The Exchange

Chapter 7

I step through the door way and into my room. My plane ticket sits on my desk next to my passport and my empty suitcase lies open on the floor. I barely have time to pack but everytime I try I don't know what to take. I have to do it today though. There is no other time to do it.

I sigh and open my closet. All the colours of my clothes stick out at me and I become overwhelmed. What do I take? I take one more deep breath and pull something off a hangar. It is a simple white blouse with frills on the front. I fold it and put it in my suitcase. Okay thats one thing chosen, now for the rest.

***

An hour and a half later, my suitcase is almost packed. All the clothes I will need and my essentials are packed. I look down at the almost full suitcase and notice how little room is left for momentos. I look around my room the same way I have done so many times before. For the first time I realized there really isn't much I need to bring with me.

I pick up the collage on my desk of my friends and I. Pictures of last years gym field trip and Marley's birthday celebration fill the frame along with silly selfies we took in the back of Mr. Difler's math class in grade 8. I don't think twice before I put it on the top of my suitcase. It will remind me of the fun memories we have together.

Next I pick up the other frame on my desk. In it are two pictures side by side. One is an old photo of my grandmothers birthday taken about five years ago. My cousins on my fathers side stood next to my grandmother who sat in our dinning room chair while I sat in her lap, since I was the youngest at that time. The next one is a more recent photo taken the summer before last. My cousins and I on my mothers side pose with my grandmother in a park. It was taken the day we celebrated her birthday. One old picture, one new picture, both equally special.

I put the frame in my suitcase next to my other one to remind me of the most important people in my life. My family knows me better than anyone even if we don't see each other often enough.

I can probably fit in one more thing beside my frames as long as it isn't too big. I don't hesitate in taking my Diary. I keep my diary private and hidden. It's something I can trust and keep to myself. This diary holds some of the most embarassing things. What would I do without it? I'm going to a new place with all new people and I don't know who I can trust there. I flatten my diary next to my frames and closed my suitcase. It bulges from the amount of things I fit into it. I stand up and pull up my suitcase so it stands up too. I can relax a little now that it's done and sit on the bed. I lay back on my bed and feel something underneath my back. I pulled out whatever it is and find my baby doll. I forgot I keep her on my bed. I always had ever since I was a little girl.

The little doll is soft, white and fits in my palm. Her eyes are closed like she is sleeping and her arms and legs dangle. Should I?

After thinking for a moment I get up from the bed and open the front zipper of my suitcase. I carefully put my baby doll in the front pocket and zip it up again. I'm not sure why I'm deciding to bring her but I did. Now I'm all ready to go.