I am annoyingly woken up by my little Terrier, Princess, licking my face off, as she jumps onto my bed.
" Please, STOP!!" I laugh, trying to sit up.
When she has been satisfied with my attention, she jumps off my bed, wanders off through my door and scampers down the stairs, leaving me alone in my room.
I grab my phone to check my Instagram, and almost have a heart attack.
10.47am.
I am meant to meet up with Olivia at 11.30.
"Shit," I say, aloud, pushing my duvet aside, and running to the bathroom.
I swear I have the quickest shower in my life.
I run back into my room, and pull on my underwear, and speedily brush my hair, leaving it dripping wet.
Opening my closet, I pull out the most suitable thing I can find for the Miami heat; a pair of tight denim shorts, a pink and orange stripy camisole, and my matching pink gladiator sandals.
I quickly apply foundation, mascara and lip gloss to my face, pull my hair into a messy bun, grab my phone, my suitcase (which I packed the night previous), run downstairs, kiss Princess on the head, and practically fall out the door.
I breath in a sigh of relief, as I check my phone.
11.19.
I walk down the stone pavement of my street, with all the dainty little identical houses in neat little rows.
Man, I'm gonna miss this place, I think, as I turn the corner onto High Street.
I admire all the types of shops down the street, which I would visit most days, when I went out for groceries or even with friends. I see the busy parents, as they run around madly with toddlers in prams, and on their hips. I see the familiar people that I grew up with, in their cars, walking on the pavement, and I realize, just how much I'm gonna miss them when I'm gone. The salt air, the sand. The smell of California. I may not see this again for years, or maybe even ever.
As I come closer to the end of the lane, I see a familiar figure, standing around 50m away.
I know for sure it's Olivia.
She sees me about ten seconds after, and literally can't hold back her excitement, any longer.
She immediately charges for me, and gives me a hug, so tight, that I feel like I am being strangled.
"OMG, my little Avabear came," she says like she is talking to a two-year-old, as she grabs my cheeks inside her thumb and forefinger. " I was starting to worry that you'd ditched me!"
I feel everyone staring around us.
" Nice to see you too, Livibear", I say, teasing her, " And I kind of had to come, because college does start in three months".
" Yeah, and you didn't want your best friend stealing all the hot guys, now did you?" she says cheekily, nudging me comically with her elbow.
" Liv, I told you before, I'm coming for college, not to date some weird creeps, that stalk you every minute of the day," I laugh, nudging her back.
"Okay, okay, we'll see," she says, with an evil glint in her eye," don't worry, I'll get you hooked up with someone."
Jeez, I think to myself, with a forced smile, as a taxi pulls up beside us, this is gonna be one long journey.
