Love Lies In The Eyes | Paul Lahote

▪TWO▪

    By the time the girls had boarded off the plane, Vanessa was left nothing but a shivering mess. She was warned by her family that Washington, in terms of weather, was pathetic compared to Arizona's blazing heat.  

  Goosebumps covered her pale skin, her lips were perfectly chapped, and she was on the verge of transforming into an icicle right there in the middle of the airport. Bella was wary, eyeing her sister every other second when another quake bloomed down her spine. 

  "You sure Florida doesn't sound good?" Her sister teases, tucking her brown strands behind her ear.

  Vanessa, rubbing her arms harshly until an angry pink was born, shoots her sister a faint glare. "Hush, hush. I like the colder weather, but me being silly as per usual, I wore light clothes. When we meet Dad and shove our things in the car, I'm keeping my bag-," her arms uncross so her right hand is able to slap the backpack secured on her shoulders, "-up front."

  The girls were in the middle of the building now, eye darting all over the place to locate one man in particular. Since the last time Vanessa seen him, he wore his famous, fluffy mustache that was as dark as his hair. Charlie Swan was tall, always wearing his Chief's jacket and wearing a pair of jeans Vanessa has sworn she's remembered him wearing since she was a baby.

  "You get front?" Bella echoes, setting her bag down. "Thought oldest does."

  "Well- hey!" Vanessa squeaks upon noticing her sister was dragging herself and her bag to a nearby row of chairs. Rushing over, Vanessa takes a seat beside her wearing a look of vivid annoyance. "You always do that!"

  "Do what?"

  "Sneak off without waiting for an answer," she explains. Like all siblings, it was no stranger for the sisters to pick at each other's flaws. Since Bella was older, she was commonly seen babying her or flat out ignoring her. For the youngest Swan, she could be childish and immature in moments full of seriousness. 

    In response, Bella shakes her head. "See," Vanessa starts, "ignoring my words. I bet you believe you're in right."

  The silence speaks volumes. Then, Bella pulls out a smirk and places her attention on Vanessa because that's what she desperately wants. "I believe what I believe."

  "Hmm," is all Vanessa can respond with before a sudden shout from afar grasps the sisters' attention. It's difficult to figure out whose voice the shout belonged to at first as people were crowding the area in front of them, but as Vanessa rose to her feet, she found a pair of eyes that matched hers. One second she was by Bella and in the next, she was throwing herself at her father. "Oh my God!" She exclaims when her face meets his jacket. "You're here."

  Pulling away, she reads Charlie's expression which reveals he wasn't expecting such a response from the girl. Breathless and shaking his head, he chuckles softly at her actions. "Someone is...excited."

  The smile Vanessa wears ceases to lower. "I can't help it. I'm glad I'm back."

  His large, calloused hand lands on her head to shake her dark hair. "I'm glad too, sugarplum."

  "That nickname again?" After having to slither her way through the crowd, Bella had finally arrived. She plops her luggage besides Vanessa's before hugging Charlie which was more so a few pats to the back before the back away. "Hey, Dad."

  "Hey, it's good to see you, Bells," he greets with a cheery smile. "Must be tired, huh?"

  Bella nods her head, grabbing at her luggage, but Charlie is quicker. He places one suitcase in one hand while slinging Vanessa's large duffle bag on his shoulder. Physically, he was struggling but he didn't bother with the weight.