Tears in the Flight

The Letter

I came home to my mom holding up a letter saying my full name, 'Renée Marilou Coulter.' I could feel my heartbeat from my toes to my head. Well, shit. What did I even do? It was the last day of school today!
"H-hey mom, how was your day?"
She glared at me with her dark brown eyes. They pierced through my skin like a knife through butter.
"What's this?" she glanced at the note, then back at me.
"That must be the note stating how great of a student I am." I joked trying to break the tension in the air.
"This is not the time to be joking around! I swear, Renée, if you got in trouble again, you won't be going anywhere this summer."
Anytime I got a letter from the school, it was always bad. From my report card, to a detention slip saying 'I drew a penis on the wall in math class.' Yeah, I did that..
Abruptly, I felt a vibration in my worn out jeans in my back pocket. My phone. It was probably Nora wanting to make plans for the summer, already. I ignored it knowing my head was about to be chopped off. But why was I even scared?? I knew I have not done anything, remotley wrong!
As she cuts open the letter, I felt my face become heated and the lack of oxygen to my brain. I just want a normal summer!!
Her eyes scanned the letter, from top to bottom, from left to right. Her eyes shot wide. It was probably my report card. More F's than the word 'Riffraff'
"H-honey! You have been selected to be a foreign exchange student!"
I could suddenly feel the air around me pumping through my lungs. Was she being serious? I'm one of the dumbest students at The American School of Paris. Why would they even pick me?
"It says here that they only select 10 people every 4 years from this school. I am so excited for you sweetie!"
She looked so overjoyed. I couldnt help but join her. We jumped around for at least an hour before I realized I still have not checked my phone. I got a text from Nora. 'Text me girl!!' Screw that! I am calling you!
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"Nora! You will never believe this! I was selected to be a foreign exchange student and go to America!!"
"Oh my gosh..Renée!!"
"What??"
"I WAS CHOSEN TOO!!" she shouted as I went half deaf.
I was on cloud nine. Going to California with my best friend say whaaat?! Then it hit me.
"Nora, do you know what this means..? I get to see him!!"
*********
Kendall. He was my middle school crush. Actually, he still is to this day. He moved our freshamn year from Paris, France to San Francisco, CA. He had to because of his dads job.
Kendall basically saved my life one day..
Our 8th grade year, the students that payed for it, went on a Paris Cruise on the Viking River. Everyone was with the tour group, except for me..of course. I wanted to explore it all for myself, of course. As I leaned off to the side of the ship, I fell in. Being stupid me, I couldnt swim and with the fear of dying right then and there racing through my mind, I had a panic attack. Kendall jumped in and brought me back on the ship. After he rescued me, he noticed I was shivering. So, being the gentleman that he is, he handed me his jacket. It was green with a darker green outlining the arms. On the front it said "Callahan Auto Parts" Whatever that meant. It smelled of AberCrombie and Fitch colgone. It instantly makes a man 10× more attractive when they smell good. The thoughts of the smell of him lingered in my mind, even to this day. I noticed he started to walk off without saying anything. I had to think of something quickly.
"Th-thanks for saving m-me" I shyly said.
"You're welcome." He turned around and gave me the cutest smirk.
"D-do you need your j-jacket back?"
"No, you can keep it." As he said that, he walked back to the tour group. I guess novody noticed, but him, that I fell overboard. Which, in a way, is pretty good..
**********
"You dont even know if he still lives there though! He moved like three years ago."
"Its worth the try." I said fiercely.
"Well hey, make up some popcorn because I'm coming over and we're watching the new Zac Effron movie!!"
"Okay, see you soon!" I said giggling and hung up.