Where It's Sunny

Chapter 1

I'm beyond excited. Today we go on our vacation to Santa Monica in Southern California. I comb through my straight brown hair in front of the mirror. I made sure my face was washed before applying make up. I put on moisturizer, followed by some foundation. I put on eye liner and then a little blush on my cheek bones. I was in for a five hour flight, so I put on some black leggings and a long grey t-shirt to cover my bum. My skin felt so silky. I had just gotten waxed on my legs for this trip. I got a manicure and pedicure. I really treated myself for this. It was a well deserved trip. Finals had just ended and my sophomore year of college was complete. 

  I double checked my suit case. I had over ten bikini sets. I had plenty of shorts and tank tops. I'm so happy I lost the ten pounds I needed to be a size 4. I wasn't too thin, but not too big either.    I was ahead of schedule, as usual. I waited out on my parents front  porch for my best friend Jesy to come pick me up. I dug into my bag to make sure I had my passport, wallet, money and extra batteries for my camera. This trip consisted of So many people from our college. A lot them our friends. Sort of. It was Jesy's idea to vacation there because most of Michigan campus would be there.

  I finally hear Jesy's jeep pull up. Her curly hair is full of volume today. She honks her horn playfully. 

  "I'm right here!" I call to her. I drag my suitcase and carry it on to the back of the jeep.   

"Are you excited Jade?" Jessy says clapping her hands together. She's excited enough for the both of us.   

"I am." I say buckling up. She begins to speed off.   

"Jade, we need to have the time our lives out there. It's ten days in sunny Cali."

 "We will, I promise I'll loosen up! We need this trip." I say remembering how hard I studied, and worked this last semester. I managed to pass all five of my classes with A's. I was much too proud. 

  "You better! I can't wait to meet the rest of the gang there." She says turning up the volume on the radio.    Jesy drives a little reckless. It frightens me sometimes. She is the complete opposite of me. She's loud, fun, and is the life of any party. I'm more reserved, nice and quiet. We balance each other out, I would say.   

We finally arrived to the airport. I couldn't help but dance around with Jessy. We skipped Inside to the long line to be checked into the plane. We plan out our agendas the whole time we are in line. We will tan this day, swim that day, find hot California college guys another. I begin to feel a knot in my stomache.

  "Jesy I've got to admit I'm a little scared of airplanes." I say as we move along the line.   

"Don't worry, you'll be okay. Take this." Jesy says giving me her small stuffed monkey. 

  "Thank you." I say taking it and squeezing it tight. For being a twenty year old, you would think she wouldn't sleep with stuffed animals anymore. 

  "He will keep you safe." She says giving the monkey a squeeze on the ear while I'm holding it. 

  "Thanks, I might need to hold on to your hand as the plane takes off." I say frowning. 

  "I can't, our seats are separate." She says frowning back at me. 

  "Jesy!" I whine. I look at my receipt I printed out of the computer and I held my had out to ask for hers. 

  "What?" 

  "Let me see your print out." 

  "I didn't print it out, and I know for a fact our seats aren't together. When you told me to buy the seat, and I lied and said I did, well I didn't." She shrugged. "I got the last seat on the same flight as you, the two other seats on your row were reserved already." This time she hugged me in a playful manner. It was her way of saying sorry.

  I was annoyed at her. Jesy always left things last minute. Thankfully she had a seat on the same plane as me.   

"I'm more nervous now." I say leaning away from her.

  "Relax Jade, you'll be fine I promise." She said as she was next in line to check in.   

She turned in her suitcase and waved her plane ticket In front of me as I was next to bring my suitcase up.   I gave them my suitcase and nervously got my ticket from the lady. 

  "Yay!" Jesy exclaimed grabbing my arm and heading to the waiting area where our plane would take off.   

I snatched her ticket and compared it to mine. She was seated to the back of the plane and my seat was towards the middle. I don't know what scared me of flying. I was fine before. I didn't even expect myself to get like this. I have flown before. The times I have been on a plane was with my parents. They comforted me, and they actually had seats next to me.  

 "10:00 A.m flight to Lax California is now boarding." We heard a lady announce as we got up from waiting for over half an hour.    Jesy squeezed my hand as we waited to get our tickets stamped. 

  "I'm so excited." She kept saying over and over. I think I could vomit from how nervous I was. 

  I held onto Jesy's hand tighter as went to find our seats. 

  "I'll sit with you here until the person comes gets their seat ok?" Jessy offered as she sat next to me. 

  "Why do I have a window seat." I whined. Jessy shut the window so it was not visible outside.

  "Relax." She giggled. "We are going to have fun, so leave the nervous, good girl Jade here In Michigan and bring fun fearless Jade to California." She said adjusting her stuffed monkey in my hand.

 I nodded and smiled to her. She was right. I was exaggerating for no reason. I tend to do this a lot. I was prepared for this. I needed to make it through this airplane ride in order to have the time of my life in Caliornia.

  "Excuse me?" We heard a males voice say. We looked up and Jessy stood up. The person was here to claim his seat.  Jesy stood up and walked to aisle. I kept my eyes on her as she watched the young man take his seat next to me.