After two miserable flights, we finally arrived. I got out of the plane with a girl that I didn’t know and an English teacher. Apparently we were in the same high school but I never saw her. The teacher explained that as soon as we got inside we had to look for someone with our name on a cardboard, those people were the ones who were going to take us to their home.
I’m going to admit, I was scared of what kind of family I was putting myself into, but as soon as I saw my name on a piece of white cardboard, full of colors and smiley faces, I stopped worrying.
The woman holding the cardboard was blonde, slim and really pretty. I stepped away from the girl and the teacher and walked in her direction, she looked at me and started asking a lot of questions.
-Hi! Are you the girl from the school project? Sophia? Are you okay? Are you tired? Do you want to eat something? Or maybe drink? Do you want me to do something for you? Like carrying your bags? I can do that…
-Hi! Yes, I’m Sophia. Don’t worry, I’m okay.
I smiled and she smiled back.
-Good. I was nervous, I don’t know what kind of girl was coming.
I noticed she looked relieved.
-Oh! My name is Karen. Karen Clifford. I’m Michael’s mom.
-Michael? (Wait, a boy?)
-Yes! He’s going to be your ‘’pen friend’’ or whatever people call it. Come on, let’s go home.
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It didn’t took long to get to the house. All that I saw on the way was beautiful, and I was excited to meet the guy that I had to live with.
As soon as I entered the hallway, I saw pictures of a young boy on the wall. He seemed like a really nice kid. In the pictures he was dressed formally, and I read a description saying the picture was from a Christian school. I immediately thought that he would be a really down-to-earth kind of guy, and pleasant to be around.
-Oh, that’s my boy, Michael. It was taken on the 6th grade, he was such a sweet kid. I mean, he still is, but now he thinks he’s a punk rock god, just because he’s in a band (A band? No.. I always fall for guys in bands). And careful, if you tell him otherwise he will get angry and probably won’t talk to you for a whole week. But maybe that’s a good thing.
We both start laughing about it, but we change the subject and start to talk about me while Karen shows me the house.
-So, Sophia, tell me a little about yourself.
-Uhh, I’m 17 years old and I’m finishing high school right now. That’s why I’m here… I love visiting new countries and my school had a project where you could go study abroad. I won the Australian trip.
I smile and she smiles back.
-And what about boys?
I started to explain Karen how I never really had a serious relationship, mostly because every guy that stepped in my world had different intentions than I did. No one ever made me feel loved.
Karen told me that Michael wasn’t home, he went out with his friends and he was only coming home by the end of the afternoon. I was tired, wanted to sleep, but she wanted to go buy some groceries and I didn’t want to be alone, so I went with her.
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-Sophia, you can grab anything you want! I don’t know what you like to eat or drink, so you can grab anything and put it here.
Karen pointed to the shopping cart, but I couldn’t do that because I was shy, I would never be that comfortable with someone besides my mom.
We were walking by an aisle full of Australian products and Karen looked at me, smiled and asked, very politely:
-Can you bring me two jars of vegemite, my dear?
I looked at her, confused.
-Of what?
-Oh, I forgot you’re not Australian. Vegemite. Just go on that aisle and bring me two of those yellow jars, please. My son’s friends love it and they’re coming over for movie night. I hope you like movies.
She gave me such a sweet smile, it reminded me of my mom. I felt a little bit more comfortable so I nodded and stepped away to get what she asked for.
As I saw her moving away from me, I looked for that vegemite thing. There were a lot of yellow jars, but I finally found it. But then I remembered ‘’they’re coming over for movie night’’. Wait, what? I haven’t even met the guy and I’m already going to meet his friends? I tried to forget about it and just worry about getting that thing… Vegemite… It was on the top shelf, so I couldn’t reach it.
-You don’t look like you’re from here.
I looked over my shoulder and saw a guy with curly, blonde hair (kind of cute, actually). He was wearing a red bandana, a t-shit of a band I didn’t really know, black skinny ripped jeans and black boots.
I smiled.
-No. Uh, I’m- I’m not from here.
I think I started to blush, and I think he noticed it.
-Yeah, that’s what I said. Do you need some help?
-Yes. I can’t, uh, get to that thing.. the yellow thing… Vegemite!
-Oh, you already want to know what Australian things taste like.
He winked at me, and I felt my cheeks burning, I was definitely blushing and he definitely noticed. He handed me two jars, even though I only asked for one.
-Sorry, that was a little inappropriate. I’m Ashton, by the way.
-It’s okay. I’m Sophia.
