The Odds of You and Me

02 | land

L A N D

"Who in the world am I? Ah, that's a great puzzle."

-Lewis Carroll

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After Easton abrubtly disappeared into the other house, I was left to haul the suitcases by myself. Aunt Hillary offered to help, but I was trying to make the impression that I was not some spoiled rich kid who had everything done by servants and maids, although that was the partial truth. My mom didn't always have time to clean up after me, and I never really learned to do chores, so I depended on other people instead.

"We don't have a guest room, so you're going to have to share a share with Charlotte," Aunt Hillary explained apologetically, after leading me into the house. Although it wasn't as hot as California outside, I was still sweating from lugging two heavy bags around.

"That is not a problem at all," I replied, pulling at the collar of my T-shirt which was starting to soak through. "I appreciate all that you and your family are doing for me." After Aunt Hillary complimented me on how polite and mannered I was, she left me alone and went to prepare dinner. My cousin Charlotte's bedroom was vastly different from mine back home. In my old bedroom, I had several succulents lining the window sill, a couple posters on the walls and a several scented candles, but that was about all the decorations I had. My room was very bland yet modern.

Charlotte, however, decked her room in Polaroid pictures, strings of indoor fairy lights, and her wall space was completely covered by a large bookcase. She also had a wooden ladder which led to half a second floor. There was a small triangular shaped window on that floor which overlooked the fields and sunset. This was a type of living I had to get used to.

After I set my suitcases next to the bunk bed, I called my parents to let them know I had arrived safely. They sounded tired and defeated over the phone, and I stood there for a few minutes, trying not to cry. When we said our respective goodbyes, instead of unpacking, I headed back out the bedroom into the kitchen, where delicious smells of food wafted into my nostrils. "That smells amazing. Need any help?" I attempted.

"Yes, that would be awesome. Could you grab me that paprika on the counter top?" Aunt Hillary requested, bending down to check on the food cooking in the oven. It smelled like chicken and potatoes. Now, I am in no way uneducated, but I was inexperienced with the aspect of cooking. The word paprika wasn't completely foreign to me, but I still had no idea what it looked like. Was paprika a vegetable? A type of condiment? I had no idea.

There were many things on the counter top, so I grabbed the nearest object. It was a plastic bag full of greens. Hopefully that was paprika.

"Oh no, this is coriander, dear," Aunt Hillary laughed, after I handed her the bag. "I asked for the paprika spice. It's in the shaker." Red flooded my cheeks and I turned around to scan the other items on the counter. There were three shakers: two I could identify as salt and pepper. The other one, containing a bright orange-red powder, must be paprika. I swiftly snatched the container up and pretended I knew what paprika was all along.

Charlotte arrived back home from cross country practice at six o' clock. She was tall, slim, and athletic. Her blonde hair, unlike Hillary's, was pulled back into a ponytail which didn't have a strand out of place. "Alessia!" Charlotte exclaimed, after catching sight of me awkwardly setting the table for the family. "I heard you were coming!"

"Yep. And now I'm here," I answered, smiling as Charlotte shot forward with her lightning-quick runner legs and gave me a hug. "The last time I saw you was literally my concert from years ago. You're so tall now!"