wonderlani

Chapter 8

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I walked off the plane with a sigh, my suitcase tight in my hands. My eyes widen as they scanned through the crowd of hopefuls. I never planned on it being this big, and I felt my ear sunk to my shoulders.

I'm not ready. Maybe I can get back on the plane, and no one will ever know. Yeah! That's it, I'll get back on the plane and say that this was all a bad dream and that I ate some bad pancakes, and everything will go back to normal again. Yeah!

I turned on my heels and raced over to the information desk, but my body bounced off of someone hard. My back hit the floor with a hard thud and I groaned, "Why do I keep doing that?"

I sat up on my elbows and met eyes with the stranger I ran into, and I quickly looked away to the outside. But she stood up and held her hand out to me, I turned my head back slowly and gently wrapped my hand around her. She gently yanked me up to my feet, picking up my suitcase and holding it in her hand.

"That was a pretty nasty bump you took there love," I nodded, "Are you sure you're okay? Nothing's broken right?" I nodded harder, reaching for my suitcase but she pulled it back. I huffed and met eyes with the stranger fully and I gasped, covering my mouth to cover the rest of the sound.

I slowly pulled my hand down and smiled a toothy grin, "I'm sorry. I thought you were someone else," I sighed and reached for my suitcase again, making her pull away.

I huffed and stood back from her; she's about my height, maybe an inch taller. She had light brown curls down to her collarbones. Her eyes were deep brown and had small dimples at the ends of her smile, a few tiny beauty marks on her face. She wore a white button-down shirt, a pretty orange tie with a black skirt and Converses to match. She had a maroon colored Duffy on her shoulder and tiny roller to match.

"Look I appreciate you helping me up, but I need my stuff back. Please?" I rubbed my sweaty palms on the sleeves of my fuzzy sweater, crossing my arms over my chest after I finished. The girl giggled, "Why are you laughing?"

She smiled, "Because what better time to get to know a girl than having to carry her bags?" She shrugged, "Besides its light, I can handle it." I whipped around on my heels and dragged my feet toward the exit of the airport, "My name is Liza, but call me Lizzie! It's nice to meet you-"

"Harriet," I breathed, rolling my shoulders back and shaking my hands out. I pulled the shorts from between my thighs under my dress. And I turned around to meet her, but she gently tapped my left side and I jumped a bit and huffed. I shook my head at her, crossing my arms in front of my chest. I looked around at everyone, and they all looked so happy to be here; I can't even breathe in here.

There was one thing I heard besides the screaming; the whisper of the person who bumped into my side, "Hey Harriet, am I boring you?"

I snapped my neck to look at her with wide eyes and a forced smile, "No I heard everything, sorry. Just not much of a talker, I guess,"

She nodded, "Oh well is it because of the people, or is it just airports, in general, that bother you?" This girl.

"Um, people. I'm just not a people person I guess," If she says, then why did you enter a signing competition then I'm going to kick her ass.

"Oh that's understandable, I'm not a huge of people either. Well not in this way, the way of people hurting others for their gain, you know? Had a lot of bullies in school because of things like that, so I feel for you," She added in a soft voice.

I swallowed and nodded, but met her eyes with concern, "But it's fine now you know? You learn and you live, plus I'm a pretty good boxer now so I'd almost challenge them to try me," She shadowboxed to the air.