A Different World! (Chapter 2, Page 4)

She walked into the main lobby of the recreation center, it was spacious, beautiful and glimmering with the same marble floors Olivia had in her new home. She noticed out of the corner of her eye a group of kids her age playing foosball and some others hanging out on the numerous couches reading and talking. Olivia walked as fast as she could through the lobby without looking too obvious. She tried so hard to remain confident and cool.

She made her way through another set of doors and outside to the pool area. It was surrounded by a cement wall and bushes almost as tall as Olivia, it’s purpose was to hide the residence lounging in swimsuits from the outside world and protecting the innocent passerby that might have accidentally wandered into the compound. Overtime, Olivia found that many of the local men made a habit of driving by the pool in hopes of catching a glimpse of the half-naked bodies inside the walls. 

Finally locating a vacant lounge chair Olivia carefully laid out her towel and sat down, lubed herself with coconut scented oil and opened up the book she brought and began to read. Trying to pass the time until she was lucky enough to meet someone she could relate too. Olivia sat back in the lounge chair and became engrossed in the story she was reading and before she realized it an hour had passed.

“Hi, is anyone sitting here” a girl about Olivia’s age, maybe a year younger, asked as she gestured to the empty chair next to where she was sitting. “No, it’s free” Olivia replied shyly. “I’m Sophie” introducing herself as she draped her towel over the lounge chair. “I’m Olivia” replying while slowly raising her hand.

“Your new here aren’t you?” Sophie continued as she sat down and began the same sunscreen ritual Olivia had just performed earlier. “Yes, we arrived yesterday” Olivia replied keeping her answer short. “Where are you from Olivia?” Sophie asked. “I’m from Arizona, where are you from?” asked Olivia. “I’m from Florida, we moved here almost two years ago. My Dad is a mechanic for the airlines. How about your dad, what does he do?” she asked. “He’s a pilot, he’s leaving on his first flight tomorrow” Olivia replied.

Olivia continued, “Sophie can I ask you something? Do you live here all summer and leave for boarding school in the fall?”. Sophie replied “Yeah, my bother and sister and I go to boarding school in Florida, not too far from where we grew up. It’s not so bad. During the school year we spend most weekends with my grandparents. Gives me a chance to use my driver’s license, if you know what I mean. What about you, where are you going to school?”

A Different World! (Chapter 2, Page 3)

Mrs. Mayweather was excited at the thought of making new friends, before they left Arizona and in the midst of packing for their move, she would daydream of vacation getaway’s with the girls. Olivia and her father would be away much of the time, so Mrs. Mayweather decided this would be her time for adventure. She spent the last thirty plus years taking care of a family and she envisioned some much-needed independence. The compound they now call home houses over two thousand other employees from the airlines. A mixture of Americans and Brits with a few other nationality’s thrown in, their own little melting pot in the Middle East.

One saving grace for Olivia was the recreation complex just across the street from their condo. Brand new with an Olympic size swimming pool, game room and snack bar. The man who gave them a ride home from the airport told them it was the regular gathering place for most of the residence. Olivia was just hoping to find someone her own age to hang out with, someone who could relate to her suffering.

Since her father would be leaving tomorrow Olivia decided to step out of the house for a while and give her parents some much-needed alone time. Plus it would give her an opportunity to scope out any hot guys by the pool without her mother tagging along. Olivia finished breakfast, cleaned up and made her way out the door. “Olivia, don’t go anywhere but the pool, this is an unfamiliar place so please be careful, it’s not Tucson you know” her mother’s voice bellowed from the kitchen “I won’t and I know this is NOTHING like Tucson” Olivia snidely replied, as she closed the door behind her.

She pressed the button and waited for the elevator as it slowly made its way up to the fifth floor. Stepping into the small, closet like mode of transportation, she studied the Arabic numbers on the keypad as it made it’s way down, each lighted floor whisking pass the glass panel on the elevator door. For a moment, Olivia panicked, quickly reminding herself which button would take her back home when she was ready to go. Just another reminder she was in a foreign place and had to learn a new numerical system before she got stranded between floors. When the elevator came to a stop, she snapped out of her maze of thoughts and oncoming emotions, knowing she couldn’t change what was happening, and deciding to make the best of it.

Olivia stepped out of the elevator and walked towards the main entrance of their building, the sun grew brighter as she approached the front doors, so bright that even her sunglasses didn’t seem to help much. Upon opening the double glass doors to the outside, she was met with a blast of hot air, like a hard slap in the face. It was only ten o’clock in the morning and already one hundred degrees, Olivia mumbled to herself “I just hope the pool water is cold.” It was a short walk to the recreation center that had just opened a few weeks prior to their arrival and still under some last-minute touch-ups. Olivia thought it was humorous that the sidewalk led to a big gathering area in front of the center, humorous because the sidewalk had a large design which looked like the star of David, she chuckled, realizing the locals hadn’t noticed it yet.

The pool in Saudi City, Jeddah Saudi Arabia