Finding Home

Take a Lap

Caitlin

I can feel my eyes almost popping out of my head as Quinn asks me another question about our flight.

“I don’t know what movie they will be playing during the flight, we’ll have to wait and see.” I grit out. I have no idea why Quinn thinks I’m Siri, or Alexa, or some type of search engine. He always asks me questions that would be better answered by the internet and while I love him, he has reached the upper limit of my patience today.

“Is Lena here yet?” Quinn asks, oblivious to the steam I imagine is coming out of my ears.

“Yep, I just texted her.” I sigh and lean back in my seat.

Quinn must sense my irritation and pulls out his phone. He scrolls in silence, occasionally laughing at something while we wait for Lena. I look around at the people nearby. I wonder where they are going and what their lives must be like.

A beautiful woman catches my eye as she walks at a clipped pace. She is talking on her cellphone while pulling her carry-on behind her. I imagine she is an important business woman who is in town to close a deal.

Next, I turn my attention to a man sitting across from me. He is caught up in reading a book. Upon closer inspection, it looks like it is an older copy. I notice the title and decide to look it up. I grimace when I see the description online. The book is a uptight religious book that was published about 40 years ago, so I’m sure it has some great opinions about LGBT+.

Before I can think too much on the subject, I see Lena approaching. She hasn’t spotted us yet and is searching the crowded seating area. I lift my hand up and wave to catch her attention. Once sees me her face lights up and she starts walking faster. Lena is gorgeous.

Today her long, dark brown hair is pulled back with a few natural curls escaping the ponytail. I envy her naturally dark skin, it is smooth like silk and glows. Even with her perfect skin, Lena always has make up on. She doesn’t overdo it though, she uses just enough make up to enhance her natural beauty. Paired with her impeccable fashion sense, she looks like a model that has just stepped off the runway.

I look down at my own outfit. I’m wearing a button down shirt tucked into high waisted jeans with a cardigan over top. My dark hair is pulled up into a messy bun and I’m not wearing any make up. Sometimes I wish I was more like Lena but it doesn’t come naturally to me and I can’t find it in myself to spend that much time on my appearance.

Quinn and I stand up to greet Lena. She gives each of us a quick hug, sitting down next to me afterwards.

“Where is Weston? I hope he’s doing okay. He’s not sick is he?” Quinn asks.

“He had something with ROTC this weekend,” Lena replies.

I turn my head towards Quinn, “I thought I already told you he wasn’t coming last week?”

“Hm, I don’t remember you mentioning it,” he says with a shrug.

Lena laughs, “Weston is the same way. I have to tell him something three times before I’m sure he’ll remember.”

I give Lena a grateful smile. I know I’m being a b***h to Quinn but I can’t shake my irritation. I decide to take a short walk around the terminal to try to clear my head.

“I’m going to the bathroom. Can I get either of you anything?” I ask.

“Oh, if you see a place to get coffee, I’d love a mocha,” Lena replies.

Quinn shakes his head. “Thanks but I’m good, Cee.”

*****

“Hey baby!” mom calls when I open the front door and pulls me into a hug. “Always good to see you, too, Quinn!”

“How are you Mrs. Barrow?” Quinn asks.

Mom scoffs and waves her hand at him, “I thought I told you to call me Emily?”

A moment later, my dad walks into the entry way. “Hey kids, how was your flight?”

My dad squeezes me so hard that I can’t answer him until he releases me. “Nothing exciting happened, if that’s what you mean.”

After exchanging some more pleasantries, my parents leave us to settle in. Dad goes into the kitchen to cook lunch and mom says she has to reply to work emails in her home office. Quinn and I head upstairs to unpack. While Quinn jumps in the shower, I lay on the bed and scroll through my i********: feed.

A model I follow uploaded pics from a photo shoot on the beach. Her long blonde hair falls around her in perfect beach waves and she is wearing a fashion bikini with lots of straps. It looks amazing on her. I could never pull off that look.

I startle when Quinn walks out of the bathroom with only a towel around his waist. His dirty blonde hair is pushed back from his forehead and he flashes me a smile. I take a second to appreciate his muscled body, before looking back at my phone.

“What are you looking at?” Quinn asked.

“Oh, nothing. Just some school emails.” I click out of the app and turn off my screen.

“Take a break from school and try to relax this weekend, you deserve it.”

I’m not sure why I lied about what I was looking at, but I try to brush it off and move on. I pull my backpack onto the bed with me.

“Have you seen my laptop charger?” I ask Quinn.

Quinn glances over his shoulder at me and furrows his brow. “Yeah, I packed it in the other bag for you. Please tell me you aren’t going to work on homework right now?”

“No, don’t worry. I’m just working on a short story that I want to submit online.”