I dragged my tiny carry-on bag behind me as I slugged along the airport concourse.
"Mom, I really don't understand why I have to come with you to visit your man candy." I complained. An older woman passing by me gave me a weird look.
So I gave her one back.
My mother rolled her eyes. "Langston, I swear you're the only teenager who isn't excited to be spending her summer in Florida."
I let out a tired laugh. It was like four in the morning, and to be honest, I wasn't even sure what was going on around me. "Oh I'm excited about the Florida part, Mom. I'm just not excited about living with Carl."
Carl is my mom's fiancé. If you ask me, he's the world's biggest man baby. The first time I met him, he legitimately would not even offer me the last slice of pizza because he wanted it for himself.
I'm still not sure what my mom sees in him.
But somehow they fell in love, and now I get to go waste my entire summer in Carl's house. Which happens to be nowhere close to my friends and house and wifi password in Illinois.
My mom found two empty seats near our gate. I plopped down in one and immediately shut my eyes.
I am not a morning person.
Or really anytime of the day person.
As time went on, I found myself more tired. But of course I couldn't sleep; every other person waiting for the flight seemed to want to talk as loud as they could. How could I sleep when the lady next to me was yelling into her phone the feeding instructions for her three-legged wiener dog?
I was going to have to remember to thank Carl for booking us an early morning flight. Not.
"Carl says the house next to his was just sold, and the people won't be moving in until next week." My mom stated matter of factly.
I opened my eyelids and looked at her annoyed. "And why should I care?"
"Because," she smiled. "That means we get the beach to ourselves the whole week."
"Ooh, a whole week." I said sarcastically.
"Oh come on, stop acting so bitter about this."
I rolled my eyes and shut them again.
Just a few seconds later my mom tapped me on the shoulder. "Come on," she said. "We're boarding."
I groaned, but got up and grabbed my carry on. My mother and I boarded the plane quickly, and found out spots in coach. Carl was a cheapskate too; even though he owned a beach house in Florida.
After the plane took off, I sat in silence for awhile. Most of the people around us had their eyes shut and their lights turned off. It was almost eerily quiet.
"Hey mom?" I whispered.
"Yes honey?"
I hesitated before speaking. It bugged me that this thought popped into my head. But now that it was there, I had to ask.
"Have you figured out yet, like, why you were put on this world?"
My mom looked at me funny. "When did get so philosophical?"
I shrugged. "I'm just wondering."
My mother thought for a moment. "Well I've done many great things, but I would say that I was put here to give birth to you, because I know that you are going to do great things and change the world."
Leave it to my mom to get all sappy.
We didn't talk much the rest of the way, and that was okay with me. I needed my rest.
3 hours later we landed in Orlando. It wasn't too hard to find Carl. All we had to do was find the short grumpy man sitting on a bench because quote 'it's too much work to stand.'
"Hi baby!" My mother hugged Carl excitedly when he finally managed to stand up. He hugged her back and I had to awkwardly look away as they shared a quick make out session.
"Sup' Langston?" Carl asked when he turned towards me.
I smiled. "I still hate you Carl."
"I wouldn't expect anything less." He replied.
"Oh come on you two, just get along for once." My mom pleaded.
Carl and I just laughed at that one.
"Hey you guys are paying for the gas on the way back, right?" Carl asked.
I rolled my eyes. What a dork.
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