"Psst, Ava." No answer. "Ava, wake up! Avvvaaaaaa." I whispered, shaking her out of her sleep. She jumped up and swatted at me. "Go away, I- I'm sleeping." I thought for a moment and then muttered, "Okaay, but then you'll miss out on a secret that I have," I teased, putting her blanket over her face. Jumping up she sighed, "Okay, tell me." Smirking, I started to get up when she pulled my arm down. "I woke up for you. Tell me." "I just helped a lady give birth!" I laughed. "No way," She gasped, her jaw almost dropping to the floor. "Way." I said smiling and pointing towards Kylie in the back holding Benjamin. "Oh my god! He's so cute!" Laughing, I patted her shoulder, "Go see him. She won't mind. She'll love the company. Everyone on this plane keeps giving her dirty looks like it's her fault she ended up being in labor here." Looking down at her blanket for a moment she sighed, "Okay but just for one minute. I love babies." Running off to see him she yelled back, "Wait what's his name?" "Oh! It's Benjamin." Watching her run off I looked beside me at the blanket and fell into another peaceful slumber.
I woke up to the sound of Ava squealing. "Wha-what are you all jumpy for?" She jumped up in her seat and smiled, "We're here." Already? How long was I asleep? I looked at Ava for an answer but then realized I hadn't said it aloud. "How long was I asleep?" She took out her phone and eyed it, "Mmmm, about 11ish hours?"
"What have you been doing this whole time?" I rubbed my eyes, handing the blanket back. "Ummm. Looking out the window, talking to Kylie and I got food a couple times." She shrugged, plopping some peanuts into her mouth. "Oh and I went online for a little while." I looked at her and I had an idea. "Wait. I thought you couldn't go online when you were on a plane?" She scoffed and said, "We were about half an hour away so I asked the attendant and she said they had free wifi so I went on." I jumped up in my seat and took out my phone. It has been too long since I've talked to Paisley, Ash and Everly. Way too long. I plugged in my headphones and quickly went to my facetime app and waited for it to load. "Come on, come on." I urged impatiently. A couple minutes later I saw my contacts list and yelled, "Finally!" I clicked on the group chat button my friends and I made so we could all facetime together, no matter how far apart we were and waited for them to connect.
In a matter of seconds Paisley answered. "Cass? Cass!" She yelled, a grin plastered on her face. "How is the flight? How are the people? Have you made it yet?" And before I could respond I hear Everly and Ash follow suit, "CASS!" They yelled in unison. "Hi guys!" I grinned, "And, the flight is good, way boring though. I'm pulling into the airport now and I met a girl named Ava on the plane who's superrrr nice. You guys would like her." I looked over at Ava who was now jumping in her seat and looking out the window. "Here she is now," I pulled Ava over to get in view of the camera and she waved. "Paisley, Ash, Everly, this is Ava. And Ava, these are my best friends." She smiled a little and then said, "Oh my gosh it's so nice meeti- well kind of meeting you guys." She laughed. "I've heard a lot about you already. And I've only known Cass for about a day." The girls all laughed and about 10 minutes in, we were told we could now exit the plane. We said our goodbyes, exchanged numbers then I took my luggage from above and made my way out to find my aunt.
My heart was thumping out of my chest and my hands were shaking. I hadn't seen my aunt in years; and being the circumstances of this visit I wasn't exactly going to be happy to see her. I walked along the railing out of the gate I had been in and looked for a lady I knew to be, my aunt Delia. Don't get me wrong, I love my aunt. But the scary part is, we're too much alike so we don't exactly get along all the time. After all opposites things attract, not similar things. I look around the crowded room and see a head of long copper brown hair followed by a big sign saying 'Welcome Home Cassidy.' Home. I guess this would be my home now. Not that I would get used to it any time soon. Flashing back to my old home, I started to sniffle. I soon wiped it away after I saw aunt Delia coming towards me. "Cass baby. How are you? You've gotten so big!" Not even caring how I'd look, I ran up to her and engulfed her in the biggest hug. "Hi aunt D." I sighed. "I'm glad to see you." And I wasn't lying. I needed someone who knew the whole story and who would comfort me. "You too sweetie. Come on, let's get you home." She runned my back soothingly and helped get me and my bags to the car.
The car ride was long and quiet but that was just how I liked them. She knew we would talk when we got to her house and then get me settled in. And that's why we were so alike. She knew when I need alone time.
We pulled into her driveway and I smiled. Nothing has changed. I admired her gorgeous red brick house. My uncle built it serveral years ago when they first got married. He had an eye for beauty. He always said to me, "My eye for beauty comes in several ways. For my ladies and my building." And every time, he'd always kiss my aunt saying she was the prettiest woman in the world. I wanted a love like that.
It had four huge windows with a perfect view of the crystal clear lake in her backyard. I'm glad some things haven't changed. I unbuckled my seatbelt and walked up the stone pathway as Aunt D tool my things out of the trunk. "D, you know I can take them up right?" I asked laughing. She smiled and set my bags on the ground, "And what kind of host would I be if I made you do that?" She picked up my bags and hurried them into the house. I took a look around me at the other house lining the road. I turned to walk inside when I caught a pair of eyes staring at me in a house a couple down from mine.
All of a sudden I see a shadow peek from behind a large curtain. I take a few steps toward it trying to get a better look of what it is. All of a sudden a girl with straight, blonde hair and greenish-brown eyes stepped out from behind it and whispered something behind her. "The best time to make new friends is now, right?" I asked myself. After all, this would be my chance to start meeting some new faces, I don't think I'd feel up to it later. I walked over to the window and started waving her. She started laughing and ran back in what looked like her living room. She started smiling at me and pointing when all of a sudden I heard a deep voice say, "What it is Em?" I saw a hand grab hold of the curtain and draw it back. A boy about my age stood there, staring at me for what felt like ages. I could feel my cheeks heat up as he walked over to the front door and opened it. He had caramel brown hair that fell just right over his lightly tanned skin. As he walked towards me, I saw his bright blue eyes shining as the sun hit them just right. He was a little taller than me, and by the way he walked, limping a little, I could tell he had an accident of some sort.
"Hello." He greeted, smiling vibrantly letting his dimples show. "Oh, uh hi." I smiled, feeling my face burn with embarrassment. 'Really Cass. Really.' I thought. "I'm Shawn." "Cass. Well, I mean Cassidy but I- uh I'm Cassidy." I looked down at my feet and shook my head. Great just great. Now he probably thinks I'm mental. "Is there a reason you ended up in my front yard?" He laughed, "Fate maybe?" I couldn't help myself. I started laughing, quite loud might I add. "I'm sorry what?"
"Fate brought you to me." He said, completely serious now. Was he serious? "I- uh I." Now it was his turn to laugh. "You should have seen your face! Priceless!" He set his hands on his knees completely dying now. "That's not funny! I actually thought you were being serious. And- well I didn't know how to tell you gently that you're nice and all but we just met." I kept watching him, me being serious now, until his laughter faded. Still smiling he asked, "Would you like to come in for some hot cocoa? I promise I don't bite." I thought for a minute, debating on whether Aunt D would be angry or not, but decided to go. If the roles were reversed, she would definitely go with the guy. "Sure."
