Exposed

6

*Hunter's Point of view*

I stare out of the plane window we lower further to the ground and the city begins to appear. Not realizing that my fluorescent red hair had fallen into my eye, I brush it away and hear the monotone voice blaring out through the speakers, I didn't catch much other than the fact that we would be landing soon, I smile at the thought of seeing her again. The old man sitting next to me gives me a weird look, I had started smiling randomly many times on the flight and was pretty sure he thought I was mental, not that I cared. It had been so long, so so long and I just wanted to hug her again.

After what felt like forever I feel the force of my ears popping and I know we had begun to land, my heart flutters with excitement. I could feel the butterflies in my stomach, it had been so long since I had lived here. She used to be taller than me but I had grown - a lot. I wondered if she had really grown that much. I doubted it, she was always a slow grower.

I step off the plane and out onto the busy airport. I look around the blur of strangers, suddenly I see a mess of frizzy brown hair and before I had the time to process that it was her I felt something wrap around me. I look down and her, the girl who I had been missing since the start of elementary school. I was right about her being a lot shorter than me, but her hugs were definitely just as warm and inviting. I had missed this feeling.

I wrap my arms around her realizing I hadn't yet returned the hug. Big bear hug, her being much shorter than me felt pretty weird but of course I had expected it. It was pretty adorable actually. We pull away and I look down at her beaming smile. I could feel my heart racing as I looked into her stormy gray eyes, I smile back at her, savoring the moment, before suddenly scooping her up into a princess hold. She was a little heavy but I was pretty strong.

I hear her laughing, she leans her head against my shoulder and I spin her around before letting her down, taking her hand and letting her lead me toward the exit of the airport.

"Come on, your mum's giving me a ride home and then I'm gonna pick you up tomorrow for school" She says.

"Okay" I grin. "I am kinda nervous though"

"You'll like it, there's this new girl at school and she seems pretty nice so you'll get on. You'll also get to see Frankie again, you might even be in her form class, and besides you have me" I laugh and she laughs.

I open the back door of the car for her and she gets in. I open the front door to the car and give my mum a big hug. I had not seen her in person for two years, I had missed her so much. I had missed both of them. We drive out of the car park and through town to my new house, my new home. This was my home, I was home at last.