This chapter has been revised to solve the dialogue on different lines problem. Thank you!

I was gripping the handles of the plane seat so hard I thought my fingers would go through the upholstery. I have a TERRIBLE fear of heights, so being in an airplane is like sitting front row seat at a horror film. Luckily I have a strong stomach because the airplane food and the thought of my friends back at home were not helping it at all. I thought, It'll all be over with soon, and you'll get to meet Lilo, and I prayed hard in between. Not that my parents liked heights, either, but at least they were able to conceal it. It's one of those special powers only parents have.

"Are we there yet?" I asked my mom sitting next to me. Since there were only two seats per row on each side of the plane, my dad had to sit in the seat behind us. He was mad because the man next to him kept snoring the whole trip. But anyways, back to our conversation.

"Honey, it will take hours before we reach it," she answered, looking up from her Sunday lesson. Mom taught Sunday school at our Baptist church, so I guess she was reviewing nostalgia from the days. I knew she would've said that, so I gripped the seats again until my knuckles turned white as snow. "Try doing something to entertain you," she suggested. Like it's easy to entertain yourself when you're travelling thousands of feet in the air, thousands of miles from your home, over thousands of miles of ocean. 1000 was starting to be my least favorite number at that time. But instead I reached into my carry-on and pulled out a notebook, pencil, and Lilo's letters. Just then a baby way in the back started crying. I grimaced. It seemed that every time we went somewhere, like a restaurant, church, school concert, or whatever, there was always, ALWAYS one baby who decides to start bawling.

Don't get me wrong; I know he/she can't help it, but that doesn't mean I like it any better. I have sensitive ears. Anyways, I sketched in my notebook some, and later they handed out headphones for the in-flight movie. Luckily, it was Casablanca, one of my favorite films. (I just LOVE old movies.) After the movie was over, I took a nap. The next thing I knew, my mother was shaking me. "Jessica! Jessica! Wake up!"

"What? Are we evacuating?" I cried nervously. My mother just smiled.

"No, silly. We're here!" You didn't have to tell me twice to lug my suitcase out of the carousel. For a Hawaiian airport, it was surprisingly cool. Air-conditioning, I bet. There were dozens of people there, and I was afraid we'd all be separated any second. We moved through the crowds of people like the Israelites crossing the Red Sea towards the exit. Mom spritzed some sunscreen on the three of us before heading out the door.

Gee, I'm glad we weren't wearing long sleeves. Not surprisingly it was HOT. Hotter than any summer back home, anyways. I'm sure it was 90 degrees just in the shade. Before any sightseeing was completed, we piled into a taxi and rode to a local neighborhood called Coconut Court (which made me think of the book Hoot). It might sound like a fancy subdivision, but it was just a small cul-de-sac with simple wooden two-stories.

The moving truck followed promptly behind us, and as they lugged in our stuff through the door, I whispered to Dad, "They haven't broken anything, have they?"

As soon as they were out of the room, he whispered back, "If they did, I'm not paying for it!" I had to grin. Typical Dad. I searched the house for Mom, and I found her practically drooling over the granite countertop island, a kitchen fixture she's wanted forever.

"Enjoying yourself?" I joked.

"I love it!" she said.

I pulled Lilo's letters out of my pocket and asked, "When can I meet up with my pen pal?" Mom gave a worried look.

"Are you sure it will be safe?" she asked.

"Mom. She's only SEVEN," I said. "She lives on the island right here! We've written to each other for the past few weeks, and we know a lot about each other." Mom was silent for a moment, and I added, "I am a teenager. Besides, this place looks safe, so I can take care of myself." Mom thought in silence some more, and just when I was about to leave in defeat, she spoke.

"Do you know the address?" I held up the letters containing Lilo's address.

"Will you call as soon as you get there?" I nodded, and shoved my cell phone into my jeans pocket.

"Can you wait until they finish packing?" I nodded even more, and Mom finally said, "Then you can go."

"YES! Thank you!" I exclaimed, embracing her in a bear hug. To speed the packing process, I helped some of the movers carry the furniture into the right rooms. I even helped carry in my own mattress. Eventually, the furniture was all in the right place. I said goodbye to Mom and Dad really quickly before heading outside. The hot Kauai sun put me in a positive mood. I looked at the address on Lilo's letters: 56 Kaleakahana Drive. "All I have to do is..."

I stopped. A huge wave of stupidity overthrew me; I just now realized a major detail my mother and I both overlooked: I had no idea how to get to Kaleakahana Drive. "How could I be so stupid?" I grumbled. A kicked a pebble. My common sense returned momentarily, and I decided to ask a local. I did so, and they pointed me in the right direction. As I walked down Kaleakahana Drive, I noticed the numbers on the houses.

34, 36, 38...I assumed I was close. But when I went by 54, I passed a path, then ended up at 58! "How is that possible?" I asked myself. There was no house between 54 and 58; just a simple path. Suddenly I got a brainstorm. "I should go up the path!"

I trekked hopefully up the dirt path, which lead into some thick vegetation. A minute later I saw a house up ahead. It was mostly made of bluish wood, with a red roof. I noted a large dome sticking out of the roof. Underneath the house a green jeep was parked and a high-tech looking red buggy. If this is Lilo's house, it's awesome! I thought. I dashed up the porch stairs to the front door and rang the doorbell. Brief scurrying could be heard inside, followed by someone saying something about...a fig? Or was it a wig? It was hard to tell. Moments later, a small girl answered the door. She had tan skin, almond-shaped eyes the color of chocoate, and the longest, healthiest black hair I'd ever seen. She was wearing a red muumuu and sandals.

"Aloha," she said politely. "Can I help you?" I looked at Lilo's family pictures she'd sent me. I compared Lilo in the photos to the girl at the door. They were an exact match!

"Lilo!" I said excitedly.