The Best Is Yet To Come

1. Arrival

I just finished packing. Tomorrow is my flight,but I don't believe it. I can't. Ever since my brother Robert,ever so casually,asked how I'd like to spend the summer in Canada,I felt a rush of hope but was quick to replace it with doubt. I didn't want to believe it was possible. Over the years I developed this defense mechanism,I doubted things that were too good to be true,and this without a doubt classified as ''too good to be true''. All of my childhood I have been listening about Canada,a country that had a lot of things that my small country lacked. I craved diversity,I craved new places,new people,a new life. 

I just finished packing ,I sat down and i keep staring at my flight ticked. Everyone else is asleep and I feel as if I can physically feel the quiet. Doubt manifests itself as a shadow,and I just can't shake it. I can't think rationally,damn..it's as if my brain still hasn't processed that I am traveling half across the globe tomorrow. Either something is seriously wrong with me ,or the lack of sleep is making me more 'poetic' than usual. Welp,sleep wont hurt either way,I say as I close my eyes and begin to drift away...

I woke up slowly,blinding myself with the brightness of the screen from the monitor in front of me.It takes a sec for my sight to go back to normal,but before it does I realize I don't need to check the monitor cause the turbulence is telling me I only have minutes until I land.By the time my insides fell back into their rightful place we had landed.I step out of the plain,and follow an Italian boy and his father's lead through security to the front of the airport where my brother and his girlfriend Skye are waiting for me.A huge line of people are in front of me so I texted my brother it may be a while till I get out. That's when I found out what will be the first big difference from where I come from and Canada: things here work fast,thus I find myself being jump-scared by my brothers girlfriend in a matter of minutes. What an introduction that was! I expected an awkward hug at most,but I have a feeling Sky isn't predictable like that and she gains some imaginary points in my mind.Then,I get a big bear hug from my brother,maybe the longest he'd ever given me by this point,and surely the most sincere one since neither of us is very touchy-feely. I hug him back and we head home. Among other things,they ask me what I think about everything so far.

The wide sidewalks carry a lot of different people,with different styles,different races,different stories,and I take a second to grieve the fact that i'll never get to hear them. Long ago,my father walked this path with nothing in his pockets,but armed with a dream,and a dream alone. About a year ago,my then nineteen year old brother took a chance of moving here alone,went to his very first rented place,and took it in himself. Now it was my turn. I am thrilled that I'll become one of the people on these streets. I'll have my own agenda,my own job to get to,my own independed life and I finally get the chance to truly be myself and figure out if I want to move here.A certain grayness that the rainy weather brought surrounds the huge buildings,which makes them look even more alive. I am in awe with the realization of how many opportunities I have here,and all I can do is mutter out:''It's amazing.''

We got home and I realize I forgot all about having another roommate. Her fur is orange,so the name Pumpkin really does suit her well. She hesitated on letting me pet her,but Skye reassured me not to take it personally,that most cats are distant in the beginning.Another first for me is building and ordering pizza online,and I guess I'll be trying cheesy bread tonight.It comes,and smells so good that my sleepy self describes it as 'the air freshener of Gods'. I share my plan to first try the cheesy bread,because I want to savor the pizza;but did I underestimate cheesy bread as it is one of the best things I have ever tried. I fill myself with cheesy goodness and soon take my place on the couch i'll be calling my bed for the next three months. I feel relaxed and tiered,but before I feel asleep I hear my brother stopping and taking a loving look at me cuddled up in his couch. Would you look at that,that bastard really did miss me. I feel not only relaxed,but hopeful as optimism reclaims its rightful place.