“Come on, Jess. You are going to miss your flight”

“Yeah, mom, that’s what I am hoping for.” Jess answered as she finished brushing her dyed black hair and tying her black Converse shoes.

“I’m tired of hearing you complain. This is final. Let’s go.”

Jess walked down the stairs and followed her mother out the front door. The two loaded up the old rusty red pickup truck with three suitcases and got in. Jess quickly put in her headphones as they drove off.

“I don’t know why you are so upset about this.” Jess’s mother, Carol, tried to say. She looked over at Jess who had her feet up on the dashboard and her eyes closed. Carol reached over and yanked the headphones out of her daughter’s ears. “Jessica Ann, listen to me. Why is going to visit your Aunt Beth so upsetting to you?”

“Oh, I don’t know, mom. Maybe it’s because it is the summer before I start college! Maybe I wanted to spend it with friends!”

“You mean friend? It’s not like I am sending you to some boot camp, you are going to New York City. Think of all the shopping! All the people you will meet!” Carol said excitedly.

“I hate shopping. I hate people.” Jess said dully as she put her headphones back in and reclined her seat.

Carol pulled the truck up to the airport’s front doors. “Alright, Jess, this is your stop.”

Jess pulled out her headphones and stared at her mom, “You aren’t going inside?”

“Why would I? You are seventeen; you can go through an airport by yourself. Besides, I am meeting Jack in twenty for lunch.”

Jess rolled her eyes at the sound of her step-father’s name. She cautiously stepped out of the car and grabbed her suitcases. She turned around to see her mom driving off without as much as a goodbye. Jess looked up at the big and uninviting building; she took one step towards the doors when a car horn stopped her. She flung around to see her mom back again. A smile spread across her face and she ran to the rolled down window on her mom’s side.

Jess’s smile left just as quickly as it came when her mom said, “Here, I almost forgot.” Carol took out three hundred dollars in cash and handed it to Jess. “Shopping money!” She smiled. “See ya in six weeks!” And just like that she was gone again.

Well at least she said some sort of goodbye. Jess thought to herself. Okay here I am, going to New York City. Maybe it will be fun. Jess walked into the airport just in time to see that her plane would be leaving in ten minutes. Or maybe it will be hell. She thought as she sprinted to her gate. She made it on the plane and took her seat, a window seat of course, in a row by herself. Soon she heard the pilot’s voice over the intercom and before she knew it she was in the air. A tear rolled down her cheek as she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.
Jess was awoken by the same voice that she fell asleep to. “We will be landing in New York City in ten minutes. Please place your chairs in the upright position and fasten your seat belts.” The pilot said.
The plane landed safely and Jess looked out the window to see big, tall, important looking buildings, it was quite the contrast to her little hometown back in Texas. Maybe if I stay on the plane they will just take me home. Her thoughts were interrupted by a stewardess asking her to exit the plane. Jess smiled and made her way down the connecting makeshift hallway into the airport. She was greeted by a squeal and was overtaken by a hug.
“Oh my gosh! Jess, look how much you have grown!” Beth said.
“Oh, hi, Aunt Beth.” Jess said unenthusiastically.
“I am so excited that you are here, we are going to have so much fun. Come on, let’s get your bags.”
The two walked down the terminal to the baggage claim without exchanging a word. They grabbed Jess’s bags and walked outside to the car. Once in the car Jess turned to her aunt and said, “So, when do I get to go home?”
Beth frowned and started to drive away from the airport, “Well your mom wants you to stay here for the summer. You know that.”
“Right.” Jess said, “So she can spend the last summer before I go off to college without me.”
“Oh, Hun. You know your mom loves you to pieces. Besides, this summer will be great, you’ll see. I have lots of things planned for us.”
“Us?” Jess questioned, “We are going to do stuff together?”
“Well, yeah. Me and you. Oh and scruffy, my dog. I hope you like dogs.”
Beth grabbed the 300 dollars in her pocket and smiled, “Yeah, I love dogs.” The ride back to Beth’s loft was quiet. They stepped in the front door and were greeted by a couple loud barks followed by paws on polished wood flooring. “This must be scruffy.” Jess said as she scratched the dog’s ears.
“It looks like he likes you. He usually doesn’t let anyone pet him. Come on let’s go get something to eat. There is a great diner just two blocks down, you’ll love it.” Beth said walking out the door again. The two walked down the street to a little diner that looked out of place in the middle of New York City. They stepped through the doors and sat in a little booth by the far window. “This is my favorite spot. You can see everyone walking around going about their lives. I love to people watch.”
“Yeah, me too.” Jess smiled as the waiter came over to their table. Jess stared up at the handsome blue eyed boy. Holy hot Jess thought to herself. This boy is gorgeous. Maybe NYC won’t be so bad.
Her thoughts were interrupted by strange looks from her aunt. “Jess, what do you want?”
“Uhm… just water, for now. Please.” Jess stuttered. The waiter smiled and walked away.
“What is up with you? I thought you were hungry?” Beth questioned.
“He is gorgeous, Aunt Beth.”
“That’s Max. Do you remember my old boyfriend?”
“HE is your old boyfriend?!”
Beth laughed, “No, no. That is his son. He is a really nice boy. I think you would like him. He hangs out at the loft a lot.”
“Oh, so I’ll be seeing a lot of him then.” Jess smiled down at her menu.
“Yeah,” Beth looked at her niece with skeptical eyes, “I guess you will.”