The Notes We Write

1.

Most of our belongings were already shipped, to our new house. Our house was completely empty, the house I grew up in sold to new people. It felt weird walking out of the only house I had ever had. I honestly felt like crying. I was excited to go to Canada, to see all my family again, but I was going to miss this place like hell. "Hailey! Sophie is here to say goodbye'' Mum called from downstairs. I took one last look at my childhood bedroom, and walked downstairs feeling the lump in my throat tighten.

coming down, I saw Sophie hugging my parents and then my little sister. When she looked up again, her blue eyes filled with tears. she ran to me wrapping her arms tightly around me. Sophie was like a sister to me, so she was the one thing I would miss the most. ''I'm gonna miss you much'' she sobbed in to my neck. Hearing her voice so vulnerable, saddened me even more. The inevitable tears finally fell from my eyes. I released myself from her grip, grabbed both of her hands tightly. ''We're not going to lose each other, okay? We're going to call and facetime each other, we'll visit each other in the holidays, and message eah other every single day.'' She nodded wiping my tears away with her thumb. ''You'll always be my best friend, what ever happens'' she added giving me another quick hug.

I looked around the room and saw that Sophie's parents were there as well. Sophie's parents were like my second mum and dad, and i was very grateful they had been there for me all these years. I walked over to them and gave them both a kiss on the cheek. Sophie's mum took me in her arms, ''I'm going to miss you honey. Know that you're always welcome here.'' I nodded, smiling at her sweetly.

I walked back to my best friend and gave her one last hug before my mum told me that we really had to go. I picked the piece of paper out of my pocket and gave it to Sophie. It was a note I wrote for her when I was packing my bag for the airport. I always wrote little notes to the people I loved, so she didn't look surprised when I handed it to her. She started to fold it open, but I stopped her. ''Open it when I'm gone'' I told her. She nodded in understanding, and put the little piece in the pocket of her jeans.

I picked my bag up from the floor, and Sophie and I walked to my parents and Nibbit. Nibbit is my little sister Nova, but I always call her Nibbit. I honestly don't remember where that nickname came from, but i guess it stuck. ''Are you ready to go?'' My dad ruffled my hair. ''As ready as I'll ever be'' I tried to joke, but it sounded more insecure than I wanted. Dad just smiled at me in compassion. He grabbed Nova's hand, and walked out of our house. We all followed him to the car. Dad put the housekey in the mailbox, he got in the car, and signed for us to do the same.

Mum went to sit in the passenger seat after she helped Nova in her seat, and put on her seatbelt. Nova is only five, but she usually acts like she's older. She protested loudly when mum tried to put on her seatbelt, because she wanted to do it herself. Nova would also go to school in Canada, she'll go to first grade in September. Don't worry about her not being able to understand everyone, because mum had teached her English from a young age. It also helped that we had been to Canada before, to visit our grandparents. We had gone to Canada every single summer vacation. This year again, only difference is that we would stay this time.

Dad honked at Sophie and her parents, and drove off. I waved at them and the house until they were out of sight. "Goodbye home" I whispered quietly, a silent tear running down my cheek. I put my earbuds in my ears, and closed my eyes, leaning my head on the car window. Preparing myself for this long long day.

Our plane would leave at ten am, it's now half past seven. The airport is an hour drive so we'd arrive at half past 8, we had then one and a half hour to check in and board the plane. Then we would make an eight hour flight to Toronto. Where we had two hours to check in and board the last plane to Ottawa. The flight to Ottawa would be an hour. So it'll be 9 pm Dutch time and 3 pm Canadian time, when we arrive at the airport in Ottawa. Like I said, this was going to be a long day.

After an hour of blasting music through my earbuds, we arrived at the Amsterdam airport. We parked our car, which would later get picked up because our other car was already at our new house, and walked inside. Mum gave me my passport and my plane ticket, and got with me in line. Dad stayed with Nova behind us in the line.

"Next!" One of the ladies behind the desks called. I looked at Mum and she nodded for me to go a head. I walked to lady and gave her my passport and flight ticket. She told me to put my suitcase next to her, and gave me a ticket with the gate and flight number on it. I saw my suitcase roll away, and walked to other side of the line. Where I waited for my parents and sister.

When we were all through, we had to go through security. We scanned our ticket to go through the gate, where we had to put our luggage, that we could take with us in the plane, in a box where it would be scanned for any illegal stuff. Then we had to walk through a body scanner, which I'm always afraid will go off when I walk through it.

After that was done, Dad looked at his watch. "We have an hour to eat some breakfast before we have to go on the plane. Let's find the gate first, and eat somewhere near it" We all agreed and made our way to the gate. We had to walk on all those long escalators, which say 'mind your step' every second.

Arriving at our gate, we luckily saw many little shops where we could buy some food. I even spotted a Starbucks, where I could buy my tea. "Let's get some food here" Mum said pointing at some kind of sandwich shop. We ordered three normal sized sandwiches with ham, and some cheese, and we ordered a small kids sandwich for Nova. We sat down on some chairs near the gate and ate our yummy sandwiches.

"Can I get some tea?" I asked Mum. She smiled at me knowing exactly what I wanted. She gave me some cash, I walked to small Starbucks I saw earlier. There wasn't anyone, so I could order immediately. "Hi! One tall chai tea please" I told the lady behind the counter. "What's your name?" She asked me smiling politely. "Hailey" I gave her my money, and she went to make my drink. She gave me my tea, and I walked back to the chairs. I gave the change to Mum, and sat down beside her.

"Happy?" She asked me patting my knee. "Very" I replied, taking little sips of the still hot tea. The rest of the time we had to wait, was spent by us chatting with each other. I spent some time on my phone. I even made selfies with Nova, and posted them on my Instagram story, saying 'Nibbit and I at the airport'. On the picture I was kissing Nibbit's cheek and she was giggling because of it.

"Gate for the flight to Toronto, Canada is now open." We heard coming through the speakers. We stood up, took our bags with us to the gate. We had to show our tickets and passport again, and went aboard. We were sitting in pairs, Mum next to me, and Dad next to Nova. We sat down on our assigned chairs, and soon enough the whole plane started to fill.

The doors closed, and flight attendants were explaining the safety concerns. I've heard these so many times before, but I still paid to attention to it. Making sure I knew what to do, in case something would happen.

I put on my seatbelt, and turned my phone on airplane mode. When I looked out of the window, I saw we were already taking of. I saw the plane going through the clouds, and soon enough we were completely up in the sky. We were allowed to take our seatbelts off again, but I usually didn't. I grabbed one of my favourite books out of my bag, and turned the music in my earbuds on. I opened the book, and let me completely taken over by it. Eight hours of flying, would be easy at this rate.