Life As It Is

Chapter 1

I looked out of the plane window and saw the California beaches we were flying over. I clicked my phone on, checking the time. We were supposed to be landing in about twenty to thirty minutes. It was already 12:30 in the afternoon. I was a bit tired but who could really blame me. I mean I had been traveling for almost thirteen hours straight. I took my ear buds out of my ears and turned the music off. I looked at my phone screen and smiled at the picture of my friends and me from Germany. We were all hanging out with my Tante at the indoor pool at her house. I was going to miss them. Heidi, my best friend from Germany, told me she was going to send me a package of all my favorite German things every month. And I told her I would send her the things that would make her fall in love with California as much as I hope I'm going to love California. It was going to be hard adjusting to life without my Aunt Irma, I had grown so use to living with her and other girls. She's been my rock for the past two years. I didn't have a whole lot of summer clothes which is all I'm really going to need while living here from now on. The only summer clothes I owned were a pair of white jean shorts and another pair of regular jean shorts with some tank tops, obviously, and two pairs of sandals.

I'm nervous to say the least. I haven't seen my brothers or my dad in person for two years. We've all FaceTimed together and called and texted but with time zones it was always hard. When I was living with my aunt, it was just me and her and constant girls weekend with my friends and with hers. I learned how to be a girl instead of just being 'one of the guys'. With my mom gone, I was raised by boys and men, it was hard not to be one of the guys. Now, it's going to be a testosterone, sweat filled home. And I was probably going to be treated like one of the guys again, they probably need some time to adjust to the new me. Even though I'm a different person now then I was before, I was ready to see my family again. They're passionate, and I love them with all my heart even with everything we've been through.

The plane hit the ground and my heartbeat sped up. I grabbed my large purse that had my wallet, phone charger, laptop and laptop charger, an extra pair of underwear, an extra bra, my passport, some paperwork for my Visa, extra earbuds, some Cosmopolitan magazines, and a pair of jean shorts just in case it got too hot out and I would need to change. We all filed out of the plane and I slowly walked through customs and went through the process of re-entering the country. Following customs, I went toward baggage claim. I looked for my family and finally saw a sign that said 'Anya Hunter'. My twin brother, Blake, was holding the sign. I ran to my brothers and my dad, Bradley Hunter. I hugged dad first. I couldn't help but cry, two years is a long time to go without seeing your family.

"Hi daddy," I croaked. He wiped my tears and kissed the top of my head.

"Hi princess," he said hugging me.

"We missed you so much," Jordan said.

"I missed all of you guys too." I said and hugged each of my brothers.

"What are you wearing? It's ninety-five degrees out today." Jordan asked after I had given him his hug. I looked down at my clothes. I was wearing nicer looking flip flops, leggings, a grey v-neck t-shirt, a cream colored sweater, and I had my hair in a nice bun. It was a bit colder out when I left Germany but I wore layers because I knew it would be hot when I got here and I could tell just from being in the airport that it was already blazing hot out.

"I know, the only summer clothes I own are two pairs of shorts and two pairs of sandals. It was a colder year in Germany this year."

"Do you wanna go shopping tomorrow for summer clothes?" Mason asked.

"I'd love that." I said smiling at them.