Short Stories

Finding a Lost Cause

As I pull my luggage further down the walkway the smell of the salt water lingers in the air and consumes my senses. I can almost taste the saltiness of the ocean water on my tongue and remember how it filled my mouth getting caught in that wave that I didn't see before it crashed over my head. The corners of my lips pull up at the memory.

"Leah, you're going to miss your flight." I begin to start walking again, not realizing when I stopped. I soon reach my brother, and he keeps walking.

"It's so pretty here." I point out and he smiles at me.

"You can visit us sometime again if you want."

"Yeah, and I'll probably have to avoid all the little chubby arms and legs of munchkins calling me 'Auntie'." Braden laughs, and I praise myself for the witty comment.

"We're not planning any children soon," he tells me after his laughter reduces.

"Yeah, but it'll be some time before I can convince mom and dad to fly me out here again." A couple with a small child passes us quickly, the mother babbling on in a language I know to be some form of Spanish. We reach the gate to board the plane and I stop with my luggage tight between my fingers. A frown slowly forms on my face.

"I can talk some sense into her if you want." He stops by my side and puts my backpack in my hands. I throw it over my shoulders and put on my brave face. "Oh, thanks for helping us unpack too."

"No problem. I guess I'll see you later then?" I hold back the tightness in my voice. A week in this new land has turned out to make me wish I could stay. It feels like I have been with Braden for a fraction of how long he has been away from me. The tears push on my eyes, but I know that crying won't help anything. But Braden knows me better than anyone in our family, and pulls me into a hug.

"Aw, Lee, don't cry."

"I won't!" I counter, stressing to keep myself under control.

"Bye, kiddo. Remember that Rach and I are flying in for Christmas," he reminds me and pulls away.

"That's in four months, though."

"You're lucky we're coming back for Christmas! Do you think I would rather be in snowing Maine, or here in Jamaica?" He smiles and shakes his head at me. It is a good time to leave before I choke up further, so I break away from him and slowly walk towards the plane. "Send our love to mom and dad. Oh! Don't forget Grandma and Uncle Nate!"

"Bye Braden!" I call to him, practically walking backwards unable to turn away from my only brother.

"Bye Leah!"

I know there is a line waiting to board the plane but I don't realize how far it stretches. I turn quickly and before I can stop myself, bump into a man.

"Sorry!" I immediatly say, and then regret it. The man in front of me isn't a man, but a boy who looks to be near my age. His skin is tan and his hair is nearly black.

Probably from somewhere in South America that doesn't know English.

Stupid me, stupid. I bite my lip to prevent myself from saying another stupid thing and watch as he boards the plane. I know my cheeks are still tinted pink, and I ignore the questioning look from the flight attendant as she checks my passport and boarding pass. She nods me on, and I continue to the plane.

It doesn't take me long to haul my things into the plane but it does take me some time to find my seat. When I do, I pull open the overhead storage compartment and push close my suitcase handle. I grab the handles of the suitcase, lift it a few inches off the ground, then instantly feel the ache in my arm muscles.

"Do you need help with that?"

"No, no I've got it." My head lifts a little, just in time to see the boy from before bending down and taking the suitcase from my hands. He lifts it in the compartment and smiles at me.

After he sits back in his seat I check my ticket one more time, and nearly let out a grumble. It is next to him.

I shrug off my backpack, and attempt to make it muted as I stow it underneath my seat. He glances over at me, and a tiny smirk pulls up on his face.

"Guess you'll have to deal with me for this terribly boring flight then," he says. I try to push the smile away, but it emerges.

I sit, and pull out my iPod.

"Are you from Brooklyn?" I ask.

"Why, is my accent still that noticeable?" My eyes flick up to his, and I nod. "Actually, I moved in the beginning of the summer."

"So you don't live in Brooklyn then?"

"No, we moved to Maine." My brows furrow together.

"Really? I live in Maine. What city do you live in?"

"Sanford," he answers.

"No way, you're joking." I say. He smiles, then raises one eyebrow.

"Don't tell me.." I start to laugh. "Don't tell me you live in Sanford too?"

"Yeah, I do."

"Do you go to-"

"Sanford High?" I finish. Another laugh escapes my lips. "Oh gosh, out of everyone on the plane, we had to be sitting next to each other." He begins to laugh.

"Senior year?" he asks

"Yeah, I'm ready to be done with the whole 'small town' thing."

"I'm gonna just guess that you're more of a big city girl?"

"My dreams are too big for that little place." He smiles. "So what do you think of Sanford so far?"

"It's cozy." I smile at his response. It is a typical thing to think that Sanford is cozy.

"So," he says after a while, breaking the silence. "I never got your name."

"Leah," I tell him.

"Well, Leah, my name is Cole."