Skinny Love | l.h.

1

I get off the plane feeling really exhausted. It was almost a twenty-three hour flight. You would think I would have gotten used to the jet lag by now. It always takes me a little adjusting to get used to the time zones. If I were back in New York, it would be three in the morning but here in Australia, it's around 5:30 in the afternoon.

My grandma is waiting for us to land and literally jumps out of her seat when she sees us. Considering her old age, I'm surprised.

"I'm so happy to see you! Bree, you're becoming a beautiful young woman." My grandma kisses me on the cheek and pulls me into a tight hug.

"I'm happy to see you too." I lightly chuckle and hug her back.

After she let's go of me, she hugs both my parents and let's them know how happy she is that we're here. She frowns when she sees one member of our family is missing.

"No Jeff?" She questions. My brother couldn't make the trip because he's going on vacation with his fiance who he met in college. It still frustrates me that he can miss this trip but I can't.

"No, we let him go on vacation with his fiance." My mom explains.

"Fiance?! You never told me he got engaged." She puts her hand on her chest dramatically.

"Ralph didn't tell you?" My mom furrows her eyebrows and looks over at my dad who tries to avoid her stare. I remember how she reminded him over and over again to contact my grandma and let her know so she wouldn't be left out.

"I guess it slipped my mind." My dad shrugs and picks up his bags. "We should get going, I'm really tired." I already know he's avoiding the wrath he's about to feel from my mom.

My phone vibrates in my pocket and I see another text from Michael. It still confuses me why he's so anxious for me to get here when he's only introducing me to a few friends that I probably won't ever talk to again.

From Michael: You here yet?

To Michael: Yeah, just landed. Why so anxious? Lol.

From Michael: I'm just excited for you to meet my friends.

To Michael: Why is this so exciting? I probably won't ever talk to them again after this..

From Michael: I promise they're cool! Just hurry up and get here!

That's the last text I receive from Michael. As much as I couldn't care less about his friends, I am a little curious of who they could be. I wonder if he's known them for a while. Are they like him? Do they dye their hair crazy colors and play the guitar? I laugh to myself as I ask myself those crazy questions. When we get into my grandma's car, she turns on the classical music she always listens to. After a few minutes I can barely keep my eyes open. I don't like falling asleep in the car but soon I surrender and let my eyelids close.

-

"Bree, I hate to wake you, but we're here." My grandma's soft voice fills my ears and I flutter my eyes open. It takes me a second to remember that I'm in Australia, not New York when I don't recognize my surroundings. I feel incredibly tired from that nap and I just wish that I could sleep longer.

I step out of the car and grab my suitcase out of the trunk. I open the door to my grandma's all too familiar house. As always, it smells of cinnamon and whatever she's been baking in the kitchen. She probably was baking before she left because I can smell the chocolate cake from here. My grandma always makes an effort to bake when we come to visit. Everyone in the neighborhood loves her desserts also. I remember when she used to deliver her dessert to the other people living around here. I always thought my grandma was such a great person for that. That's probably why she's friends with so many people here.