Summer Sights

03 | trouble

Airplanes are small. 

They're small little death traps with barely any breathing room, selfish passengers that hog the armrests and crying babies. 

I'm not as mad about the baby thing because they can't help it, but I'm relieved that I'll be able to get away from the deafening shrieks soon when the pilot announces that we're beginning to land.

As we begin our descent from the streaky pale blue skies, I feel that all too familiar feeling of unease wash over me all over again.

  New town. 

I keep repeating it over and over to myself to see if I'll get used to it. Or it'll have a hidden meaning that I finally uncover. But it's just new town. 

New town, where I'll probably just keep to myself and stay out of trouble. 

But still.

New town.

♢♢♢

Before I left I distantly recall my mother telling me that my aunt would meet me by the baggage claim, so that's where I head to once the plane has landed.

I push past the warm bustling bodies surrounding me and utter inaudible apologies for quite a while until I finally notice a petite woman of a burnt sienna color with murky green eyes that you could see from a mile away. 

She wears goddess locs that reach far past her shoulders and a single dimple on her left cheek from the enormous smile she's sporting. The smile is the dead give away. Aunt T is always smiling. Always. We lock eyes and she lets out a squeal of excitement as she rushes towards me.

"Kammy!" She pulls me into a too tight hug before abruptly pushing me back while still keeping a strong hold on my arms. "Oh look at you with your hair all curly lookin' like a model! And you're so big my goodness!" I don't know if that means that much coming from Aunt T since she's 5'1 but I'll take what I can get.

"Hi Aunt T," I reply awkwardly as she pulls me back into her embrace. I'm not particularly a fan of hugs except the occasional one from my parents, but I don't bother telling my aunt that. I don't want to damper her excitement too much, because I know she has good intentions and she's doing a favor for my parents. 

Not a favor for me particularly though. 

A favor for my parents. 

Oh, the sacrifices I make.

She pushes me back once more and looks at me with her big shining eyes and a gapped grin plastered on her face, almost as if she's stuck in disbelief. Like she's trying to make sure that this is real and like I'm actually here in her arms.

 I'm very aware. And I think she's so aware and happy at the same time that she's in awe.

"Let's get outta here before we get trampled by all of these crazy folk," she chuckles, ushering us out of the airport.

She lets out a huff of relief when we reach the exit of the airport and wraps her arm around my shoulders. I don't remember her being this touchy when we saw each other before.

"So how's your life been, Sweets? The last time I saw you, you had braces and two braids sticking out from the sides of your head."

"It's been fine I guess, nothing much has changed." 

I mean, someone kinda shattered me apart altering my views on people and everything. But you know, that's completely irrelevant.

"That's not what your mom told me." I shrug, not wanting to expand on the topic. "Well, maybe the diner will help out with that, uplift your spirits a little bit. You know you used to love that diner when you were little?"