SNOWFLAKES

CHAPTER 2

"Ladies and Gentleman, we have now arrived in Stockholm. We recommend warm clothing as the temperatures as much lower than those in England. We hope you enjoy your stay and we thank you for flying with us." The air hostesses very dull and nasal voice rattled through the crackly speakers. I pulled on my dark green rucksack and slid out of the isle I was sitting in. I took a quick glance out of the window and I couldn't help but let a smile leak onto my face. There was snow! The snow was always better here in Sweden. I got to the front of the plane and ran down the steps, breathing in the cold crispy air of my home. It sounds stupid but i miss the cold here. Christmas is never the same in England as it is here. There was a bus waiting to take us to the main airport where we could collect our bags. I hate going on those buses, there is hardly enough oxygen and you can't fit everyone on unless you want your face in somebody's area. It smells in them and I look forward to getting off them.

The doors of the bus opened and i shoved with all my might to get off as soon as possible. I hopped off of the bus and composed myself. I turned round to see my my Mum and Dad already ahead of me, wondering over to the luggage collection point.

It wasn't until I started thinking about what I was getting up to whilst I was back home that I remembered. I was meeting my new 'cousin' for the first time in a couple of minutes. Apparently they were a guy. I bet they will probably be a horny teenager or some 10yr old irritating git. Neither of which, what I was hoping for to be honest. But no cousin would be ideal, this is only because I don't want anyone getting in the way of Karla and I's relationship. We may be in different countries but she is more of older sister than an Aunt. Partly because she is only 30 and my Mum is 9 years older than her.

The automatic doors slid open as we approached the luggage collection entrance. "Felix, shall we get a luggage trolley or do you think we can just pull the cases." Mum asked Dad.

"Urmmm, I think we'll be ok." My Dad replied. We all took a left and came to a halt as we got to the luggage conveyor belt. We are almost always one of the last people to get our cases, but this time we struck lucky. Ours was one of the first to come out, well Mum's anyway.

Dad's case and mine came out together. We both hauled them off of the conveyor belt and lifted up the handles. "Ready?" Mum asked, lightly tapping me on my back.

"I guess so!" I said sighing, attempting to hide the dread I was feeling about meeting my cousin.

"Your nervous aren't you." My Dad said as we reached the exit. "Your worried about meeting this new cousin of yours aren't you. But don't worry about it."

"I s'pose so." I said in response. I wouldn't call it nerves.....just anxious? I really didn't want to meet them, i mean, they could be anyone!

"Alicia! Felix! How lovely it is to see you! And Carina, of course!" My Uncle Sam said as he walked towards us.

I gave him a quick smile and continued to stare religiously at my black Converse. If i kept my head down, maybe i won't have to do the whole 'I'm Carina, you must be my cousin. Its great to meet you' thing. I wasn't that sort of person, so any opportunity to escape that fate I would take.

"Carina!.... Carina, say hello to your cousin!" My Mum said to me as she lifted my head up by placing her hand under my chin.

I looked up and I swear my heart stopped beating and the whole entire world came to a halt. So this was my new cousin. A tall, blonde, curly haired God. Fabulous, absolutely fabulous. I was now going to embarrass myself in every way possible whilst blushing an ugly shade of tomato. I really couldn't be doing this. He stepped towards me with an award winning smile and said: "Hey, I'm, I'm Sven. You must be Carina."

"Yeah, thats me. Hey." I said, not entirely sure what i just said as I was in a slight daze due to the fact that Sven was actually my cousin.

"Are you too going to hug or something? You are cousins, its not illegal!" My Uncle Sam laughed.