Across the pond

Cabin fever

Sam sighed as he stared out the circular window watching the clouds pass, the plain hadn't been in the air for longer than two hours and he was already bored. At least he had the row to himself, no one wants to sit next to an unaccompanied child on a over eight hour flight.

Sam took out his ds and booted up Mario kart, he chose his course and started playing. He was trying to distract himself from all the thoughts in the back of his head, he wasn't great with change and new situations and not only had he never been on a plane before but he was going to a hole different country to live.

A lady in a blue stewards uniform pushed a cart down the isle, stopping every now and then to give other passengers snacks and drinks. When she got to Sam she said something that he didn't quite catch, he took his headphones off "pardon?"

"Would you like anything?" The lady repeated, she had a vaguely American accent but Sam couldn't quite place the state

"orange juice please" he put his ds on one of the tray tables on the back of the seat in front.

The lady passed him a bottle of orange juice "there you go sweetie, enjoy" she smiled widely and willed the creaky cart away. Sam looked out the window again spotting a flock of birds he don't quite know the species but they looked cool.

He put his headphones back on, not likeing how the cabin pressure felt on his ears. He played another round of Mario kart and sipped at his orange juice. He had briefly met the couple who were adopting him in person and had spoken to them on video chat and they seemed nice enough, a loving couple who already had three children but wanted another. And they chose him.

He put a sudoku cartridge on his ds and started playing, he wasn't good at maths but he enjoyed sudoku. He expected to play every ds game he had on this flight, witch he didn't mind it was better than dying of boredom.

An annoying high-pitched buzzing sound came through his headphones, he took them off quickly the sound was familiar.

"What if they get to know you, and they hate you!" Sam looked over to where the annoying voice came from

"Why do you always have to show up?" He asked the yellow mosquito next to him

"You're annoying, high maintenance, they won't like you" Teto buzzed "they'll throw you onto the streets and you'll have to start over again in a new country!"

Sam took a deep breath "they already know everything thats wrong with me and they still want to adopt me, I think they can handle it" he finished his sudoku, trying not to give teto much attention

"You have to go to a new school! Everyone will hate you, you'll have no friends! You'll have to eat lunch in the toilet like a loser!'

"I'm sure they have enough tables for me to sit at even if I have no friends" Sam looked out of the window

"You'll be bullied! You're bullied everywhere you go this won't be an exception" Teto shouted, he buzzed loudly and bit Sam on his neck

Sam called out in pain "ah! Fucking asshole" he rubbed his neck "go away!" He put his headphones on and started to blast music through them, drowning Teto out.

***
Sam woke up from a nap and rubbed his eyes, he had no idea how long it had been but his back and neck ached. He looked at his watch, there wasn't much time left.

A voice came out of the tannoy "this is your pilot speaking, we should be landing at Westchester airport shortly"

Sam began to clear up, he finished his orange juice and put away his game cartridges. The seatbelt light came on and he strapped himself in, preparing for landing.

The plane wobbled and shook as it descended to the ground. Sam gripped his armrest and bit his lip, cringing at the feeling of his ears popping again.

As Sam left the plane the fresh air hit him, it was a lot warmer than England. He climbed down the very steep stairs and into the terminal, his backpack straps rubbing against his shoulders.

He walked out passed his gate, the airport was loud and crowded. But amongst the crowd stood a tall man with graying brown hair and a lady with blonde hair holding a sign that said 'Welcome home Sam'

Sam smiled.

Home.