Beyond the Cameras

Chapter 2

I see a woman with light brown hair and glasses get out of the driver seat. I'm assuming that's my Aunt Carol because out of the passenger seat, comes a tall teenage boy with chocolate brown hair, much like mine. Aunt Carol rushes over to greet us with a huge smile on her face, while my cousin stands back a bit, looking very uncomfortable.

"Julie! Steph! Your here! It's been so long since i've last seen y'all," Aunt Carol exclaims with so much enthusiam that i'm afraid she is going to break.

"Oh it's so nice to see you Carol. How have you been after all these years," Mom asks while hugging Aunt Carol.

"I have have been just fine. Thanks for asking, but where is my beautiful neice," Aunt Carol asks after hugging my dad.

I smile and step forward to accept my aunt's hug.

Now that Aunt Carol is closer i'm able to see what she really looks like. She has light brown hair that is slowly being overcome with grays. Her face is aging, but that doesn't stop her from being absolutely gorgeous. She has the same hazel/gray eyes as my mom and is a little plump, which is a bit comforting. I was afraid she might have the same views as my mom about physical appearances and overall outlooks, but I should have known that she was different. Just the fact that she choose to live in a Southern state instead of with my mom in the North should have tipped me off that she was different.

I think we will get along just fine.

She gives me one tight squeeze before stepping back to examine me.

"You know. Those cameras really do you no good because you are far more beautiful in person than in those internet pictures. Wow! I just can't believe what a gorgeous young woman you've become," she says with a slight sniffle.

I laugh and thank her, before letting her turn and talk more with my parents.

"Oh Callan. Come hug your family. They are not going to be here forever, you know," Aunt Carol scolds, as I watch Callan's face turn slightly pink on his cheeks. He mutters an embarrassed "yes, mom" before proceeding to hug my parents.

As he comes over to me, I can see some of his blush has worn off, but the awkwardness in the atmosphere around him definitely hasn't. I try to take some of the pressure off of him by stepping forward and giving him a hug. He's at least a head taller than me, but very muscular. Not in the weird over buff type, but in the lean, "I work out" type.

"So Callan, how's life in South," I ask with a smile. I might as well get to know Callan if the adults are going to be trapped in conversation for a little while.

"Um.. Pretty boring. Good food, but not a lot happens here. I'm sure New York is much more entertaining," Callan says.

Even though my family's main house is in New York, I don't exclusively live there. Like I said before, my family is always travelling because of my parents jobs, so I don't get to call New York my true home.

However, I can't argue that more probably happens in my life than his. There is never a dull moment when you're a teenager in Hollywood; I can assure you of that.

"Yeah. My life is definitely eventful...," i trail off, trying to come up with a topic to talk about.

Saved by the bell, Aunt Carol suggests that we get into her car and go get something to eat before heading home. I'm the first to agree with this before we get all the luggage loaded into the SUV and head out.

****

As Aunt Carol pulls the SUV into the driveway, i'm able to get a good look at the house. It has a comfortable look to it without being to showy and overbearing. The size of the house is not huge, but looks big enough to be considered a modern house. The vehicle comes to a halt and I open the door to welcome the fresh air I have been deprived of for an hour and a half. I take a few deep breaths of the brisk air, then turn back around to the car to see every else already unloading the car.