365 Days

223

223

Hobart is such a pretty place. The water gleams a green-blue, sparkling with the sun shining on it. The wind rustles the trees that crowd the city and there are cars everywhere. Not as busy as Melbourne or Sydney, but still busy enough that we are stuck in traffic for an hour.

After the initial shock that my family, friends and Alex deceived me, I went started a Cycle of Emotions. First, I was angry that no one told me about it. Next, I became nervous at the thought of meeting Alex's family, so much so that I couldn't sit still on the plane. Thirdly, I was excited at the thought of missing out on a day of school to meet some new people and lastly, I was sad that I wouldn't be home to sleep tonight. I have missed the comfort of home.

As I sit in the passenger seat of the hire car I'm back at the first stage of the Cycle of Emotions; anxiousness. Alex just assured me we are only a few minutes away, but it had the opposite affect to reassurance. It has made me more on edge. I'm fidgeting with my skirt, my top, while playing with my hair and fiddling with the radio. I can't stop moving.

"Relax, Dakota. My family, well, the ones you'll meet right away at least, are great. Easy to get along with." Alex is clutching the steering wheel, his eyes focused on the roads. Every so often he looks over at me with a playful smirk and every so often I hit him for it.

"Meeting new people is not an easy thing, no matter who they are. What if I stutter or trip and face-plant or say the wrong thing? What if they don't like me and they think I'm a nuisance to have with them? What if-"

"Woah, Dakota," Alex interrupts before I get too far into my rambling. "Breathe."

Okay. That I can do. I inhale deeply and let it out, gripping the arm rest on the door with one hand and Alex's hand with the other.

"They'll love you. My grandma, my Oma, she loves everyone, especially anyone I bring home. Not that I've really brought anyone here but she is always pestering me to, so you don't have to worry. And I only have three cousins that will be there, an aunty and uncle and my grandparents so it'll be no problem."

I suppose. Okay, I can do this. Wait. "Did you say before that there will be people I'm not meeting right away?"

His grip on the wheel tightens as he turns left down a street by the ocean, all with lovely holiday houses. The view of the water from here is divine and I wish I could swim in it, other than the fact that it's much colder than where we have been the last few days.

"Yes. I wouldn't worry about them, though. They're just a bit, difficult."

This is the most rattled I've seen Alex. He clearly has a million thoughts buzzing around in his head.

"If you don't mind me asking, who are they?" An annoying cousin? A drunk uncle? An obnoxious aunt?

"My parents."

Oh. I've never really heard Alex talk about his parents. The only thing I know is that they live in the UK for his father's work and that he was raised by his grandmother mostly.

I don't say anything. He will talk about it when he wants to, and it just so happens to be the time Alex slows down and pulls into a driveway.

The house is a cute little one story house with vines crawling up the red-brick walls and over the door. Which is hanging open.

Alex turns the car off and gets out, waiting for me to meet him at the front of the car. The lawn is scattered with leaves, as are the other three cars parked in the driveway.

"Are you ready?" He asks, his whole face lit up with excitement. All of my nerves wash away as I realize how much he wants to be here. It's like me with Mackay. This is his Mackay.