Winter Holiday In Tuscany ((Closed))

[elina]

((This is purely for your enjoyment. Please do not reply. Thanks. ))

The day was going to go by so terribly slowly. She just knew it was. The clock would appear to be moving, but in reality it wouldn't be. What if it broke? What if all the clocks in the house spontaneously stopped working and Elina missed her flight? Oh, great. Now, on top of anxiousness she was nervous about the clocks stopping and her missing her flight. Which was positively preposterous. Elina was never late for anything. No matter the clocks stopping. None the less, she went over her itinerary a good ten times before setting it aside and unzipping her luggage. She unfolded and refolded her clothes before rearranging them by colour. After she had finished with that, she made sure the necessary things were in zip-lock baggies so she wouldn't get lint on them. Things like her toothbrush, deodorant, and other hygienic items. She zipped up her luggage once more, and then pulled her carry on rucksack onto her bed. She unbuckled the flap and dived in, pulling out books, headphones, a notebook and two pens, a highlighter, and hand sanitizer along with her wallet. She didn't want to forget anything.

There was a knock at her door; "Elina? You almost ready, it's about time to head off to the airport." Meredith poked her head into the room and looked at her eldest daughter with a glow in her eyes. Elina felt guilty for leaving her family during the winter holidays, especially when it was around Christmas time. Christmas was always a big thing in the Hill house. It was family tradition, and with normal circumstances Elina wouldn't have been allowed out of the house. But this wasn't normal circumstances. She was offered a chef's course in Italy and she had intended to take it. After a bit of thinking, Elina decided to reject it - but her parents wouldn't hear of it. This was a once in the lifetime opportunity and they didn't want her to lose it like she was willing to. They practically forced her to go. Of course it didn't take much for Elina to give in. Secretly she had dreaded saying no to the professors in Tuscany. Elina bit her bottom lip in thought and looked around her room once more. She sighed in relief and looked back at her mother. She didn't think she was forgetting anything. But then again, Elina oftened thought she had everything under control and she didn't.

"Yes, I think so." Elina said finally, as she pulled her rucksack on her shoulder and grabbed her luggage which had wheels on the bottom and made it easier to pull to places. She pulled the handle up out of her luggage and tilted it, so she could pull it behind her as she walked out of the room. She paused at her doorway, and looked around at the white walls. Her blue bed stood out against the pristine cleanliness and on the far right wall there were Ravenclaw penants everywhere. A bulletin board had photos of her and some of her friends from school. One that stood out was of her and Jasmine Anderson, just the year before - laughing in the common room over a cup of hot chocolate and books out on their laps. Elina smiled, felt tears well in her eyes, and walked over to the bulletin board. She took the picture down, folded it, and stuck it in her back pocket. She wanted Jasmine there with her, every step of the way.

[elina]

Elina absolutely despised flights. It was the taking off and the landing that upset her the most. She didn't like the feeling of her stomach being left behind while her body was up higher in the sky, and vice versa. The other parts of the flight are fine, the only thing she disliked about the actual flight was the turbulence, but that only happened every now and then - thankfully. Having just taken off from the London airport, Elina could settle back into her seat, her novel in hand and read peacefully as they flew to Italy. It was a one way flight. No stops. That's what Elina made sure happened. She didn't want to get lost in a world she didn't know. That was the thing, wasn't it? Elina was going to Italy. A world she didn't know. Her Italian wasn't fluent, but she knew enough to get her to a place where English was spoken. She wasn't worried about that, no, she was worried about everything else.

"May I have your attention passengers? We'll be landing here in approximately 30 minutes. Please return to your seats, and secure your seatbelt. Thank you." The captains voice crackled over the speaker. Elina sighed as she bookmarked her novel, and set it in her bag. Her brown hair was twisted up in an elegant knot, and she wore a white dress shirt, with a pair of blue polyester capris and tennis shoes. Her bag was red, tweed, and she adored it so. It was a goodbye gift from her parents. Elina looked out the window as Tuscany came into view. She smiled. She was near heaven. It was too bad Papi and Nani wouldn't be able to pick her up at the airport. Oh well. Elina would very much like to see things from a bus rather than from a car. Somehow she thought it would be more adventurous that way. Perhaps, maybe she could even see a few sights before heading to the villa. Isn't that half the reason why Elina was in Tuscany for the winter? To see the sights, and to take her cooking course? Well, according to Ashley, it's also to find that romance.

I'm not looking for that romance in Tuscany, I just want to pass this course. But I wouldn't mind if a good looking bloke stumbled upon my door... Elina thought as the captain came over the speaker again, "Please fasten all seat belts and return trays to the upright position. We are beginning our descent to the runway." Elina pushed her tray up and clicked it into place as she was instructed, and smiled to herself. Nervous, anxious, excited, nauseous. All of it mixed together to make one emotion. One that does not have a word matched to it just yet. All in good time, Elina, all in good time. The wheels came out and they were soon making contact with a runway. The plane rolled to a stop, and then everyone started to get up and get their things before continuing off the plane. Elina wasted no time. She grabbed her rucksack and her purse, and followed everyone else. One foot out into the sun of Tuscany and Elina is nearly collapsing from the heat. She breathed in, and descended the staircase slowly. This temperature was something she would have to get used to.