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1. Flying Away: From Melbourne to the world


'I'm going to miss you guys,' Yani said tearfully.

There was a chorus of 'awws' from her three friends as they all rushed forward to give her a group hug.

'You'll be fine Yani-- think of the new experiences! Besides, you'll be too busy teaching little kids to actually miss us,' Camie reassured her.

Yani nodded, she knew that everything would be okay. It wasn't as though she were heading off to her father's homeland of Colombia on her own, she'd be going with her father, stepmother and baby brother.

It was her first teaching post, having just completed her first semester of her two year teaching course at university. But she was going to put that on hold for the American summer so that she could kill two birds with one stone so to speak. The underprivileged kids in Bogota were just calling out to her.

It wasn't a difficult decision to make.

'Yani, we better get going or we'll be late!' Mr. Corez, Yani's father called as he strapped baby Sebas in the carseat.

'Have fun guys, and write! I left you my dad's address in Bogota right?'

'Why would we write?' Kei asked, then grinned when Yani's face fell, 'of course we'll write. Now get in the car!'

'Don't mind her Yani, have fun!' Emi poked Kei on the side before waving the baby of the group off.

Together the three friends watched as the car pulled out of the Corez' driveway and knew that the summer adventures were underway.

+++


Yani- June 24


I settled myself into my seat and re-adjusted my seatbelt.
Sebas sat between myself and Angie, my stepmother and was gurgling away in his happy two year-old world.

This summer, Kei said we should all set goals.
Something that we wish to accomplish.
Mine was that I make a difference in at least one child's life in Bogota.

Ever since I was in year nine or ten, I knew that I wanted to be a teacher.
Everyone said I was perfect for it.
I was kind, compassionate and friendly--
So everyone was pretty much happy when I got accepted to Marshall University in our home-city of Melbourne, Australia.

It would have been easy to just zip by through the next year and a half and finish it off.
But I knew when dad asked me to go to Bogota, Colombia-- his homeland-- that it was sign for me to give back to the community.
Dad doesn't know it yet, but I plan to teach english at one of the orphanages.
I have limited Spanish, but I've been brushing up with those 'How to' books.

At 18, everything is about having fun.
So I suppose I want some of that too.
God only knows how much I need it after the nightmare of last year-- my senior year at Thompson Secondary College.
Heart broken to say the least.
Matt--I don't want to talk about.

I don't think I'm quite ready for love.
Which is not really anything weird in my group of friends.
Particularly since only two of my friends have ever held a boyfriend for a long period of time.
I had done so once, and maybe, maybe, its just not for me.

Hmm... its only eight-thirty and already I'm sleepy.
It must be the change in altitude.
I better get some sleep.
Hopefully when I wake up we'll be much nearer to Colombia.

My goal: To give back to the community and have a little fun.

+++

'Happy birthday Emi!' Kei and Camie said at the same time, as the eldest of their group turned 19.

'Thanks guys,' the birthday girl grinned.

'You give it to her...'

'No, you do it!'

'Fine!' Kei stuck out her hand and extended a small parcel.

'What is it?' Emi looked at it suspiciously.

'Just open it,' Camie rolled her eyes.

The three friends were at the airport. Emi and Camie were both taking a flight to London before they went on connecting flights, Emi to Germany and Camie to Italy. Kei's flight was an hour and a half after them, heading to Los Angeles before taking a connecting to her grandparents' place in Texas.

Emily unwrapped the parcel and grinned when she saw a charm that she could add to her bracelet. Always a fan of the dark and deep, it was a snake fang-- made of gold.

'Thanks guys,' the girls propelled themselves onto her.

'Boarding Flight EM 406 to London,' the P.A. announced.

'Have fun guys. Don't do anything I wouldn't do,' Kei winked mischievously as she ushered us through to our departure gate.

'You too sis,' Camie said, hugging her.

'Emi-- I have a feeling you're going to have more fun on this trip than you expected,' Kei said mysteriously.

+++

Emi- June 27


I fingered the new charm on my bracelet.
It stood out magnificently as it was golden, while the rest were sort of charcoal in colour.
It wasn't the first time I was going to Germany.
Though it was the first time I was going on my own.

Camie was sitting next to me, writing excitedly in her own journal.
She would be going to Italy to find her boyfriend...

I was going to Germany because the last time I visited, it was such a wonderful experience (though I'm not looking forward too much about the stopover at Heathrow) and I wanted to relieve it.

There is artistic blood within me.
My two older sisters before me had it.
And though at times I wondered if I got skipped, I knew now that it wasn't true.

