ARRIVAL

(Lara's pov)

“Lara, listen to me,” my mom’s voice was gentle but firm as she stood by the door. “You need to promise me something.”

I turned to look at her, a puzzled frown on my face. “What is it, Mom?”

“Promise me you won't give your uncle a tough time,” she said, her eyes softening. “He’s been kind enough to let you stay with him now that you’ve transferred to his city. It’s a big change, and he’s doing this for you because he cares.”

I sighed, trying to brush off the conversation. “I know, Mom. I’ll be fine.”

She stepped forward, cupping my face in her hands. “I mean it, Lara. Be patient with him, okay?”

“Okay, okay,” I nodded, giving her a small smile. “I promise.”

She looked relieved, a smile touching her lips. “Good. Now, you should get some sleep. Tomorrow’s going to be a long day.”

I nodded, watching as she gave me one last look before leaving my room, closing the door behind her. I sat down on the edge of my bed, staring at my packed bags. It was really happening. I was finally going to be in his city—finally going to be with him.

I laid down and pulled open my bedside drawer. From it, I took out an old, slightly worn photograph. It was a picture of me at ten years old, smiling brightly, and beside me was Aiden, twenty-six at that time. I traced my fingers over his face. He looked so young, yet even then, I had admired him so much.

My heart swelled with emotions as I stared at the photo. “I’m coming to you, Uncle Aiden,” I whispered to the picture.

I pressed the photograph against my chest, feeling its edges dig into my skin slightly. It was comforting, like he was right here with me. Soon, it wouldn’t just be this picture. I’d see him every day.

With that thought, I let my eyes close, a smile resting on my lips as I drifted into sleep. Tomorrow would change everything.

-----

As I settled into my seat on the plane, I let out a deep breath. The city I was leaving behind felt like a distant memory already. All I could think of was what lay ahead.

I glanced out the window, watching as the ground slowly disappeared beneath the clouds. My heart pounded with excitement and nervousness. I hadn’t seen him in so long, and now, I’d be living with him. "What would it be like? How had he changed?"

I closed my eyes, imagining him waiting for me at the airport, the way I’d pictured it countless times. I could almost feel his arms wrapping around me in a comforting hug, the reassurance that he was really there.

The plane landed with a slight jolt, waking me from the light sleep I had drifted into. I blinked, adjusting my eyes to the sudden flurry of activity as passengers gathered their belongings. My fingers reached for my phone, and I turned it on as soon as I could. My heart raced as I scanned for any messages. Something from my Uncle.

"Nothing?" I sighed.

I shook my head, trying to ignore the slight sting of disappointment. He must be waiting at the airport. He probably just didn’t have time to send me a text, right?

I quickly made my way out of the plane and into the arrival terminal.

I walked out of the terminal into the cool evening air. The city buzzed with life around me, but all I could think about was him, my uncle, My Aiden.

I wondered how he looked now. It had been so long since I’d last seen him, and the memories of his smile, his sharp eyes, and the way his hair fell over his forehead all flooded back to me. Had he changed much? Would he still recognize me the same way I would recognize him?

My heart fluttered slightly at the thought of seeing him again, and I found myself smiling just a little. He had always made me feel safe, and all I wanted was to see his face waiting for me among the crowd.

I glanced around, expecting to see him. My eyes moved eagerly from face to face until they finally stopped. My gaze fell on a young man in a black suit with brown hair, standing near a car with a polite smile on his face. My heart sank instantly.

"Really? He sent someone else to pick me up?"

Disappointment hit me hard. I didn’t want a driver. I wanted him. He was supposed to be here, to greet me, to take me home. I clenched my jaw, walking straight past the driver without acknowledging him. I wasn’t going to let someone else pick me up like some errand.

Without hesitation, I hailed a taxi and gave the driver the address of a nearby hotel. If Uncle Aiden thought sending a driver was enough, he was dead wrong. I’d wait for him—on my terms.

By the time I reached the hotel, the exhaustion from the long flight weighed heavily on me. I checked in and collapsed onto the bed, letting out a deep sigh. The soft mattress eased the tension in my body, but my mind was still racing.

I grabbed my phone, scrolling through the messages that had come in. One from him finally popped up.

"Princess, have you landed safely? I sent my driver to pick you up. We’ll meet at home later."

I rolled my eyes and tossed the phone down.

"Later? No." I wasn’t some afterthought. He was supposed to come himself, to make me feel like I was his priority, to make me feel safe and above all to make me feel loved by him. Instead, I was sitting here alone in a hotel room, waiting for him to figure it out.

As the hours passed by, the city outside my window grew darker. The lights flickered, and the night thickened. Yet, still no sign of him. No more messages, no missed calls.

"Why the hell isn't he calling nor texting?"

"Does he not care about me?"