As an exchange student from Scotland, a whole new world opens up to Darren Green when he moves to the United States. He'll live with a host family, start at a new school, and he'll have to make new friends. However, what won't be a part of this new...
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"THIS IS LOVELY, DARREN," ELLE said. She rested her head on Larson's shoulder and was holding his hand as they strolled at a slow pace.
"Delicious," Keri said, taking another bite of her hamburger. They'd just taken a drive-thru – "the American way to eat lunch," Darren had said – on their way to Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park, a Jacksonville staple that Darren had wanted to show his family ever since he'd first seen it. He knew they would love it.
Elle shook her head, laughing. "I wasn't talking about the food, K."
"What were you talking about?" Keri asked, her light brown hair swirling when she turned around to her mom. Her hands were still raised and held her hamburger up to her mouth, ready to take another bite the moment she'd swallowed the previous.
"This place..." Elle motioned to their surroundings. "It's so green, and... alive." She sighed, and Darren took a moment to look around them once again. He could see it through her eyes: she saw vivid colors embracing them, big trees curling over them as if to protect them, squirrels running around. Darren had gotten used to the squirrels, but to his Scottish family, they were quite the sight.
"You haven't even seen the water yet," Darren said. It was the real showstopper of the park: the bright blue washed out all other colors. As he thought about it, he picked up his pace, rushing to show his family. The only one who could keep up was his dad.
"Why so fast?" Elle asked him, her voice fainter in the distance. "We've got time."
"It's at the end of this bridge." Darren's footsteps thudded on the wooden bridge, underneath which flowed a small stream of water, and his feet hurried across the crackling pathway that would lead to the sandy beach. Elle, Larson, and the girls didn't follow him at the same pace: they were enjoying the solitude of nature too much to rush through it. And the girls were still eating their hamburgers, and they couldn't eat and run at the same time.
Darren's feet were the first to touch the sand. He was slightly panting when he halted, and he put his hands on his hips as he took in his surroundings. This was his favorite place to be. The park was as close to Scotland as he could get, the colors reminding him of the nature in his home country, and the beach was the best Florida could offer and seemed like it came out of a nature magazine, so tropical and bright as it was. This small piece of land were his two worlds combined into one.
Ryan caught up with Darren and put his arm around his son's shoulders. He didn't say anything but just looked around in peace. Together, they enjoyed the quiet that lasted until the family joined them on the beach.
"Can we go swimming?" Keri and Brielle ask in unison at the sight of the water.
Darren understood the question: the water was just asking to be swum in. Surprisingly, not that many people were swimming, but that might have to do with the fact that it was October and an ordinary Saturday.
