Disclaimer: I own nothing

Chapter 1: Leaving

Nessie's POV

"Mom I'm only going away for a couple of months. You don't have to worry" I said. I knew that it was useless though. Telling my mother not to worry about me was like telling the sun to stop shining. It just wasn't going to happen.

"Nessie you know how I am. I'm going to worry about you every single day"

"Mom please just don't make yourself sick over this. I'll be home by Christmas" I said.

"Nessie just promise me you'll contact me every single day. You do have your computer and phone with you, right?"

As if I'd ever leave without my iPhone or my MacBook. "Yes mom I got everything and I promise you I'll keep in contact"

"You better young lady" mom scolded before bringing me into a tight embrace.

I couldn't exactly blame my mother for having a hard time. This was the first time in my 17 years that we would be apart for such a long period of time.

My mother had adopted me when I was about four years old. I had no idea where I came from. I had absolutely no memory at allow my past life. So she chose me. Or I guess we chose each other.

Now I was a senior in high school and I would be graduating next Spring and then going on to college in the Fall.

However I'd be spending the first semester of my senior year abroad in a different country.

Last Spring my school held a contest for the junior class. We were to write a 10,000 word essay on the history of the world. The top 10 students would become part of a foreign exchange program for the first semester of our senior year. I had entered against my mother's better wishes.

I didn't think I had a shot of winning so imagine my shock when I got my letter in July announcing that I had won and would be starting school abroad the first week of September.

My best friend Chelsea had also won. It was also by pure luck that we would be going to the same place. There were multiple destinations and we didn't get to choose which one it would be.

The ringing doorbell brought me out of my thoughts. I opened the door and there stood Chelsea.

"You ready for the adventure of a lifetime Nessie?" she asked me. Her dad was the one giving us a ride to the airport. My mother had to go to work early and didn't have the time to take me herself.

"Yeah, I'm ready" I said with a smile while my mother cried in the background.

I turned around and gave my mother one last hug before leaving because I knew I would miss her a lot. This was just one of those things I wanted to do though. I wanted to experience the world. I had lived in Los Angeles, California all of my life. It was time for me to see something new.

This would be a 15 hour journey altogether. We would leave LAX in four hours and then land in New York City. From there it would be a one way trip to Volterra, Italy.

Please tell me what you all think.