Awkward *New Version*

Why is He Like That?

Awkward

Chapter One

"How was the flight?" my uncle Adam asked, taking one of my two bags and throwing it into his car.

"Not the worst, although I would've liked a later flight. This whole "getting up early" thing isn't what I really wanted, but it was cheaper than anything else." I was at the airport at midnight, two hours before my flight took off. I slept a little before and during the flight.

"You paid?" He got into the car and I followed to the passenger's side.

"Yeah, but it's totally worth it. All I wanted was some freedom."

"Well you got it!" Adam was happy to take me in for the summer. He wasn't super protective, and I suspected if I didn't destroy anything in his house, he wouldn't mind my staying at all. "Anything I have is yours, just respect what's there."

"I understand...mind if I sleep?"

"Not at all. Long drive back to Sarasota. Make yourself comfortable."

As soon as I put my seat back and closed my eyes, I was asleep.

I woke up to the sound of the car turning off, along with this sweet thing called air conditioning. I was from a cold part of the US called Michigan, and the thing I worried about the most was the heat of Florida. I didn't like heat, and I really didn't like sun. The part of Michigan that I was from was the second cloudiest part of the US, so I was in for a sunny treat every day.

"We're here, Jane," my uncle said softly. He got out of the car and took my suitcase in. He didn't need to do that for me, but he did.

I got out of the car, opened the side door and grabbed my carry-on bag. I slung it over my shoulder and turned around.

There was a boy. He was tall, disheveled, and quite tan. Something I envied...being very pasty myself. He was walking toward another apartment complex.

Now is a good time to explain the complex of apartments. They weren't all connected. The identical buildings were peppered throughout the large plot of land. It seemed to be decent living conditions...you know, not super fancy but definitely not gross.

Back to the boy who was walking toward the apartment closest to my uncle's. He had a relaxed look on his face and a beach towel around his neck. He wore a wet, black t-shirt and black swimming trunks. The heat that was sucking the energy out of me didn't seem to faze him at all. He looked at me for a second, and I felt very unsure of myself. My orange hair was very, very messy from light sleep in the car. I was in my pajamas because who dresses up for a two o'clock airplane ride? All in all, I looked hobo adjacent.

The boy wasn't shy, and as he came closer, I saw that he was no boy either. I guessed he was about my age as he approached me.

"Who are you?" he asked. No introduction. No salutation. Just a blatant question. He was really, really attractive, which didn't help my social skills.

"I'm Jane..." I stated, quite taken aback by his courage to just ask me who I was. He caught me very, very off guard. No person with a face and body like his ever talked to me.

"I'm Carter Smith. I feel like I know you from somewhere...have you been here before?"

"Once when I was like ten but—"

"No, I mean like recently. Do you come here often?"

"No. I'm from Michigan. I'm here with Adam," I gestured to the door Adam recently went through. "He's my uncle."