Just My Type

Excerpt- Where to Find Me

Chapter 1

"So this is California," Thomas said looking out of one of the many huge windows in the airport.

"It's pretty," I said. "I think we should go to the beach after we're settled in."

I adjusted the strap of my bag on my shoulder and pulled my rolling, neon green, luggage case behind me as I moved toward the escalator with Thomas in tow.

"I think I wouldn't mind seeing you in a bikini again," Thomas smirked.

The heat creeped up on my face and I had to take deep breaths to control it. "Yeah, well don't say stuff like that in front of aunt."

"Why? She seems cool about us."

"She's still my aunt."

"Liv," he said as we stepped off the escalator. "You're eighteen now, I don't think it matters what anyone thinks."

"My Mom would definitely disagree with you."

"But she isn't here, is she?"

"No, thank the great heavens above. Could you imagine?"

I shook my head. He clearly didn't understand my mom. Being eighteen made no difference to her. She would always have opinions on my life, because she will always think she knows best. And about some things she might. But I don't need her opinion on my love life. She'd slowly come to accept Thomas and I being together, but that didn't mean she liked it. She just got really good about quietly stewing.

Now that I was away from my parents and my home, I wasn't going to let anything hold me back anymore. I was here to learn about my aunt's past and the apparent secrets she's been carrying all this time and to spend every moment I possibly can with my boyfriend, enjoying my vacation.  

This was this summer of changes.

"Liv, over here." Thomas grabbed my hand and nodded in the direction of a tall blonde woman holding up a large orange sign that said "WELCOME TO CALIFORNIA!"

It took me a moment to realize it was my aunt Anita standing there with a huge smile and a perfectly styled now hairdo. Beside her was a man I hadn't ever seen before, but from what I could guess, it was most likely her new boyfriend. He waved us over with an equally huge smile on his face.

"Olivia!" Aunt Anita said, throwing her arms around me. "It's so good to see you!"

She gripped me tightly in her arms and I laughed returning her hug. It was like she hadn't seen me in years instead of months. I missed her too, but I had a feeling this went deeper than that. Maybe this visit had her overemotional in the face of revealing to me all of her secrets.

When she finally let go she moved back to look at me with hands still on my shoulders. "You look older."

I smiled. "Only by a few months."

"Has it only been months?" She sounded genuinely surprised. She then looked down at the necklace hanging round my neck and picked up the locket. "You wore it."

"Of course I did. I wear it every day," I announced proudly.

She met my eyes for a second with an unreadable glance and then smiled. "Well," she said with more emotion than I thought she would use. "I'm glad you took care of it for me."

"I did." Then I took the chain in my hands and began to lift it off my neck. Anita quickly reacted by holding her hands out in front of her to get me to stop.

"What are you doing?"

I raised my eyebrows. "Giving you back your necklace"

Over the past months I had gotten so used to wearing it, it seemed like a part of me now. I would never tell Anita, but I already missed it and I hadn't even handed it over to her yet.