I strolled in to my wonderful 7th hour class, history. My dark brown, waist length, straight hair swishing back and forth. Green eyes sparkling with joy on a squared face half covered with my side bangs. At my whopping 5'5 height I walked over to my desk and take a seat. History always was one of my favorite classes. I mean you are able to learn about places all over the world. Even though history is great and everything, my favorite class of all is my Japanese class. We get to learn a whole bunch of different things about Japan. Like the language (which I speak fluently), history, sports, schooling system, business world, foods, books, how to eat with chopsticks, and much, much more.
"Ding," the loud school bell rang! Whoops, I spaced out all of 7th hour again, I totally do not do this a lot. "Summer could you please stay after class I would like to talk to you about something," Mrs. McConnell asked. Oh no, bet she knows I didn't listen all hour. I marched over to her desk, oh well!
"You wanted to see me, Mrs. McConnell," I stated shyly.
"I know how much you love Japan, and school has been offered to do an exchange program overseas. They asked me to choose one student from all my classes. You are doing very well in school, straight A's. I have talked to your other teachers, they agreed with me when I said I would like you to participate in this program. You would have to do all your school work from this school and the one you are going to. Do you think that you're up to that?"
"Wow! I would love to!" I squealed.
"Very well, I'll send all the information to your house. You may leave now," said Mrs. McConnell.
I walk out of the room, so excited I was almost skipping down the hallway. I open up my locker humming I'm going to Japan, I'm going to Japan, I'm going to Japan! "So what you humming about," asked someone behind me.
"OMG, you will not believe what just happened! Ok so I was in class, you know spacing out. Then Mrs. McConnell called me over and drum roll please," I tap on my locker door, "she told me I'm going to JAPAN!"
"No way that's so amazing," Abigail said excitedly. Abigail and I have been best friends since pre-school.
*flashback*
I walk over to a girl with blonde pigtails. She's holding a juice box which is totally unfair because I don't have one. I walk up a take her juice box. "Hey that's my juice box," the girl screamed.
"Well to bad," I said, then I stuck my tongue out at her. "AHHH," I fell to the ground. What the peanut-butter fudge, that girl just tackled me.
"Give me back my juice box now or I'll never get off of you!" Was she serious, now both my elbows hurt. Before I can stop myself, the tears start rolling down my cheeks.
"You're so mean," I choke out between my tears. I can't believe someone would be this mean. I did steal her juice box but that gives her no reason to tackle me. I look up and see the girl has gotten off me and was holding her hand out to me. I take her hand and she helps me up.
"I'm sorry I tackled you. I guess I just got caught up in the moment. If you wanted a juice box all you had to do was ask." She goes over to her desk and pulls out another juice box. "Here," She holds out the juice box and I take it from her hand.
"I'm sorry too; I shouldn't have stolen your juice box. I swear I will never do it again, cross my heart and hope to die," I make an x over my heart.
"Friends," she holds her hand out.
"Friends," I take her hands and shake it, "oh, by the way my name is Summer."
"Abigail," she said with a smile on her face.
*End of Flashback*
Ahhh, good times. Too bad that now since I'm going to Japan I'll never get to make any more of those good memories. I can feel the tears welling up in my eyes. I throw my arms around Abigail and weep into her shoulder. I feel her hand pat my back awkwardly.
"Shhh, don't cry. Don't even think about it, we'll talk everyday and I'll call you whenever I get a chance. It will be like you never left." Her comforting words stops my trail of tears. Wow, I'm really lucky to have such a great friend like her. I back up from her and wipe the tears from my eyes.
"Thanks," I said with a smile on my face.
"No prob, just don't do it again."
"Well I better be going now, see ya later." I close my locker and wave good bye to Abigail. I can't believe that in a couple of weeks I'll be in Japan starting all over again. I will miss this school even though I'll only be gone for one semester. I open up the schools door and walk out. Breathing a nice big breath of Kansas air knowing in a couple of weeks I'll be gone and never get to breathe another Kansas breath. I start walking home, it was around 65* outside and the wind was blowing a nice gentle breeze. Man this was perfect weather; it was days like this that I was going to miss the most. After walking about a mile I made my way up to my front door and opened it. "Hey Mom, I'm home," my mom was a stay at home mom ever since she decided that working with behavior management kids took too much damage on her body.
