"Honey!" said Calvin's dad one night "Big news!".
"What is it, dear?".
"I got promoted!".
"Really?" asked Calvin's mom "That's wonderful!".
"But they said that they want to meet my family, so that's why we need to go to their main office in Port Mystic".
"I wonder how Calvin will react to this...".
Meanwhile, on the staircase, Calvin, and his tiger, Hobbes, overheard the conversation.
"Did you hear that?" whispered Hobbes "We're going on a vacation!".
"Cool! I can't wait! Now be a little more quiet, I need to hear what they're saying".
"What time do we need to leave?" Mom asked.
"Tomorrow at noon".
Calvin and Hobbes tiptoed upstairs, trying hard not be heard.
"We better get packing" Calvin said.
Meanwhile, Dorie, Reanne, and Mirabelle were walking home from school together.
"Are we really getting an exchange student?" asked Mirabelle.
"Yeah" Reanne said "Mrs. Cooper already told us".
"Oh boy. I can't wait to learn a new language" Dorie said.
"Dorie" Mirabelle said "The exchange student is coming from America".
"Where in America, exactly?".
"Not sure" Reanne replied "The only hint Mrs. Cooper gave us was 'If you look on a map, their house is by the giant letter E in the word STATES"'.
"A real baffler, huh?".
The girls walked on until they spit up to their houses. When Dorie came home, she saw her Mom on the phone.
"Yes...uh huh...okay, no problem. Bye.".
Dorie looked confused.
"Dorie" said her mom "Your teacher just called. We arranged so that the exchange student and his family will be staying at our house".
"Oh. OK".
Dorie went to her room and flopped on the bed. Her head was still spinning about this mystery exchange student.
"Is it a boy? Is it a girl? Is it my age? How long will it be staying here?".
The next day, Calvin and his family were ready to go. They loaded up the car and drove to the airport. Once they got there, they boarded the plane which eventually took off into the sky. Inside the plane, Calvin fell asleep.
"Calvin" said his mom, who lightly shook him awake "I forgot to tell you that you will be going to the school in Port Mystic for the time that we'll be staying here".
"Oh, that's just perfect!" growled Calvin "Right when things seemed like they were looking up!".
"Come on, Calvin" coaxed his dad "You'll have a great time there. You might even make some new friends".
"Also, your new teacher arranged it so that we will be staying with the Goodwyn family, who have a child a little older than you".
"Sounds good" said Calvin.
For most of the ride, Calvin just read his comic books. Suddenly, a bell rang indicating that it was time for lunch. When the stewardess came around to Calvin's seat, they asked him what he wanted.
"I'll have a big plate of cookies smothered in fudge frosting and rainbow sprinkles with rocky road ice cream on the side, and my friend here will have the salmon with dill sauce".
"I see..." the stewardess said, her eyes dimming.
Ten minutes later, she came back with a brown bag. Calvin looked inside. In the bag there was a ham sandwich on a bagel, cheese-strings, a juice box, and a granola bar.
"Hey, lady!" called Calvin "You messed up! This isn't what I ordered at all! I demand to talk to the-".
Everyone on the plane looked at him.
"Calvin" his mother said through clinched teeth "Just eat your lunch, and be quiet".
Shortly after lunch, the plane finally landed. Calvin and his family came out of the airport, and stopped to smell the fresh, sweet, salty air.
"Isn't this place wonderful?" asked Calvin's mom.
"It's nothing like camping, but it is very breathtaking" Calvin's dad replied.
A car pulled up to the curb. Out came Mr and Mrs Goodwyn.
"There you guys are! Welcome to Port Mystic" they greeted.
"It's very nice to meet you" Calvin's parents smiled.
Ad they started loading their luggage into the trunk, Calvin looked through the backseat window.
"Oh, I almost for got to tell you" said Mrs. Goodwyn "That's Katelyn, and beside her is Dorie. I think you're sort of younger than her, are you? Girls, please make room for Calvin".
Calvin squeezed into the backseat. One glance at Dorie and Calvin went pale.
"Uh, hi" said Dorie.
Calvin's face squinched up in shyness.
"I knew it" said Katelyn "He obviously has a crush on you, Dorie".
"Aw, shut up, you little twerp!" Dorie shot back.
The two started to argue while Calvin watched on.
"Man, I'm going to like it here!".