european // ONEYNG

one(y)

Cold.

Colder.

   Coldest.

My fingers traced along the side of the rental car until I found the driver side door handle. My hands freezing against the dewy metal from the morning condensation. I was on my phone instead of looking at the car, which would probably look highly embarrassing to any of my neighbours, I was so enamoured with an old friend's tweet that I couldn't find the door handle.

@egoraptor: a bunch of us newgrounds animators all back together. The nostalgia is real.

It had a picture attached, a sea of faces of people who were once my co-workers. I recognised them all, some whom I had collaborated with, some who I had meant to talk to, but never got around to doing.

I wondered if I replied, he would've remembered me. I was at his wedding those few years before, a bridesmaid who helped design and decorate. Arin and I animated a few things together, I even voiced Girlchan for him way back when. He had to have remembered me.

So I replied.

@crunchylomein: >:(

Instantly, I was flooded with messages. Most about showing my face, which I hadn't done to anyone but whom I had worked with. Arin was part of the elite club.

I didn't anticipate a reply, really. Just maybe a like from Arin at best. Yet, to my surprise, he DMed me while I had already started driving down my street in New York, on the way to JFK International Airport.

@egoraptor: holy fuck, it's been so long. Where have you been? We all miss you!

@crunchylomein: New York. I'm moving back to LA, soon. I've been professionally animating, I'm going to be living in Glendale soon. I miss you guys, too.

It took Arin an hour to reply, which was fine with New York traffic. I sat on the phone with Jon, who had complained all of his friends were moving to LA on him. I mocked Jon, called him a pussy, then admitted I loved him. As a friend, of course. He was still with his girlfriend, who was one of my best friends. I also did not find Jon attractive. He once sat and farted on me until I passed out.

@egoraptor: please swing by the grump space!!!! In Glendale!! Suzy is dying to talk to you, and so are Ross and Holly!!!!! And me!!!!! Did you ever meet Dan?

@crunchylomein: Avidan? Yeah, back in 2012 I think. Brian, too. Also, I wouldn't have any way to get there, so could you be a dear and get me from the airport? If it's not too much trouble.

@egoraptor: yeah! Definitely!! Only way I can repay you for always getting me from airports back in the day!! Also, Brian said he's stoked to see you again. He has a surprise for you. Just tell me the time and gate and I'll be there.

@crunchylomein: Arin holy shit thank u so much!!! And I'll tell you as soon as I can. I gotta' go, traffic is clearing up. See you soon!!!!

I had pulled into the airport, dropped off the rental, pulled some bags out, and made my way to the TSA line. Crowded as always, a half-mile long line stretched across the floor as the TSA lazily let everyone through. Per usual, I started texting a few friends I had met and worked with this last year. Most of which were excited that I was finally quitting my job, claiming they knew I deserved it and my hard work had gone unnoticed.

   I thought about how scary it was to be back in California after several years of travelling around the world. California no longer felt like home, where I was raised until I left without warning anyone. My palms sweat at the idea of seeing my parents again, my sister, especially. I wondered if they'd remember me, and I wondered if they knew who I was or what I was doing. Surely, if they did, they wouldn't want me back home.

   That was one of the reasons I decided to live in Glendale instead of Burbank. I didn't want to run into old friends, even though I had changed quite a bit in the years I had been gone. Burbank carried a sour taste in my mouth, a big city full of people who would either ignore me completely, or remember me and try to reminisce on the times when I had thrown a basketball down a hallway and broke a kid's finger.

   High school was strange for me.

   When I got up to the front of the TSA line, I filled the routine. Took my shoes off, took my laptop out, and tried to get through as fast as I could. It was a normal thing for me now, I had the TSA lines down to a science. I had been to so many conventions that I learned the fastest way, for me, to get through a TSA line. That was as long as the TSA weren't being complete dicks.

   I got all of my stuff and headed to my gate. I forgot I had booked Spirit Airlines, and laughed at the idea my flight was most likely to be cancelled on that reason alone. Spirit sucked, I had flown it a multitude of times and always had a bad experience. I couldn't remember why I booked it again, but I knew I must've had a good reason to.

   Arin and I texted back and forth for a little while longer, until it was time to board, which I told him simply, "boarding now, see you in around 6 hours, bro."

   I didn't wait for a reply, I just turned my phone off and pulled out my 3DS. I was nervous to see him again, for him to see how worn down I had gotten, how unhappy I was with where I was at, and how different I was from when he last saw me. It was a horrendous thought, but if anyone could bring me out of my slump, it was Arin.