𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 - Matt Sturniolo

𝟷

✽+†+✽―― what a time ――✽+†+✽
₀₆.₂₄.₂₀₁₉
Cʜᴀɪsᴇ

I waited at the airport until my suitcase appeared on the conveyor belt so that I could finally leave this airport building. I wanted to finally see Boston and understand why my aunt was staying here for the summer.

Aunt Susi, my dad's sister, has been traveling all over America for years to see what the country has to offer and I admire her for it. She's totally adventurous, fun and crazy, the complete opposite of my dad who prefers to stay in LA.

My parents are not fans of traveling, especially since my mom is so scared of flying. So my brother Josh and I are stuck in LA for the whole summer. I'm not complaining, LA is great, especially in the summer, but after 16 years in California it gets boring. So my aunt was my savior when she offered to spend the summer with me in Boston, on the other side of the country.

Josh wanted to stay at home with his thousand girlfriends, but I gladly accepted the offer. 7 weeks in Boston, alone with my aunt, sounded like fun and relaxation. Especially after my mom and I hadn't been getting along lately.

I love my mom, it's not like that. I don't hate her or anything. We're just somehow so... different. Always have different opinions and views. We argue quite often. That's why I think it's good to be away from home for a summer.

I discovered my suitcase and grabbed it. My anticipation grew as I walked towards the exit. I hadn't seen Aunt Susi for almost 2 years, since she had been away.

She changes her location every two months. That's why she had friends all over America. A couple she's friends with have a house in Boston but are in Europe this summer so they're lending it to my aunt and me.

When I stepped out of the building, the sun was shining on my face. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, the air smelled different here than in LA. The weather was pleasant and there was a light breeze that blew my hair out of my face.

"Chaiseeee?" called a voice I only knew so well and I opened my eyes again. My aunt quickly came running to me and took me in her arms. "Gosh, you've grown up in these two years."

"Hello Aunt Susi." I said as she hugged me tightly. We separated and looked at each other for a moment. Her hair, which I remembered as brown, was now blonde and her skin was tanned.

"Could it be that you've become even prettier?" she asked, waving her hands through my hair. "Don't do that," I said with a laugh and pulled her hand away.

"Come on, let's go in the car and tell me what I've missed in the last two years." She said and took my suitcase. She and I always had a special connection, maybe because we were quite similar or maybe it was because we shared a birthday.

We had talked on the phone a lot in the time she had been away and I had sometimes told her more than my mother.

"You want me to tell her about myself? You're the one who has traveled all over America. Why don't you tell me about Colorado or Texas or Florida?" I asked and laughed.

"Well, I haven't been to Colorado yet, but Florida was really nice." She said, joking with me a little. "You'd like that too, knowing you."

"I'm sure I would, but unfortunately I'm still at school." "Ah- I don't want to hear about school for the whole 7 weeks, you can deal with that when you're back home."