When In Rio

Chapter One - LAX

"Come on! Hurry up, Sophia!" My best friend, Emma calls from the living room. "We're gonna miss our flight!"

"Hold on, I'm almost done!" I yell from my small bedroom, shoving my cell phone, camera, charger, gum, headphones, and the current book I'm reading, The Maze Runner in my black handbag.

I grab my huge purple suitcase from the ground, that I finally got zipped up. I glance at myself in the mirror, making sure I look presentable in my denim shorts, my black high top converse, and my green Mexico jersey, I quickly run my fingers through my brown long wavy hair. I then rush down the hall and into our clean living room where Emma waits impatiently in her white shorts and Colombia jersey with white vans, tapping her foot on the ground.

"Okay I'm ready!" I exclaim excitedly, rolling my suitcase towards the door.

She rolls her ocean blue eyes playfully and smiles, "Finally! I told you, you shoul've packed last night." She scolds. Running a hand through her messy long blond hair.

"Well.... What are you gonna do." I give her a cheeky smile and shrug. I feel butterflies in my stomach as we exit our small LA apartment, I hear Emma locking the door making sure we don't have any break-in's while we're gone. It finally sinks in, we're going to the World Cup in Rio! I have waited for this trip for 4 years and It's finally happening. And It'll be with my best friend which makes it that much more amazing!

"Okay, the taxi should be down stairs." She instructs as we make our way to the elevator. We stand in front of it as I push the button, signaling for it to come down. After a few seconds it makes a cheerful 'Ding!' sound. We enter the small elevator and Emma pushes the button for it to go down to the lobby. Seconds pass and I use the time check the time on my phone, its 11:25am and our flight leaves at 1:30pm. The elevator doors open up revealing the modern style lobby of our apartment building. We make our way through the lobby and we see the bright yellow taxi from the glass sliding doors. We walk towards the bright colored, blinding taxi and the driver opens his door to come out and help us put our things in the back.

The taxi driver, a man in his mid-40s, with messy black hair and a scruffy beard grabs our suitcases, "Here, I'll get that." He mumbles tiredly, taking the suitcases from us and placing them in the trunk.

"Thank you, sir." I say to him as we open the doors to sit down in the back seats.

After a few moments we are joined by the man taking his seat in the drivers seat. "Where to?" He asks, looking at us through the rear-view mirror of the taxi.

"LAX, please." Emma tells the tired man. He nods backing the car up and driving toward the Los Angeles airport.

"So where are you girls flying?" The taxi driver asks us, keeping his eyes on the road.

"We're going to Rio in Brazil." I tell him excitedly. He chuckles and nods.

"Are you going over there for the World Cup?" He asks as he raises one of his thick black eyebrows.

"Yeah, We've been planning this trip for 4 years, since we were 16." Emma smiles.

"Oh really? You two must be excited it's finally here." He smiles, showing his slightly yellow but somewhat straight teeth. "What team are you guys rooting for?" He questions.

Emma answers first, "Colombia, then Brazil, and then Portugal." She explains excitedly.

I answer next, "Mexico, Brazil and Italy" I say smiling.

"Those are good teams you have there." The taxi driver smiles. "Lets hope one of them win the World Cup, right?"

"Yes!" Emma and I say at the same time. I look outside the car window and see the airport in front of us.