Found

Part One: California

Chapter

One

The airport.

"Flight: 3451, Flight: 3451, to California." A woman over a speakerphone says.

"That's us." I say to Josh. Josh, Qwin, and I are sitting in blue, cushioned chairs. Our bags next to us. My dad gave me a cellphone before we left for the airport. I've installed a game called Angry Birds. I'm on level 3 out of like 1,200. I let Qwin play with from time to time.

"We should get going." Josh says.

"Yes, we should." I answer. Qwin gets up out of the chair she was sitting in. I stand up along with her and get her bags.

"Raven, I can get my own bags, you get yours. I don't want to give you more than you can handle or slow you down so we miss the plane." Qwin says.

"Fine. Just know that I was just trying to help." I say quietly.

"I know." She says. Josh grabs his bags, while Qwin hands me my phone and grabs her bags from my hands. I put my phone in my bag that hangs on my shoulder and grab my bags. We then head for the plane.

"Please buckle your seatbelts and get ready for take-off." The captain says on the speakerphone. I sit in the middle of the plane. Between Josh and Qwin, Josh on my right, Qwin on my left. I look out the window, leaning over Qwin. I see that we've started to move. A moment later we're up in the air. I look away and focus on Josh. He is staring off into space,

"What you thinkin' about?" I ask.

"What it'll be like when we get to our home. I mean we've never really had a home, a real home. Not the Box, not the cave, a real home. With you, the love of my life." He says and smiles. I lean over and kiss him with a smile on my face.

"That's a good thing to think about. And guess what..."

"What?"

"You're the love of my life." After the last word comes out of my mouth, Josh kisses me. I put my head on his shoulder. He puts an arm around my shoulders and grabs the hand sitting in my lap. Qwin is asleep. Josh and me just stare at the back of the seats in front of us.

++++

I get out of my seat. The plane arrived at the San Francisco International Airport. Josh gets his bags out of the luggage compartment above our heads. He starts to walk toward the exit, I get my, and Qwin's bags, and follow him. Qwin follows me.

Josh, Qwin, and I catch the bus waiting for passengers outside the airport. As we drive away, I feel the fluttering of butterflies in my stomach.

I realize that I don't know if I'm ready, ready to settle down. I'm so used to fighting that my heart still has the beat of action. After we got out of the Box and were down with all the problems, right before they came, I was ready, but now, I'm not sure.