Page 15 of Finding My Forever

I looked around suddenly wondering if I missed something.

“You like my hair? Chica, your hair is incredible.” She reached over and lifted one of my curls from my shoulder. “Is it your natural color?”

I smiled. “Family curse.”

“Wow. I wish I had your color. I didn’t think this shade of red existed outside a bottle.”

“I love all of the colors in your hair. If I even thought of coloring my hair, my parents would kill me.”

“Are your parents strict?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess not overly, but they would freak if I came home with streaks like yours.”

“My parents weren’t thrilled, but I pay for it and make sure I don’t stain anything so they don’t mind too much. Now, my mom actually tells me what colors she wants me to do next.”

“That’s cool.” I looked at the clock near the ceiling. Twenty more minutes until boarding started. Might as well get to know her. “What else are you into?”

She shrugged.

“Do you play any sports?”

She let out another laugh. “No way. I’m the least coordinated person you’ll ever meet. One time in freshman PE I tripped over my own foot trying to kick a soccer ball.”

I giggled at the image that created in my mind. I doubt she handled that well.

“Are you in drama or band?”

She shook her head. “No. I’ve worked with the drama department to paint their sets and backdrops but I’ve never been one for having attention on me. I’d much rather have a person stare at a painting than at me.”

I smiled. “I can understand that.”

“So, what’s your thing? Cheer?”

I shook my head. “No. I’ve only stayed on the team for my best friend.”

Sophia raised an eyebrow.

“She’s the captain and absolutely loves everything about cheer. She wants to be a pro one day and cheer in the NFL. She spends so much time on it I’d never see her if I wasn’t on the squad, too.”

Sophia’s smile grew. “Got it. So, you’re not some dumb cheerleader that’s going to tell me to be aggressive, b-e aggressive at the baggage claim?”

I burst out laughing. “Definitely not, but I could see Katie doing that.”

She laughed with me. “So, what is it then?”

I shrugged. “I’m not sure yet. I really like reading and I write short stories.”

“That’s cool.”

I was grateful she didn’t push for more. Finding my thing was something I struggled with for most of my life. Beth and Elise always seemed to know themselves so well. I was more of a drifter. I tried new things then moved on. I didn’t have an overwhelmingly obvious talent for any one thing, but maybe I could make writing my thing.

“Do you know where you want to go to college?”

I slummed in my seat. “No. You?”

“Probably ASU.”

“Not an art school?”