids now sitting in a straight line looking at the view before their eyes, slowly realizing how fortunate they were. Indeed, to live this life and be part of something as spectacular as the sequel of Avatar but also to have found one another, friends you could call family.

"I want you guys to promise something." Bailey finally broke the comfortable silence they were in for several minutes, catching everyone's attention. She crawled on the sand to face her friends, her hands waving at them to form a circle which they quickly did. "Put your pinky in the center and let's promise to each other to always be there. Always support each other no matter what, no questions asked."