FIRST IMPRESSIONS

goodbye Australia hello London

“Flight 38 to London now boarding” the flight announces voice bounced off the wall in the shop where I was finishing the coffee I had just bought. I stood up, chucking the empty cup in the bin on my way out.

As I walked through the boarding gate I took one last look around the airport, “Bye Australia, we had a good run, I guess.” I muttered and turned back around, and took my first step into an unknown world.

*****

I slipped my arms around a curly haired boy’s neck, as he did the same around my waist, “Bye Rhi, I’ll never forget you… I’m going to miss you” he sniffled into my shoulder. 

“I’ll miss you too, you changed me and I could never forget you. And… don’t you forget me, okay?” I sobbed into the boys shoulder. I pulled away from him and walked through the airport gates…

I jolted awake from my vivid dream; I yawned and stretched my arms above my head. I gazed out the window and saw we were no longer over the sea, but slowly descending down to what I assume was London.

“The plane will be landing in approximately 45 minutes. Thank you.” the captain’s voice echoed through the plane.

45 minutes left till I step into London for the first time.

I pulled my iPod out of my bag and put it onto shuffle. Coldplay’s ‘Trouble’ started blaring through my earphones, and I continued gazing out the window, pushing some of my long ash-blonde hair out of my face in the process.

I started humming softly along to the song, and my humming slowly turned into quiet singing.

“You’re pretty good, you know.” a deep voice commented from beside me. I turned around to see a good looking boy with longish brown hair that flopped into his face, a cheeky, friendly smile playing on his mouth. When I didn’t return the gesture, he outstretched his hand towards me. “The name’s Louis.” He said in a cute English accent.

Mingling with the locals: check.

I shook his hand. “Rhi.”

“So…what brings you to the city of lights?” he asked with an over dramatic gesture, plonking himself in the empty seat beside me

“I thought New York was...” I began, but he raised a hand.

“Was is the key word there, my friend.  London is, in my opinion, much more deserving of that title.”

“Ooo-kay then.” I said slowly, raising an eyebrow at the strange boy beside me, then turning to face out the window.

Of course. Because it would be too much to ask for the bloke to be normal.

“Sooooo…” he said, waiting for me to say something. He waited a couple of minutes, before he muttered: “Ah, I see. The strong, silent type?”

 Does this kid not give up?

“No, I’m the ‘normal’ type, actually.” I sighed.

“Ah… ‘normal’… such an interesting word. So many meanings.” He said, his English accent taking on a more posh air as he pulled a coin out of his pocket, using it as a monocle.

 I snorted despite myself.

He’s not too bad, I guess. And it could be useful to know someone around this place

“Okay, funny-guy, you got me. So what brings you to Ye Olde London?” I asked.

“I live here.” He answered.

 “Ah hence the British accent old chap” I said with a posh British accent and a cheeky wink.

“Yeah…keep the Aussie accent.” he winked back at me.

“The flight is now landing, please fasten your seat belts and prepare for landing. Thank you for flying British Airlines.” Said the voice over the intercom.

“And that,” Louis said, standing, “is my cue to leave. I’ll catch ya later. Here, give me your phone for a sec; anytime you need a guide around London, I’m your guy.” He smiled. I handed him my phone and he punched in his number, even bothering to take a ‘selfie’ to set as his profile picture.

“Cheers, Louis. It was…actually really fun meeting you. I might take you up on that offer.”

I sighed, preparing myself for the landing, in my opinion the worst part of a plane ride by far. I gripped my arm rest tighter and squeezed my eyes shut.