Semester Abroad

ch 1

"Mom, I'll be fine!" I called from the bathroom.

"I know, it's just that it feels like you only got back yesterday! I'm just gonna miss you so much," my mom said from my room, taking a deep breath. I walked into my room with all my toiletries in hand. My mom was patting down the clothes at the top of my suitcase. I put the toiletries down and put my hand on her shoulder, rubbing it, reassuring her that I would be fine. She pulled me in for a hug and squeezed tight before letting go quickly. "Okay then, let's get you off to the airport."

I was on my way to L.A. to spend the semester with my Uncle Chad. I had just graduated college early a few weeks before, after one semester of my fourth year. I didn't have any plans, so my uncle invited me to come stay with him for a while. I thought it would be a cool opportunity, seeing as I'd never stayed with him for such a long period of time before and I hadn't seen him in a while, so I accepted excitedly.

Once we got to the airport, my mom helped me unload my luggage from the trunk. She hugged me again and dropped me off at the curb. After hours of holiday airport lines and a six-hour plane ride, I arrived in California. Stepping off the plane, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. This is the beginning of my life as a college graduate, I thought to myself. 'The world is your oyster,' as Mom would say. Eventually, I grounded myself and started towards my gate. After an ever-exciting plane train ride and countless escalators, I spotted my Uncle Chad waiting for me. I smiled and ran down the final escalator and into his arms.

"Cassie!!" exclaimed Uncle Chad, who had lifted me off the ground in his arms.

"Uncle Chad! I've missed you so much!"

"God, you look so grown up! How have you been?! I'm so excited for you to stay with me!"

"Me too!! I'm great, and beyond excited!!"

"Should we get going, then?" Uncle Chad asked.

"Absolutely!" I responded.

He took my luggage from my hands and walked me to his car. We loaded my bags into his trunk and I hopped in the passenger seat of his car.

"Alright. What do you wanna listen to?" he asked.

"You got any Velvet Underground?" I asked. Lou Reed was all I had been listening to.

"Nah, sorry. You like The Who?"

"Of course!" I replied.

He slid his Who's Next disc into the CD player and "Baba O'Riley" came on just as he pulled out and drove off. The sun was starting to set. We made small talk about how we were, what we'd been up to. Then he mentioned that he had just begun recording a new album with his band a few weeks before. He let me know that there would be a lot going on in the following months, but that's why he thought it was a great idea for me to come out at this time. He and the band were set to be recording for the next couple months, and I was ecstatic to be able to experience it.

We finally arrived at his house with less than five minutes of daylight to spare. I grabbed my bags once more and walked along the walkway, observing his house and attempting to take it all in. We stopped at the porch and I dropped my bags. Uncle Chad spread out his arms and sighed,

"Home at last."