My sins (on hold)

Goodbyes

While my mom and I drove to the airport, I could tell she was trying to hold in her tears. Her rapidly blinking eyes gave that away and although I was sad about leaving my home, I had a lot of excitement pooled inside my stomach which surprised me. My legs twitched up and down and I couldn't tell if it was from nerves or excitement. 

I gazed out the window and let my eyes glaze over while I imagined what the school would look like. A huge Hogwarts castle, a dusty brick building or an average family home. After all, omegas were rare so I doubted there would be more than fifty students at this one school.

I jolted upright as the car came to an abrupt stop. I was smothered in a hug from my mom. I awkwardly patted her back while half distracted by the enormous white building in front of me with people rushing in and out of it. 

There were lonesome travelers who carried small bags and multiple generations of families lugging their suitcases behind them. Babies were crying and couples were hugging farewell. Airports seemed like a place of new beginnings and reluctant endings. 

I wrapped my arms around her to remember this moment and say goodbye. Glancing at the time and realizing we must have hit a lot of traffic while I was asleep on the way here because we were a solid hour behind the schedule I had mapped out beforehand. "Mom! I have to go, I'm going to be late. I can't miss my flight."

"Okay, okay. Be safe. Not drugs, no smoking, no parties, no dating unless I meet them first and no drinking." I rolled my eyes, not amused but nodded along so I could rush inside the airport. She let me go and patted me on the back which I took as a sign that I was allowed to go. I stepped out of the car and grabbed my luggage. Looking back at my beaming, proud mom, I slowly walked my luggage inside the airport.

I tried not to openly gape at the high ceilings and rows of seats filled with a lot of people. My entire town was smaller than the amount of people I had seen just from being inside the building for ten seconds. I trudged ahead pretending like this wasn't my first time in an airport and I knew where everything was and wasn't internally dying from anxiety. 

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After an embarrassing amount of questions asked to random strangers, I was finally safely in my seat. I was flying first class, which was fully paid by The Omega Program or else I never would have been able to afford this luxury. 

I felt so drowsy that I slept through the entire flight and had to be shaken awake by a gentle flight attendant which was mortifying. I quickly threw on a sweatshirt and a jacket over my long sleeve to stay warm in this frigid place that was going to be my new home for at least a year. 

I still wasn't prepared for the blast of cold wind that made my teeth rattle. Zipping my coat up and over my mouth, I stepped out of the airport and walked down the side walk until I came upon and big black car with the license plate that matched the information I was given in the email. 

This was my car. Taking a deep breath I reached out to open the car door when a wrinkled hand shot out and opened it instead. I slid in the back seat murmuring a thank you, too scared to make eye contact and avoided looking in their direction. After a pause, the door was firmly closed and the car tilted, meaning they sat back down in the drivers seat. The car rumbles to life and we rolled down the road.

My brain went haywire cooking up crazy scenarios while I was in an enclosed space with a stranger. While he was focused on the road I did a quick assessment of him. He looked like an average grandpa, pretty old and frail so I think I was safe. I watched the small shops with snow covered roofs fly by outside my window. After about an hour drive we finally arrived at our destination. 

I flew out of the car before the elderly human, man could open the door for me, my mouth open so wide it might have come unhinged. It was a smooth tan building, four stories tall, with white window shutters. The trees in front of the school were covered in a decorative layer of snow.