I woke up with a sense of utter peace. In a few short hours I would board an airplane on its to Hillwood Airport. It was weird, I should have been freaking out or completely nervous. Instead, I was calm. I wouldn't really miss this place too much. After all, I was heading back here in September. I wouldn't be moving back to the states permanently until I started college. I'd miss my parents for sure, who were not accompanying me on my trip. I breathed the moist air, untainted by pollution. I wondered if I'd adjust well to those three and a half months of city life.
I pulled myself off my cot and padded my way to the cliff where I shared my second real kiss with Helga G. Pataki. It seemed strange now that I really reflected on it. Giving me life-changing assistance, proclaiming her love to me, then immediately pushing me away and saying it was the heat of the moment cannot happen more than once. Yet it happened twice.
Kids didn't know what love was anyway. She might have had a little crush on me, at most. I probably had a crush back. That was long gone, and she had made it obvious in her recent package that we wanted nothing to do with me.
"Arnold, sweetie, enjoying one last view? Are you all set to go?" My mom was worrying incessantly about my journey. She spent nine years away from me and hated the thought of another three months. Honestly, I hated being apart from her as well, but my dad insisted that I go take care of my grandparents and get reacquainted with my friends. I was looking forward to seeing Grandpa and Grandma again, and Gerald.
"Yeah, Mom," I replied as I kissed her cheek. I was taller than her now, growing to be about my dad's height and have his body structure.
"Oh, why'd you have to go and grow up so fast?" She had tears in her eyes, though she tried to hide it. I could almost feel her adding, why did I have to miss so much of it?
"It's okay, Mom. I'll be back before you know it." With that, I boarded the helicopter that would take me to Aeropuerto de San Lorenzo. And I was okay, until Hillwood came into view through my window. The second I saw the tiny toy buildings and heard the pilot make the announcement that we were preparing to land, there was a lump in my throat I couldn't swallow. I felt the need to escape, but it was too late and I was descending into a world that was no longer familiar to me.
"It's okay," I thought inwardly, trying to talk myself out of panic. "The people down there are genuinely good. I grew up with them. I'll meet Gerald and Grandpa at the airport and everything will be okay." As the plane jolted downward, I felt my stomach flip; only adding to my nervousness. Great.
"Arnold!" Gerald threw his arms around me. I felt tears welling in my eyes and fought them away. I was a man now. I shouldn't be crying. When I pulled back, though, I realized he'd started to cry, too. God, he looked different. At the same time, though, he looked entirely the same.
Grandpa rested his hand on my shoulder. "It's good to have you back, Shortman. Now let's get to the Packard. Pookie said she's making lion for dinner so we better make sure she's not doing anything illegal."
I let out a good-natured chuckle. What on earth had I been so worried about? Everything was perfectly fine and I would be with people who love me the entire summer.