Germany-- I was going to be visiting the Great Concert Halls, the Churches, the Castles-- all things that made Germany great.
Probably even the remnants of the Berlin Wall--
I'd been commission by my sister, Sila, since she knew I wanted to go back to Germany anyway.

Oh yep, Camie just reminded me that I had to set a goal.

My goal: Stop being so timid.

Yeah, what a joke!
If Camie, Kei or Yani had read that they'd probably end up wetting themselves laughing.
But its true.
I'm more than a little tired of being so off-set.
I've sort of envied the three of them for being so comfortable in public, in the centre of attention-- I don't want 'shyness' to be put as my biggest downfall.

+++

'I'm going to miss you Emi,' Camie through her arms over her best friend.

'Yeah, me too--' for once she didn't complain about the back-breaking hug she was enduring.

'What time's your flight?'

'Its in two hours. Stop procrastinating, just get on that plane!' Emi pushed her lightly towards the boarding gate.

'I'm just... really nervous-- its-- its not something I do every day,' Camie confided.

'I'd be surprised if it was,' Emi raised her eyebrows.

'Emi,' Camie complained, 'this is Johnie.'

'You'll be fine Camie, have fun and enjoy the sights. We're meeting back here in a month and half-- all will be okay,' Emi took the comforting role.

After a last hug, Camie finally built up the courage to make her way through the gate.

+++

Camie- June 27 (again)


I'm about to have a conniption.
God, I don't know what forced me to come here.
There must've been a reason why Johnie never came to me...

Calm Camie... Calm down...

I just don't know if I can handle this.
So many different thoughts running through my head.
January said that I'd be pleasantly surprised.
I don't know what that means.

The hoe wouldn't tell me anything about him even though they'd met in person numerous of times.
Why don't I know what my boyfriend of almost three years is like?
Because I've never met him.

Well of course I have-- I met him on the internet.
Through a mutual friend who has actually met him.
So it was pretty much all safe.

But now, now is the first time I get to see him face to face.
My cousin lives quite a fair distance from him, so it probably wont be in a few days time.
Thank goodness, because I feel trashed.
I must look like a dishevelled mess!
I need sleep.

The excitement's just prevented me from sleeping any of the 28 hour trip.
And now I have repeat a day again.
I hope my cousin's bed is comfortable.

My goal: To live through this summer without having heart problems (Physically, emotionally or otherwise)

+++


'Kei!'

'Jenny? Grandma?' Kei's eyes became bright as her gaze landed on two familiar looking faces, both of which she'd met for the first time only half a year ago.

'You're finally here! I'm so excited!' Jenny's beautiful brown eyes danced.

Kei felt sort of like a dwarf next to her tall cousin, but she wasn't going to dwell on that.

'Two months of fun in the sun!'

'You do know that I don't know how to ride horses,' Kei told her dubiously.

Jenny laughed at her Australian-raised cousin's ignorance, thinking that Texas was all about horses and cowboys, 'Yeah, but we wont even be in San Antonio this summer.'

'What?' Kei looked confusedly towards her grandmother.

'Jenny, Brian and Julia want to take you over to Turtle Cove Beach for the summer, we cut a deal that as long as you stay here for the next week at least, and the last week before you leave, we'll allow it.'

Kristine forced herself to grin.

'What do you think cousin? The beach, hot lifeguards, night parties, sharing a shack with your favorite cousins?'

'Excellent.'

+++

Kei- June 27


It's not even remotely funny.
I hate the beach.
I've got an irrational phobia of big bodies of water.
Oh God, how am I supposed to tell them?

The truth?
I absolutely couldn't tell them.
When I finally got to my auntie's house, and re-met my other two cousins, (Jenny is 23, Brian is 21, Julia is 19) and saw the excitement on their faces... just couldn't hack it.

Now my brain is going overboard trying to think of reasons to stay away from the beach.
And I think I may have just found one.
I'd just completed half a semester of my cooking course.
Because I hold an Australian passport, I'm allowed to work for less than a month.

So that's excellent.
Give or take, that's only two weeks that I'll have to pretend that I'm busy otherwise.

It's kind of embarrassing.
Actually-- its more than embarrassing.
This is just plain cowardly.

I'd be the biggest hypocrite if I didn't set myself a good goal.
So here it is, much to my own dismay:
(Who knew I was such a masochist).

My goal: to learn how to bodyboard or surf.
To spent at least a half hour on the beach each day.

Who am I kidding?

+++


Author's Note: Hey, I'm a new author here at FicWad, just posting this story that I previously began as 'kei_sainter' at another site. I hope you enjoy this, Kei.