Prologue:

The bitterly cold Wisconsin air stung at the girls faces as they stepped outside Ella's house, Ayla's mom waiting a few feet away. Tears were streaming down both the girls faces as they took a few steps away from the door.

"Email me as soon as you get there, OK?" Ayla insisted, grabbing Ella into a hug. Ella nodded, returning the hug. "At least Japan will be warmer than this."

Ella's dad had gotten a job as a marketing director for a huge company somewhere in Japan- Ayla wasn't exactly sure where. That meant Ella was going to be moving, a fact neither of them were happy about. Ayla and Ella had been close friends since sixth grade, and had quickly became close friends. An interesting mix, loud plus shy- not your usual friends. Nevertheless, they had become very close in the year they had known each other.

Ella's short brown hair tickled Ayla's nose, and she broke off the hug so she wouldn't sneeze all over Ella. That would've been gross. And rude.

Ayla's mom tapped her foot impatiently, waiting for the girls to finish up their goodbyes so she wouldn't miss Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

"I'd better go- you have to finish packing and all that jazz," Ayla stepped away, wiping a few tears away as she did. Ella grabbed her arm, giving a silent plea of 'don't go.'

"I'm sorry. I have to go." Ayla apologised, but made no move to leave. After another moment of silence, Ayla pulled away. "I'll miss you."

The first thing Ella did once she arrived in Hakone was pull out her laptop and send an email to Ayla.

Ayla!

I just arrived in Japan after nearly 20 hours of flying! We're still in the airport right now, but we'll be driving to our new house in Hakone soon. I'll be starting out at a school close to us soon as a first year middle school student. I'm kinda scared… I barely know any Japanese and only a few people can speak English. I have no idea why my dad had to pick a job in a whole different country with a whole different culture and language and everything. Luckily I'll have a few weeks to settle in before school starts. All of our stuff has to arrive too, so I only have my laptop, some clothes, and hardly anything to do. Crap… I have to go now and we won't have internet on the road (it's an hour drive to Hakone) or at the new house. I miss you (and everyone else) already! Be sure to email back asap!

3 Ella

Ella sent the email, then put her laptop away in her bag for the drive to Hakone. This was gonna be a long day.