Ladies and gentlemen , we have now landed in London.
Please remember to take all of your belongings before deplaning.
We appreciate you choosing the British airways and hope to see you again .
The anonymous woman's voice over the speaker announces as soon as we feel the earth against the plane.
I take my bag and head out of the plane by the gate just like everyone else.
I go out and follow the crowd. In an airport you almost never think twice. You follow the crowd.
I wait for my luggage next to the conveyor belt, looking left and right, watching everyone around me, looking at the Duty Free ahead. I am short on time. I will not be stopping by.
I take my luggage as soon as it is out. A young man helps me when he sees how I am struggling with it. I brought just too many things with me. I am not used to being away from home for so long.
I thank him and follow the exit signs, passing by the Duty Free and wishing I had the time to look around.
I am finally out.
The cold wind of London caressing my cheeks and making moving my hair over my face, I take out a rubber band from my backpack and pull it into a ponytail. I breathe in the cold air happily; I am finally in the city I have always dreamt of visiting.
Keeping the backpack zipper open, I take out the printed copy of my apartment booking.
A small apartment close to my workplace but also to London's Downtown. It is a two bedroom apartment with a couple of bathrooms. And one parking slot. The apartment's renting cost was very convenient to me. This was obvious, considering I have a mate to share it with. But right now, with this amazing weather and the people's looks and the whole atmosphere surrounding me, I forgot his name. But can you blame me? I probably forgot mine too .
I looked at the papers in my hands searching for the page that includes the address. Flipping through the few pages I am holding, I lose my grasp and the papers are directly flying around left and right from the wind.
I run after them fast and start picking them up. When I am just about to pick up the last one, I see a hand on the ground reaching out for it. I straighten and take the paper from the strange lady.
"Thank you!" I said to the young lady who was probably around my age.
"You're most welcome."
I couldn't help but notice her British accent. You'w most well-kom. I'm just in love with it .
I smile at her and am about to turn around.
"I'm sorry but, would you have an idea how far this is from here?" I ask pointing at the address on the paper. "I really need to get there in -" I check my watch, 16:30. "- half an hour or so."
"Show me." she takes a good look at the paper.
"Oh yeah. Don't worry, it's near. Just go to the taxi station over there and grab one. You should be there on time." I try to focus on what she is saying instead of her accent.
"Thank you , again."
"You're new here?" she asks.
"I am."
"Claire." she says pulling out her hand.
"Lauren." I shake her hand.
"Go grab your taxi, Lauren."
I smile at how friendly she is, then turn around and start walking towards the station. I told the roommate that I will be there by 5:00pm exactly. I do not want to be late and get off on the wrong foot.
I go to the station and waited in line for my turn, uncountable taxis taking people one by one. This could be coming back home. And this one is probably here to meet her boyfriend. These two look like they are having a vacation.
I get into a taxi while the driver puts my luggage at the back. I keep looking around, not wasting any second to look at my phone. I want to see everything.
"Where to , miss?" he asks gently and I notice that the British accent is even better on men.
"Um , there." I say pointing at the address in the paper .
He looks at it for a minute just before he turns his engine and GPS on.
I check my watch.
16:37.
I enjoyed looking at every single building we pass by.
To see new things is one of the best feeling in the world. To feel like the surrounding is so strange and different, and to know that there are people other than you that call this their home. To actually feel how huge our earth is, and how much variety and diversity it actually contains.
"How much time do we need to get there?" I ask a little worried about getting there on time.
I reserved this place almost a month ago.
Date of reservation : 6 June 2014 at 15:40.
Date of arrival : 15 July 2014.
Leaving date : 1 October 2014.
"Ten more minutes Madam." he answers me .
"Great!"
"American, aren't you?" he asks.
"No." I smile.
"Oh but you sound American, though."
"Yeah... Maybe." I answer.
In exactly ten minutes, the driver pulls over and stops the car. "We're here." he says.
I remove my seatbelt and get out. He does too. He takes out my luggage and puts them on the sidewalk.
"Thank you." I pay him the money I owe and watch him leave.
I take one last look at the watch and notice I am one minute early . So I wait that last minute outside the door .
When it was finally 5:00pm, I take some deep breaths and press on the bell button .
YOU ARE READING
Under This Roof
RomanceI thought that I can tell a lot about someone's character as soon as I meet them. In fact, I bragged about that to my friends, especially when they make me meet their significant others. I didn't think of it as prejudice. I thought of it as good ana...
