"Welcome to Tampa International Airport. Please enjoy your stay."

Well, for me, it's pretty much a permanent stay.

We walk by such places as some burger place called Checkers and some swanky place called Tampa Bay's Best Smoothies!

I rub my temple, hoping that just maybe  this was a dream.

But I realized it wasn't when my parents got the rental car, and we were driving to our new house.

"Look, honey," Mom tells Dad, "Tampa has a casino."

"It's a casinko." I reply.

"Hollis, quit acting like a second grader." Mom warns me.

My 11-year old brother, though, was looking at the beach view.

"Tampa is so nice. So so nice."

"I miss Portland already." I whine.

"Well, Hollis, we can't change anything now." Dad tells me. "We moved here to support your mom's new job."

Which meant working at some oncology center. Yawn.

Finally, after turning on Fifth Avenue, we immediately see the house.

2694 Orange Grove Dr.

I stare at it. The color scheme looked like the Miami Dolphins team invaded Tampa, saw our house, and barfed on it. I said it: aqua and white was the color scheme.

And I thought Tampa's team colors were bronze and red or something like that.

"Are you sure we're in Tampa?" I ask my mom.

"Yes, honey." Mom stupidly reassures me.

As we walked in, what I saw surprised me.

The house was so beautiful. So majestic and gorgeous.

I go upstairs and look at my new room.

I scream.

"Hollis! What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing." I smile. "I actually have it made in here. Just put in Netflix and I'll be okay."

My mom shrugs and tugs on my sleeve.

"Hollis, take that off. Florida isn't like Oregon. It's already 87 degrees, and it's noon."

Procrastinating, I take off my sweatshirt.

Damn. Mom was right; Tampa is super humid. How do you expect me to live here?

________________________________
The Following Evening

Our second day in Florida wasn't too bad; we looked around the Tampa/St. Petersburg area. It was pretty nice.

As I went downstairs, I notice Dad watching Horrible Bosses on Netflix.
Ah, my dad, always hogging Netflix.

Why can't we watch the news, like normal people?

"No, we have to find our friend, Kurt."
"Well..." *gets something out*
"What is that?"
"A gun, so I can kill you and...."
*walks off* "Kurt."
*walks towards the doorway*
"Kurt! Where the hell we're you?"
"In the bathroom."
"What's that?" *lady walks out of the bathroom*
"Uh...."
"What the hell was that, Kurt?"
*both guys slap Kurt*
"Let's just get in the car!"

I interrupt my dad's train of thought and pause the movie.

"Dad?"

"Yes?"

"Can't we watch the news, like normal people?"

"Sure." my dad says annoyingly. He changes it to some TV station.

"KOEB Tampa. Where trust is earned."

"That's the stupidest catchphrase I've ever heard." I tell my dad.

"I agree."

"Welcome to the News At 5. I'm Stephanie Baker. Today, it has been announced that longtime couple Kermit and Miss Piggy are splitting. Their agents haven't said much.....now to the hailstorm hitting St. Petersburg. Our meteorologist...."

So here was what I was finding about the Tampa news folks:

1. They need eyedrops. Their eyes looked red.
2. The meteorologist was hot af.
3. They need to change their catchphrase. Where Trust Is Earned is so stupid.
4. There are more important things going on in our country than Miss Piggy and Kermit breaking up. They're puppets, for God's sake.

I turn to my dad and ask him the question that had bugged me all day.

"Dad?"

"Yes, Princess Monkey Butt?"

"Dad. I'm almost seventeen."

He laughs. "Yes, ma'am?"

"Where's my new high school?" I was an incoming junior, and I had gone to Rose City High in Portland, but now I was going to...

"Tampa Bay High." Dad replies. "It's 5 minutes from here, it's super close."

I nod. "I'm nervous. And where is Hunter going?"

"Hillsborough County Middle." Dad tells me. "And that nervous feeling? It happens every first day, but going to school in a different town means meeting new people, and trying new things. How about it?"

"I suppose."

A/n: Well, that was the second chapter. Will Hollis adjust to Tampa?
Ps. Horrible Bosses is one of the funniest movies I've seen; lol I could only think of Kurt though....
man, Kurt Cobain really got me in a weird funk about people named Kurt.
*random rant mine and mine itself*

Love y'all
-falloutreasester