"Hey sweetie how was school today," my mom said as she walked out of the kitchen wearing a purple apron.
"Amazing, you will never guess what Mrs. McConnell said to me!"
"Really, what did she say?"
"She said that the school has been offered to do an exchange program with a town in Japan and guess what, she said that she like me to participated in it. Isn't just amazing!"
"Well, that's great and all, but you're not going."
"What are you talking about, of course I'm going. I even have my outfit that I'm going to wear on the plane picked out. How can you say no, this is a once in a life time opportunity." Each word my voice rises with panic.
"I only have you for three more years till you're off to college. I don't want to miss out of even more of your life. I'm sorry but you're not going."
"Please mom, I'll call every day and talk to you when ever I can. Its only one semester and I promise that I'll be good. It will be like I never left. Please!"
"I will have to talk to your father, but if I can convinces him, then maybe." My mom said with a smile creeping up on her face.
"Yea, thanks mom!" I said with a gigantic smile on my face. I ran to my room and shut the door. "YEA! I'M GOING TO JAPAN! I'M GOING TO JAPAN! I'M GOING TO JAPAN!" I shouted as I jumped in circles. I fall back on to my bed thinking best day ever!
*Two Weeks Later*
"Bye mom, see ya in about five months," I say as I retreat from her hug. After some very careful thinking I finally decided to wear a light, pink top that had flowers all over it, a plain, white jacket with three-quarter sleeves, a cream color skirt that fell right above the knee and some white and black flats that looked like snake skin. I had done my hair in a waterfall braid then had curled it.
"But what if you get lost? What if you get to Tokyo and nobody's there?" my mom said worried.
"Mom! Mom! MOM! I'll be fine, I'll get off the plane in Tokyo and then the host family will take me to Karakura. Everything will be fine. I'll call you when I land and when I get to Karakura."
"PASSANGERS FOR THE FLIGHT TO TOKYO PLEASE BOARD THE PLANE NOW," boomed a voice through the intercom.
"Well, that's my flight. I better go, bye Dad," I enveloped my dad in a hug. I go up hug my little brother, "bye bro." And finally I go up to my mother and she envelops me in a hug. "Bye mom," I mumble out.
"Bye sweet heart. Be good and don't get in any trouble," my mom told me as I back away from her hug.
"Don't worry mom, I'll be a perfect little angel. Bye!" I walk away from my family hearing the clanking of my suitcase. I walk up to the lady that takes my ticket.
"Ticket please," said the lady at the counter. I rummage through my bag and find my ticket then give it to the lady. "Thank you, have a wonderful flight!" the flight attendant lady said with a fake cheerful voice, clearly saying she did not want to be here. I stepped in to the plane and took my seat next to the window. After awhile an old Japanese lady came and sat down next to me.
"Hi, I'm Summer," I say to the old lady as I stick my hand out for her to shake.
"Hello, you can call me Grandma Haru," the old lady replied while shaking my hand.
"So do you live in Tokyo?"
"Oh no, actually I'm coming home from a vacation. So I'm going back to Karakura, which is a small town where I live."
"Really! That's where I'm going too! Maybe sometime we can go and have some lunch," I said with a smile.
"I think that would be lovely, but if you excuse me I think it's time for my nap," said Grandma Haru as she put on a sleeping mask. Well, since I have nothing to do I think I'll look over the packet that I received again. I pull out the packet from the envelope.
Where: Karakura Town
What time you will be there: April 1st – July 25th
Host Family: Kurosaki Isshin 45
Kurosaki Karin 11
Kurosaki Ichigo 15
Kurosaki Yuzu 11
Dear Summer Long, you will be staying with Kurosaki residents from April 1st to July 25th. If you have any questions please contact us at 316-543-3953.
Hmm, I hope I like it there. It feels like there are weights on my eyes. I guess there's no harm in getting some sleep. With a huge yawn I fade in to the darkness.