Falling for the Foreigner

Chapter 1- Goodbye

The cover of the book is by evepetal
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Nyra's POV

Tears well up in my eyes as I hug Sarah for the last time outside Chhatrapati Shivaji international airport. Before the tears start flowing my aunt tells me it was time to go . The white honeycomb like pillars loom over my head. I walk in through the glass door showing my ticket and passport to the guard standing with his rifle. I look back one last time to see Sarah, Maya and Jash were still standing there waving goodbye. I wave one last goodbye before walking to get my boarding pass with my dad. I'd probably have to wait another year to come back to India and see my friends.

As we sit in the waiting area for our boarding to start, my sister and I continuously banter about who was going to get the window seat, which obviously she wins when my parents said "she is younger to you, let her have it". This is what always happens in  my family or basically every Indian family  . My eyes fall on the Starbucks store in the distance and I get up to get myself a drink. As if on cue, the speaker booms telling that the boarding to my flight has started. I had a whole lot of food to eat at the airport!! This was going to be one hell of a flight. 

My sister finally gives me the window seat because she wanted to hold my mom's hand during the take off. Ha!

Black is all I could see through the window. Damn these 1'O clock flights. Well obviously i have my books with me to get me through the 12 hour flight and then another 10 hour flight. And there are movies also. I want to watch The Crazy Rich Asians. 

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I wait at the baggage claim of San Diego International Airport after a very exhausting 22 hours.  100s of other travelers wait for their bags. A huge airplane model stands at one end depicting the history of the place.  The glass walls of the the airport sent in rays of the sunlight , brightening up the place. Finally some light. I have a tight knot in my stomach thinking of what awaits me in this completely different country. I am already missing my friends. They are always there to support me.

The taxi my dad's company had sent is already waiting for us outside with Mr Sharma written on white cardboard. The driver rushes to our side to take our bags and put them in the rear. I am a jittering mass of nerves as I sit in the orange Ford Mustang. The air smells fresh here in San Diego.Colorful plants surround the airport.  Dark green plants line both sides of the roads. White cauliflower clouds cover the blue sky. I can't  help but notice how people clearly follow the road rules, unlike in India. In San Diego people stopped at red lights and pedestrians only crossed road on the zebra-crossing line. The people respect the speed limit. I am in total awe at how people stay in their lanes, and not change lanes at any point or as they wish, like in India. The roads are very clean and  no driver spits on the roads. I am already beginning to like the place.

I spend the rest of my car journey sleeping with my head against the window. The weather outside is very warm and pleasant. Till the time I am awake, I notice skyscrapers lining the horizon of the city. The glass of the buildings reflect sunlight making then shine.  I can't  help but smile at the beauty of this place.

Almost 3 hours later the car enters a very quiet neighborhood. The houses are neither too huge nor too small. They are all very colorful and have chimneys. The car finally comes to a stop in front of a blue bungalow . My eyes immediately widen in awe looking at the 2 story house. I have never stayed in a bungalow  before. My house in India was simply a 3 BHK flat. I can't  help but squeal in excitement and my sister follows my steps and squeals. My parents can't help but laugh at our reaction. We immediately jump out of the car and rush into the house while the driver gets our bags. The best thing is that my dad's office is providing a fully furnished house for us and we don't need to spend a penny on renovating.

The living room has a 50" sleek TV set on a rich black unit which has been paced ahead a classy white wall . The violet 'L' shaped couch covers half of the room with velvet cushions on it. My sister immediately jumps on the couch and switches on the TV already, without completing the tour of the house. Somehow my parents already know what I am thinking and so they say "Yea yea you can have the room on the upper floor". Nobody would ever believe I am a 16 year old if they saw the way I jumped and ran up the stairs. I don't care about the remainder of the house. Well I do care about the kitchen since that is my favorite room  in any house. 

I don't know about the other rooms but my room surely needs a little refurnishing. Who need a room with all walls yellow? ewwwww. Blue was the color I  need for my room. Oh and  also a full length mirror with some fairy lights covering it. Well a small walk-in closet is already there for me so I am happy for that. The queen bed is also quite nice. I'll hang fairy lights with my polaroid pictures hanging  from them on the wall behind my bed. I need to get a small but cool book shelf, but my study table is already  been given so I  am thankful for that. Oh and my favorite, a TV is already fitted on the wall in front of my bed. My dad will surely kill me for all the changes I am making and probably lecture me on how I need to adjust with the stuff I have. All the best me. I'll make some some new friends in school  who'll help me paint my  room. Oh god I am so nervous . I have heard so much about American High Schools but I am really scared to actually go to one. 

I walk into the kitchen to see that the office did not fill it with groceries  and I'll have to go grocery shopping on my first day here. Mum is very excited obviously . The car takes us to the nearest Target store and mum and I buy some basic stuff like salt, bread, cottage cheese, some veggies and some candies along with some utensils. I knew Target was large but I didn't expect it to be this large. It had freaking everything! I am sure I want to click pics which I surfed through on Pinterest. 

We are back at the house by 8. But due to the time difference  in India and San Diego I am neither hungry nor sleepy. So I decide to watch some TV till I sleep. I video call my friends in India also. Tomorrow was going to be a long day. First day in high school baby!

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Also ignore some mistakes as this is my first book.
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