airports // 5sos au

i. emily's introduction

[emily]

Of course it happened the one day my parents were actually home.

The universe just works like that, doesn't it?

I didn't mean to fail my math course, I really didn't. Nor did I plan to, for that matter.

•••••

I close the heavy front door behind me and breathe deeply. School was lengthy and I was exhausted from my classes. Then again, what else is new?

Quietly, I step into kitchen to grab a bottle of water before I head off to the airport.

"Care to explain this?" My mother's voice startles me, causing me to drop my water.

I look towards her and see my progress report in her hands. I know exactly what she's talking about, but I wasn't planning on my parents being home earlier than usual.

"I can explain."

"You'd better," My father chimes in.

"Well, I have a difficult time remembering the altitudes and medians of triangles. Normally I can bullshit my way through a test-"

"Language," my mother chides.

"However, I can't do that when the test covers nothing but altitudes and medians! Of course that test was the most major grade in the grade book, so that doesn't help at all."

"What are you planning on doing about this?" My father asks.

"Well, I can't retake this because it's a major test grade."

"I'll tell you what your father and I are going to do about this."

"What," I eye them hesitantly.

"You're getting a tutor," My mother announces confidently.

"No. I won't get a tutor. I don't need one! It was one test grade, so it's not this big of a deal."

"Obviously it is a big deal, you're failing, Emily!" My father exclaims.

"I can study more, ask more questions, talk to my teacher, I don't need a tutor."

"How do you know you'll be able to bring your grade up?" My father asks and my mother agrees with his question.

"Do you trust me?" I ask.

"Honey, we're getting you a tutor," My mother says calmly.

"I don't need one!"

"So it's settled," My father smiles, "We're getting you the finest tutor money can buy."

"Fine, you know what? You can look for one, but I won't promise I'll go along with this stupid idea," I sneer and quickly storm out of the house.

•••••

"You have nowhere to go." My brother's voice reminds me.

"I'll find a place, besides, it's only for one night." I say quietly into my phone.

"If you need a place, my apartment is only a half an hour drive."

"Thank you, but I don't want to put you between yet another one of our fights. It's not fair to you."

"The offer still stands whenever you need it." Max says.

"Thank you." I reply.

We say our goodbyes just as the bus pulls in front of the airport's entrance.

The trick to spending the night in an airport is to pretend like you're waiting for a flight. You can doze off a little from time to time, but you can't just straight out sleep, otherwise people will ask questions that you won't want to answer. When I spend the night in the airport, I don't get to sleep, but I'm away from my parents and that's good.

I go towards the large board by customs that displays the scheduled flights for the day.

"Where to, today?" I ask quietly.

Looking over the flights, I see one scheduled to go to St. Augustine, Florida. A beach sounds nice, I think.

That's how I choose where to sit. I find a place to go and sit at the corresponding terminal.

"Another argument?" Janis, a woman who works in customs, asks me.

"Yeah. Nothing too bad, but enough for me to come here."

"It'll all be okay, honey," She reassures me, "Whatchu got goin' on at school tomorrow?"

"I have a test in French, Biology, and World History," I sigh.

"Honey, you need some sleep! You gotta rest up for those, is there any other place you can go to?"

"My brother's house," I shrug.

"Please get some sleep tonight." Janis requests.

"I will," I promise her.

"Go on, call your brother," She nods.

I do as told, walking towards the airport entrance and dialing Max's number.

"Hello?" He picks up on the third ring.

"Hey, your offer still stands, right?"

"I'm on my way."

"Thank you," I sigh.

Ten minutes later, I stand up from the old bench in front of the airport entrance when I see Max's car pull up.

"Hey," He greets me.

"Hello," I sit down in the passenger seat.

"You want to talk about it?" He asks as we drive away.

"Not particularly, but I know I have to get it out somehow."

"I am quite the good listener."

"I know you are," I chuckle.

"Talk to me when you feel completely ready, alright?"

"Alright." I smile.

As we pull into the parking lot of Max's apartment building, I speak up, "I have to get a tutor."

"Why? You're a smart kid," He says as we get out of the car.

"Apparently not, I'm failing math. Mom and Dad saw and now they're making me get a tutor."

"A tutor will help, though." He mentions as we begin to walk up the stairs.

"I don't need a total stranger to tell me that I suck at math, I have mom and dad doing that perfectly."

"Don't think of it that way."

"How else am I supposed to view it?" I huff as he opens the door.

Before he could answer, I hear a small voice cheering and running for the door.

"Parker!" I smile and scoop Max's five-year-old son into my arms, "How've you been, buddy?"

"Good." He grins widely.

"Thank you, Georgia." Max hands his elderly neighbor a ten dollar bill for watching Parker while he drove to the airport. Georgia thanks Max and leaves the apartment.

I set Parker down, but he still insists on holding my hand as we walk to the kitchen.

"Daddy, why is Aunt Emily here?"

"Aunt Emily is going to spend the night with us." Max answers.

"Is that okay with you, Park?" I ask.

"Of course!" He nods and hugs my leg.

"Good." I smile.

"The guest room is just down that hall." Max reminds me.

"Thanks again for literally everything."

"Don't mention it," Max shrugs.

"Wait, I just remembered something."

"What is it?"

"I only waited ten minutes for you to come get me. Your house is a half hour drive from the airport."

"I had a feeling you'd change your mind."