I exited the plane, tugging along my carryon. Sam was a few people behind me so once I got to the lobby I waited. I checked my phone and saw I had a text from my mom. I quickly typed out a response before Sam tugs on my arm.
A soft smile coats his face as he grabs my suitcase from me. His blonde hair was disheveled from napping on the flight and his eyes were still sleepy.
"Babe, it's ok. I got it," he hushed me after I told him I can roll my own suitcase. I sighed and slipped my hands in my pockets. I would hold Sams hand but he didn't have a free one since he was rolling both our suitcases.
We follow the signs that say 'Baggage Claim/Ground Transportation' and soon the room opens up into a bigger one. Large conveyor belts of luggage and strollers float throughout the room, empty gaps from where people had claimed their luggage. We didn't have any luggage, just the ones we brought on the plane with us. We passed the baggage claim and head out the double sliding doors.
The first thing that hit me was the cold air. It slapped me in the face and took my breath away. I tightened my hoodie around me more, pulling up the hood. The next thing I noticed was how crisp the air was. Trees lined up and down the sidewalk and small bushes with flowers growing stood by their feet. I knew a few miles down the road, a large field had hundreds of trees growing too. I smelled in the fresh air, it was nothing like back in LA.
The third thing I noticed was all the Christmas decorations that lined the outside of the airport. Everything was green and red, sparking white and baby blues. It made the airport look pretty, almost.
Sam pulled his phone out and dialed his parents number. They were picking us up from the airport to take back to Sams house, where we would spend the week.
He huddled into me as the wind whipped around us. He was only wearing a thin jacket since it was warmer in LA. I wrapped an arm around him, pulling him into my body. But it was his idea to come back home, to Kansas, for Christmas.
"Ok, they should be here in a few minutes," Sam said. I leaned my head against his and we waited until the familiar car pulled around the airport pickup line.
"Let's go, it's freezing," Sam complained while grabbing our suitcases.
A few people honked as we stuffed our luggage in the trunk of Sams car. Sam gave them the finger and I laughed. Once everything was in the trunk, Sam opened the back door for me and I got into the car. He followed me, shivering.
His mother was in the passenger seat, arm propped up on the chair so she could turn to see us. A bright smile was on her face. His father was busy driving, trying to get us out of the crowded airport. I buckled my seatbelt.
"So how was the flight?" His mother asked. Sam rubbed his hands together to warm them up. I stared lovingly at him.
"It was boring," Sam said, teeth still chattering. His mother laughed and that's when I realized his laugh sounds the same as hers. I watch his lips as he spoke to his parents, licking my own.
Outside the city was slowly vanishing as we made it to the suburbs. More trees sprang up and the streetlights disappeared. The rest of the ride was quiet, Christmas songs were playing softly through the speakers. I felt Sams hand reach over the middle seat to find mine. In the dark he squeezed it, reassuring me everything would be okay.
His parents don't know yet. Mine don't either. We decided that this was the time to tell them, sometime during this week.
About an hour later, we pulled into Sams neighborhood. My house was down a few blocks. Houses were decorated with Christmas lights and inflatable snowman. Some houses had bows on their mailbox's and windows open so one could see the Christmas tree inside. And it was pretty, all the lights and festive decorations. Sams father pulled into the driveway of their two story house. It was nicely decorated with green and red Christmas lights. Their tree could be seen from the opened curtains of the window.
