(Sorry guys, I made a mistake in Part 2. They ALL live in Toronto. You'll see why soon)
When Serenity got to her cousin's huge four story house, she was surprised to see her cousin Kyle sitting on the front porch, waiting for her.
"Serenity! Serenity! Mom wants to tell you something IMPORTANT! Come inside, quick!"
"What does aunt Maryanne want now, show me some new DVD player she got or something?" Serenity muttered under her breath. Fortunatly, Kyle didn't hear.
"Hello, Serenity!" said her aunt when she opened the dorr, fluffing up her expertly permed hair. "Before I go, I have exciting news to tell you!"
She led Serenity into the lavishly furnished kitchen, expensive looking just like all the other rooms. Serenity sat down at the kitchen table and asked, "So, what's up, Aunt Maryanne?"
"I was talking to your mother about this hobby of yours, how you want to write those comics..."
"Manga." said Serenity.
"Yes, that's it. Anyways, your mother thinks it's excellent that a girl your age is so interested in her future. She doesn't disprove writing comics at all. In fact, she's quite pleased you've decided to pursue a career as an author. So I suggested that you learn more about this topic, and your mother totally felt the same way. So I agreed to pay for a three week trip to Japan for you. That is, if you want to."
Serenity jumped out of her seat. "Want to?! Of course I want to! Oh my God, thank you so much, Aunt Maryanne!"
Her aunt smiled. "Don't mention it, sweetheart. Uh no, look at the time. I've got to get going. When I get back we'll talk more, ok?"
Kyle , who'd been waiting impatiently in the hall, marched insdie the kitchen and grabbed Serenity's hand.
"Come on, Serenity! I want to show you a new Lego set I got. It's Harry Potter!"
"Uh, ok, Kyle. Thanks again, Aunt Maryanne. Bye."
While Kyle was explaining to her about his new Legos, she tried to keep her mind on him, but all she could think about was Japan. "Wow. I'm so lucky..."
***
"Japan?! I've got to go to JAPAN?!"
Mr. Andrew Profenna, the lawyer of Vince's late parents, ran his hand through his thick brown hair. He was a powerful looking, handsome middle aged man with a lot of patience. So, in his calm, collected way, he explained.
"Yes, Vince. Japan. You're only fifteen. You need a legal guardian. And the only person who's willing to take care of a fifteen year old boy is your aunt who lives in Japan. You have no other choices."
Vince, who was sitting across the lawyer at his desk in his large office, shook his head in disbelief.
"God. Japan. That's on the other side of the world. Who would want to live there, anyway?"
"It's quite an amazing country, actually. You'd be surprised how much there is to do there."
"But I can't speak Japanese!"
"I expect your aunt will arrange something."
Vince sighed. "Can't she just come here?"
"No, your aunt seems comfortable where she is." said Mr. Profenna.
"Well, so am I!" and with that, Vince got up and left. Mr. Profenna didn't argue. He knew how difficult Vince could be.
Twenty minutes later, Vince sat in a subway, his head against the wall, his headphones in his ears. He knew where he was going. Home. Not to the orphange where he'd been looked after for two weeks now. His real home, the one he used to share with his parents. The home that now had a "For Sale" sign plastered on the door.
Some time later, the doors of the subway opened, and a girl he knew from school walked in. She was short, only about 5'2', with brown hair streaked blonde, a small, heart shaped face, a little pionted nose. What was her name again? Oh yeah. Patricia. One of those superficial popular girls.
She was jabbering away on her cell phone when she walked on the subway.
"So then they tell me, 'Young lady, you are too obsessed with the material things in life. You have to go out and see the world, blah blah blah.' As if. Then they tell me they're sending me to JAPAN! For three whole weeks! Can you believe that? They said they want me to get, like, a taste of culture! I mean, puh-leeze! I have to leave in a week!
i"Hmmm, interesting. She's going too. I wonder if I'll see her on the plane. I have to leave in a week too/i"
Then the subway screeched to a stop in front of his old house and he got off.
He walked to his house, ignored the "For Sale" sign on the door, and shoved his key in the keyhole, surprised to find it still fit. Vince walked around his house for awile, remembering everything he used to do here. But there was only one thing he wanted to do now.
Vince went in the den and pulled out a thick book from one of the drawers. He opened it, and saw...pictures of his family. All the pictures he every took of them. He used to have this thing about taking pictures afew years ago, so most of the pictures were pretty new. He pulled two pictures out, one of his mother and one of his father, closed the book, and left.
