Our Stories

Kali's POV - Don't Dick Around

We all had to get up around two in the morning if we wanted to get the airport on time, and I was normally always the first person up because I never sleep well.  I barely even shut my eyes until Dylan, my five year old brother, stopped crying around quarter to eleven last night.  He's obviously going to miss home.  I check to see what time it is on my phone.  1:37am.

Getting off my bedroom floor, I fold away my blankets that I used to sleep with.  All of my thing's had been packed the night before, so all I had to sleep with was my comforter.  I walk around blindly until I find the light switch.

The house was still dark when I opened the door.  I guess it was still a little early, but the faster we can get ready, the faster we can get to the airport.  Besides, everyone in my family is heavy sleepers, except me, so they really should just be thankful for me.

Rubbing my eyes, I close the door again so I can change.  I put on shorts, a shirt and grab my carry on and leave my room for the last time.

"Nat!  Wake up, we gotta go!"  I pound on my sister's and my parents door.  "Mom?  Dad?  We leave in roughly thirty five minutes!"  I can hear my mother's footsteps walking around so I'm guessing they're up now.  She eventually comes out, gets Dylan, our younger brother from his room, and walks down the stairs with him and his stuff.

"Kali, get Nat up!"  My dad yells from his bedroom.

"I tried already!"  Maybe she's dead.

Tip toeing toward Nats room, I open the door and sure enough, she's still sleeping.  I switch on her bedroom light but that doesn't wake her.

I turn around and stand in the doorway.  "Nat!  Wake up!"

I walk out wait outside her door for her.  "What do you want?"  Nat trudges out of her room squinting at me in a confused way.  I feel like I'm always having to keep her on track of things.  She also has a habit of following her own schedule.  I raise my eyebrows at her without saying a word.

"Wait is it time to leave already?"  She grabs my iPhone out of my hand and checks the time.

"Crap why do I always do this!"  She sprints back to her room to get ready.  Nat can be forgetful at times.

"Kali Maeve!  Come help load the car!"  I look down the staircase and see Mom holding two big boxes stacked together, trying to get the front door open without dropping anything.

"Coming!"  I race down the stairs and hold the door for her so she can put it in the bed of our black pickup truck.

Mom sets the boxes down in place.  "Go meet with your dad, he's down by the water.  I think he wants you to pack all the surfing gear away."  This doesn't surprise me since him and I use the stuff anyways.

"Alright."  I turn away from her and run down to the backyard.  Our San Diego backyard is literally sand and ocean.  That's why I'm going to miss it so much.

"Hey Kali," I hear my dad's voice coming from the surf shed.

"I know, I have to pack everything."  He smiles in a surprised way.  I look back up to the house and see that Nat is officially ready, dressed up fancier than the rest of us.  She has a different style than a lot of girls around here.  Nat is a fashionista and can make anything work on her.

"Are you excited?  To move I mean,"  He starts to take down some life jackets that Dylan uses on the boat.

I smile a bit.  "Yeah.  I'm honestly looking forward to moving out of the country, getting to surf new beaches,"  I'm happy to leave.  I don't think anyone will miss me anyways except grandma so I'm fine with it.  "I hope I'll catch the accent,"  I joke but Dad still chuckles at that.

***

Once we arrive at the airport we get the usual talk about behavior and such while we're in public.  He mainly says 'don't embarrass us'.  Nat and I most of the time never listen to this because we both have a mind of our own.  But since today is a big day we listen.  Dad sternly eyeballs us afterwards, then walks up to the gate alone.

    Mom leans over to Dylan to speak but makes it loud enough so we know what she's saying.  "Okay Dylan stay with your sisters, I'm going to go help dad."  She releases her hand from his and goes after Dad.

I bend down to Dylan so I'm his height.  "Are you excited?"  I nudge his arm while he watches nervously as people walk by.  Dylan gets shy easily and I always try to be there for him.  Unfortunately, I'm not his favorite sibling so if anything I make him more uncomfortable.

He twists his foot around.  "A little."  I try to smile to show him that we're going to have a fun time in Australia.

"Hey Dylan?"  Nat steps in.

"Yeah?"

"How about I buy you a snack, before we get on the plane.  Maybe there will be some sunglasses somewhere too, mine broke so I need some new ones."  A smile starts to form on his face and he nods excitedly.  She smiles and takes Dylan's hand.

Maybe that's what I should do.  Offer food.

They start walking away but before they get out of earshot, I hear him say,  "Nat can I sit next to you?"

Nat replies,  "Aww sure you can."  See.  This is how it goes in my family.  The only time he actually will have a conversation with me is when we have Pokemon battles but it always ends badly for both of us.  We are a competitive family let's just say.