Transitions

Travel Preparation

"Hey Riley, we have to be up and out of here by 5 AM tomorrow. It's a long flight. Get some sleep. I have an alarm set and one of the van drivers will be here to fetch us as well." I heard Ashton say from the other side of the room.

I gave him thumbs up and rolled over and started to feel myself drifting away as well. I awoke later to a loud knock on the door, nearly making me fall off the bed. Looking at the time, it was around 4AM. I groaned and woke up Michael.

"Mikey. Someone's at the door. Can you take care of it please?"

He rolled over to look at the clock. Sitting up, he rubbed his eyes and turned the overhead light on. He shuffled his way to the door and looked out the peephole. I watched as he undid the deadbolt lock and opened the door.

"What's up man? Is it 4AM already?"

Michael and the man conversed for a couple more moments before he shut the door and came back in the room, sitting on the bed next to me.

"I can't wait to sleep on the plane. Come on. Let's get the rest of the peanut gallery up. We've got to be out of here by 5 to catch our flight at 2. Customs is going to be a drag with it being the week before Christmas."

I jumped off the bed and made sure all of my belongings were in my bags. I pulled my converse out of the bag as well as a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, because I knew it was going to be hot when we arrived in Sydney. I stuffed my combat boots in the bag, and put my change of clothes in my backpack. I ran through the room and launched onto the bed where my sister was sleeping.

"MACK! Get up. It's time to get dressed. We're leaving in an hour for the airport."

She grumbled and pulled the comforter over her head. I instantly grabbed it and ripped it off of her. Ashton was already up and running like a mad man trying to get all of his materials packed and his Cajon drum in its box. When everything was said and done, we had our bags packed and phones charged, and we set off to the lobby. The man Michael was talking to earlier had come in and loaded our bags on a cart to bring them down to the van. We stopped in the lobby to take a few pictures of our last day in America and say goodbye to our old life. I snapped a bunch of pictures of Mackenzie and I, all 4 of us, and we happened to run into JoJo in the lobby so Mackenzie wanted a picture with her new friend too. They stopped to talk for a couple minutes and I overheard their conversation.

"Mackenzie! My dance studio is going on a trip to Sydney in a few months! We just found out today. We get to take lessons at the big dance school! I'm so excited!"

They grabbed onto each other's arms and spun around in circles screaming in delight. They took one last picture together before saying a tearful goodbye. It's amazing how these two girls had become best of friends over the course of 3 days. We said goodbye to JoJo and to the casino as we walked out of the hotel and made our way to the van. I had tears streaming down my face as I climbed in the van and buckled my seatbelt. Michael jumped in and sat next to me.

"What's the matter?" he asked.

"I'm just sad to be leaving."