If We Had Paper Planes

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Paper Plane # 40,926 | junior year - college

Thankgiving has rolled around again. Logan seems extremely nervous, though I don't know why. Who am I kidding? He's always nervous.

My dad seems to think he is an excellent example of what a 'man' should be. I've been told I'm lucky. From what I've heard, most dad's aren't as accepting as mine.

The plane has just landed in Wisconsin, where the family that I call my own resides. Logan's family decided to go to the Bahamas this Thanksgiving. After what happened last year at the resort in California, I'm not surprised that they didn't invite us this time.

Logan keeps tapping the seats, which he tends to do when he is nervous. The pilot or whoever is running this plane, gives us the okay to get off. I practically dart off the plane as it scares the crap out of me. I hate planes, and I hate heights. A wonderful combination for someone who has to fly often.

My family, oh so kindly, has signs and everything held up over their heads. It's embarrassing.

"TESS! TESS!" they scream, as we come down the escalator.

My brother leans against a water fountain, scrolling through his phone. He mearly waves his hand as a form of a wave.

"Oh it's so good to see you!" my mom yells, wrapping me in a hug. She actually yells.

I smile. "It's good to see you guys too."

"Hello Logan," my dad says, giving him a hug. Logan looks slightly alarmed. He should get used to it. My dad is a hugging person. My entire family is a hugging family. We're pretty big on hugging.

"Hi, Mr. Holger," Logan responds meakly. "Hi, Mrs. Holger."

My mom turns to Logan giving him an equally large huge. He looks very uncomfortable, and I try my best to fight the urge to laugh.

"Well, then, let's get you two lovebirds back to the house," my mom announces. "Karen is throwing a big party for you."

"Couldn't she wait until Thanksgiving?" I whine, not prepared to talk to my overbearing aunt yet.

My mom rolls her eyes. "It won't be that bad Tess. She just wants to welcome you home."

"She does realize its just for this week right."

My mom hesitates, grabbing my bags. "Um. I think so."

"Fabulous."

We walk over to the van my parents never upgraded. It still has that minty-marshmellow smell it had when I left for college. The seats are a gray cracked leather that feel just right.

"So hows college treating you two?" my dad asks, putting the car in gear.

"The way the Spanish teacher and our Drama director runs things, we're all going to die soon," I quip.

Logan takes a piece of paper out of his pocket and starts folding it. This boy always has a paper plane with him. I kid you not.

My brother, Andrew, frowns. "What are you guys even majoring in?"

"We're studying cinematography and theater production," Logan explains, continuing to fold the paper plane, "but the school requires us to take a language and a extra curricular such as drama to support our career path."

"I'm not going to college," Andrew concludes, tapping away at his phone.

"You wish," my dad says, driving through the empty streets of winter Wisconsin.

Logan pinches my arm.

"What the hell?!" I whisper scream, slapping his hand. "Don't pinch me."

"Paper plane goes whoosh," he whispers in my ear, tossing the paper plane he was folding up in the air.

I smirk, catching the paper plane. "You sound like a five year old."

"That," he says, wrapping his arm around me, "was the desired effect."

"Of course."

We reach our house within minutes as the traffic is nothing compared to that of L.A. When we reach our porch, three little heads pop out of the door.

"Hewo!" they say in unison. Aunt Ruth had triplets two--or was it three?--years ago. They're absolutely adorable, each and every one of them.

"Hello cutie pies! What's your name lil' guy?" I ask the tallest one.

"I Wuke! I Wuke!"

"You're Wuke!" the little blond girl yells. "I Sally!"

The tiny brunette claps her hands. "You pretty! I...I Anna!"

"They're adorable!" I tell my mom. I just want to squeeze all of their cheeks.

"Hi guys," Logan says, bending down so they meet eye to eye.

The tiny brunette walks up to him and pokes his eye.

"Ow!"

"Eye blue!" she giggles, trying to poke it again.

"Your eyes are purple!" Logan says laughing.

"No! I wainbows eyes! Wainbow!" Anna laughs, smacking her hands together.

"I bored," Sally mumbles, falling on her butt.

"Alright guys, let's give Tess some space," Aunt Ruth commands, coming out of the house in her apron. "Tess! I haven't seen you in ages!"

"Hey Aunth Ruth!" I say, giving her a hug. Unlike my aunt Karen, I actually liked Aunt Ruth.

"We've gotta catch you up on all the gossip girlfriend!"

I almost cry. "Oh please! This is Wisconsin, nothing happens here."

Aunt Ruth raises her eyebrows. "I wouldn't be so sure about that."

"Ohhh spill, I need to know all the details."

While Aunt Ruth begins to explain the whole scandal between Alecia and Brendon, I hear Logan say something to my dad.

"Could I um..talk to you about...um...something?"

"Sure," my dad replies.

The door makes a creaking sound as they walk out side. Whatever Logan was planning to ask or talk to my dad about, he was clearly beyond the point of nervousness. He was at the state of fainting.

I dont know what exactly they talked about for twenty minutes but when Logan walked back into the house he had a smile so big, I thought his face was going to burst.