The Beginning of the Middle (A One Direction Fan Fiction)

Chapter 8: Take Me Home

"Lottie, wake up! You can see the airport now!"

Lottie had slept soundlessly next to me for most of the flight. Reluctantly, she opened her eyes and peered out the tiny window. This was going to be her first time in America. The days leading up to the trip, she had talked non-stop about touring Washington D.C. before the concert.

As we dove down to the runway, my heart quickened. As the plane rolled to a long halt, my heart raced. Through the security line, my heart thundered. Approaching the area where family and friends reunited, my heart was nearly beating out of my chest. When I saw my loved ones, for a split second, my heart stopped.

A huge grin spread across my face as I bolted towards them all. Subconsciously, my grip on my luggage left and I pulled them all into a ginormous group hug. For the first time in weeks I was exuberant with happiness and I couldn't contain it. I ended up flailing my arms in a strange way to express my joy.

It wasn't until Lottie sniffled a little louder than usual when I noticed that she was awkwardly standing nearby. Finally finding my voice, I exclaimed, "Oh! Everyone, this is Lottie, my insanely amazing room mate!"

I introduced her to everyone, even Jackie, who had made it to the airport this time. Jackie was, without a doubt, the most random, fun-loving, ginger-haired girl I had ever known. I was so glad that she came along with my parents, Brianna, Inaya, and both Kelli and Kelley.

Almost immediately, we all exited the airport and piled into Jackie's family's ten seated van. Lottie and I excitedly told all our stories from school and London in general. We discussed our new best friend Terrence and all the set backs gone through with him. Of course, we also talked about our run in with Liam, casually overlooking Lottie's run in with Zayn. They were all so captivated with our stories, the long ride back home seemed relatively short.

Before I knew it, my little town I had grown up in and missed so badly, was surrounding me. I saw the volunteer fire station, gas station and pizzeria. I even strained my neck to catch a glimpse of the dance studio I had spent nearly all of my after school hours in. I had danced there for as long as I could remember and the people there had pretty much become a second family to me. So many memories were made there: challenging combinations, hours en pointe, picture days, and practicing our dances for the show over and over again. How I missed that place and those people!

Suddenly, instead of staying on the street that lead me to my house, my dad turned onto main street and into the dance studio's parking lot. He stopped the car and motioned for me to go in the studio. There wasn't a second to waste as I hastily climbed the stair case skipping stairs in between. My ballet class would be going on now and all my dance friends and instructor would be inside.

I slowly opened the door and peeked my head inside the room lined with mirrors and had a scuffed wooden floor underfoot. The class was learning a tendu exercise and a couple of them looked up to see me. Their faces automatically brightened from their previous faces of concentration and waved frantically at me, messing up the sequence of their tendus. My ballet teacher, Mrs. Nela spotted me next and headed over to me from the barre where she was demonstrating the exercise.

"Well, look who we have here! Chasteny, how are you darling?" She pulled me into a tight hug which I gratefully appreciated.

"I'm great! How are you?" I answered back cheerfully as we pulled apart.

"Oh, I'm still hobbling along with my messed up ankle but otherwise I'm doing just fine. What made you come back so early?"

"I'm going to a concert this Sunday. I just got off the plane a couple hours ago. I thought we were going straight home, but my parents brought me here to see everyone!" All of the dancers were now crowded around me and I hugged each one of them, smiling ear to ear.