Swapped (OHSHC fanfic)

Chapter 1: Meeting Marissa

Saige's POV:

     My arm was aching from dragging this suitcase around behind me everywhere I went in this stupid airport. I was looking for my best frend Asha. My green eyes scanned the crowd of half-asleep human beings, hoping to find a familiar face among the mass. No such luck.

     "I hope she's not late..." I said, quietly to myself. I turned around, hauling the luggage over towards the carasol that loads it onto the plane. I had hoped Asha would be here to help me settle my nerves, but here I was, at the conveyor belt, trying to stop myself from shaking.

     That's when I felt a head land on my shoulder and a sleepy groan sound next to me. I turned my head to the right to see the very girl I was looking for, standing there, looking like a zombie.

     My emotionless voice deleted the silence, "Well, don't you look enthusiastic. You know, I told you to get to sleep on time."

     My best friend whined back, "I did! I just hate mornings. And you know I never wake up before noon on weekends!"

     I blinked, "Let alone at four thirty-something in the morning. How did you manage to do it, Asha? Not even I can wake you up."

      She gave me a weak smile, "I'm going to Japan, Saige. With you, my best friend. For free. I would do anything for an opportunity like that."

     I nodded, smiling for the first time in a long while. I don't smile, at least not for real, due to certain events in my life. A trip to Japan has always been a dream of mine - one I adopted when I met Asha in second grade. We had always been big fans of anime, and we loved their music. We started learning the language when we were in third grade, and now, after all the extra classes we've been taking at our school, we were fluent in Japanese. Vocaloids and cartoons - that was our childhood.

     I watched her toss her many tagged bags onto the belt. Each label had her name, her grade, and "Madame Martin's Academy for Priviledged Children - Foreign Exchange Student" printed neatly on it. That's what we were - priviledged children. It's just a nice way of saying that the students attending this academy were uber rich. Except for Asha and me; we were honor students from Southview Middle School, heading to Madame Martin's for our high school years. At least, that's what we expected. When we were offered an all-expense paid exchange student trip to Japan to go to the sister school there - Ouran Academy, I believe it was - for our exceptional grades and conduct, we jumped at the chance. So, here we are.

     That's when I remembered something rather important, "Hey, Asha, weren't there originally three of us? We were supposed to board the plane with that other girl. What was her name?"

     "Melissa or something. I know it had an 'M'." Asha said.

    "Oh, no, it was Marissa. Where is she?" I glanced around, although I knew I wouldn't recognize her if I saw her. I had never met the girl before.

     We walked around, searching everywhere for this mysterious third party. It was approaching four fifty and the plane was supposed to take off at five o'clock, yet no sign of Marissa. We met back up outside the terminal, slightly stressed out.

     "Where could she be?" Asha said, worriedly.

     My sensitive ears picked up a conversation behind us, "Um, can you please tell me where to go for flight 135 gate A to Tokyo?" I heard an affirmative reply, then, "Oh, thank you so much."

     I turned around to see a rather tall blonde girl in sweats and a t-shirt approaching us. There was a pin on her shirt of the American flag with Madame Martin's crest in the center. I had one, too, and so did Asha. It meant that we were the Exchange students, the chosen three being sent to Japan.

     It meant that this girl coming towards us was Marissa.

     I waved her over, unsmiling. She saw us and grinned, her pace picking up a bit. Asha noticed that something was attracting my attention, so she turned around too, relieved to see we'd found our final member.

     She reached us and stuck out her hand to shake, "Hi there, I'm-"

     I finished her sentence for her, "Marissa, we know. I'm Saige, and this is Asha."

     Asha took her hand before I got the chance. I wasn't eager to make new friends, but I was going to live with this person for a while, so I might as well try to get acquainted.

     The terminal opened and let us inside so we could board the private jet waiting there. Just before we got on, I turned to Asha and said, "I have a sleeping pill and some ear plugs for you. Speak now, or forever hold your peace."

     She didn't reply, just kind of lazily trudged onto the plane, kerplunking down in a seat. Marissa and I sat behind her.

     I watched the plane's doors close. No turning back now.

     We were off to Japan.