An Exchange

Chapter Two - A First Meeting

Penny

I first saw America as we flew toward California. A series of seemingly deserted islands appeared first, then, through the clouds, the beaches formed—long, gray beaches with the city right up on them. It wasn't as glamorous as I had pictured it.

We were delayed in Los Angeles due to a severe storm over the Salt Lake area, but I felt excited at being in another country for the first time in my life, although completely overwhelmed by the size and busy atmosphere around the airport. But once I found my gate, I sat back and took it all in.

Finally, we boarded, and our flight took off. It was a short flight to Salt Lake City. When we landed, I couldn't help being polite to everyone and allowing them to get off before me. I was too nervous to be assertive.

My host family waited for me as I made my way out of the gate area. We did quick introductions, for we had only talked briefly via email and telephone. I met my host mother Pat, a slender woman of an average height and cropped wavy brown hair, my host father Alma, a man barely taller than his wife but heavily built with dark hair and eyes, and finally my fifteen, almost sixteen-year-old host brother, Jonas, who was tall and lean, but had surprisingly broad shoulders and his father’s colouring. I liked Jonas instantly because of his crooked, playful smile. As Pat introduced each of them, Jonas picked up on my eyebrow twitch at the scriptural names and held a smirk back.

“So, Penny,” Pat began. “You're probably very tired from your long trip. Alma, Jonas, can you carry her suitcases?”

“No it's all right—”

“Oh! Would you listen to that accent! It’s so thick you could cut it with a knife!”

I snapped my mouth shut, suddenly self-conscious of my voice. Jonas rubbed his temples at his mother’s reaction.

“Come on! Let's go!” She beamed at Alma who pulled my bag along behind him.

*

Giles

The Taylor's sat in front of us in church that Sunday, but their exchange student wasn't with them. Several of the girls aside from Zoe, but mostly Zoe, buzzed about meeting her. My sisters sat swiveled around talking about her to their friends.

“Jonas showed me a picture,” Sarah said. “She’s really pretty and looks really nice, too.”

When Jonas sat without the exchange student, the girls all craned their necks toward the door. Nothing.

“Ask him,” one of the girls whispered.

“No, you ask him,” Sarah responded.

“I can hear you,” Jonas said. “She’s sleeping, okay? It’s so not fair.” He turned to look at me. “I wish I could sleep in. Morning church sucks. Why can’t I stay in bed like her?”

“You’re not jetlagged,” Sister Taylor said, shooting him a fierce glare. “Stop complaining.”

He scowled, folded his arms, and faced forward.

During Sunday School, Sister Taylor came into our class and invited us all to their house for lunch and to meet Penny. All the girls chatted excitedly, until Zoe stood. “We should all go. She will be with us until graduation, so we should each do everything we can to make her feel welcome.”

“Right there is why she is the class rep,” one of the boys said with a laugh.

Zoe, being so confident, bright and down-to-earth, won senior class rep easily.

Her hazel eyes turned to me. “Giles?”

I knew that look. That meant I needed to do something, to say something to support her. “She's right. We should make her feel welcome.”