When Serenity got to her cousin's huge four story house, she was surprised to see her cousin Kyle sitting on the front porch, waiting for her.
"Serenity! Serenity! Mom wants to tell you something IMPORTANT! Come inside, quick!"
"What does aunt Maryanne want now, show me some new DVD player she got or something?" Serenity muttered under her breath. Fortunatly, Kyle didn't hear.
"Hello, Serenity!" said her aunt when she opened the dorr, fluffing up her expertly permed hair. "Before I go, I have exciting news to tell you!"
She led Serenity into the lavishly furnished kitchen, expensive looking just like all the other rooms. Serenity sat down at the kitchen table and asked, "So, what's up, Aunt Maryanne?"
"I was talking to your mother about this hobby of yours, how you want to write those comics..."
"Manga." said Serenity.
"Yes, that's it. Anyways, your mother thinks it's excellent that a girl your age is so interested in her future. She doesn't disprove writing comics at all. In fact, she's quite pleased you've decided to pursue a career as an author. So I suggested that you learn more about this topic, and your mother totally felt the same way. So I agreed to pay for a three week trip to Japan for you. That is, if you want to."
Serenity jumped out of her seat. "Want to?! Of course I want to! Oh my God, thank you so much, Aunt Maryanne!"
Her aunt smiled. "Don't mention it, sweetheart. Uh no, look at the time. I've got to get going. When I get back we'll talk more, ok?"
Kyle , who'd been waiting impatiently in the hall, marched insdie the kitchen and grabbed Serenity's hand.
"Come on, Serenity! I want to show you a new Lego set I got. It's Harry Potter!"
"Uh, ok, Kyle. Thanks again, Aunt Maryanne. Bye."
While Kyle was explaining to her about his new Legos, she tried to keep her mind on him, but all she could think about was Japan. "Wow. I'm so lucky..."
***
"Japan?! I've got to go to JAPAN?!"
Mr. Andrew Profenna, the lawyer of Vince's late parents, ran his hand through his thick brown hair. He was a powerful looking, handsome middle aged man with a lot of patience. So, in his calm, collected way, he explained.
"Yes, Vince. Japan. You're only fifteen. You need a legal guardian. And the only person who's willing to take care of a fifteen year old boy is your aunt who lives in Japan. You have no other choices."
Vince, who was sitting across the lawyer at his desk in his large office, shook his head in disbelief.
"God. Japan. That's on the other side of the world. Who would want to live there, anyway?"
"It's quite an amazing country, actually. You'd be surprised how much there is to do there."
"But I can't speak Japanese!"
"I expect your aunt will arrange something."
Vince sighed. "Can't she just come here?"
"No, your aunt seems comfortable where she is." said Mr. Profenna.
"Well, so am I!" and with that, Vince got up and left. Mr. Profenna didn't argue. He knew how difficult Vince could be.
Twenty minutes later, Vince sat in a subway, his head against the wall, his headphones in his ears. He knew where he was going. Home. Not to the orphange where he'd been looked after for two weeks now. His real home, the one he used to share with his parents. The home that now had a "For Sale" sign plastered on the door.
Some time later, the doors of the subway opened, and a girl he knew from school walked in. She was short, only about 5'2', with brown hair streaked blonde, a small, heart shaped face, a little pionted nose. What was her name again? Oh yeah. Patricia. One of those superficial popular girls.
She was jabbering away on her cell phone when she walked on the subway.
"So then they tell me, 'Young lady, you are too obsessed with the material things in life. You have to go out and see the world, blah blah blah.' As if. Then they tell me they're sending me to JAPAN! For three whole weeks! Can you believe that? They said they want me to get, like, a taste of culture! I mean, puh-leeze! I have to leave in a week!
i"Hmmm, interesting. She's going too. I wonder if I'll see her on the plane. I have to leave in a week too/i"
Then the subway screeched to a stop in front of his old house and he got off.
He walked to his house, ignored the "For Sale" sign on the door, and shoved his key in the keyhole, surprised to find it still fit. Vince walked around his house for awile, remembering everything he used to do here. But there was only one thing he wanted to do now.
Vince went in the den and pulled out a thick book from one of the drawers. He opened it, and saw...pictures of his family. All the pictures he every took of them. He used to have this thing about taking pictures afew years ago, so most of the pictures were pretty new. He pulled two pictures out, one of his mother and one of his father, closed the book, and left.