Home Away From Home

Chapter One

" A melancholy feeling arose in me as I sat at the edge of my bed looking around my now clean room. My eyes rested upon the wall adjacent to me as I scanned over the quote from my favorite childhood book. "Inside all of us is hope. Inside all of us is fear. Inside all of us is an adventure. Inside all of us is a wild thing."
I sighed, definitly feeling hopeful but unbearably fearful as I was about to embark on a new adventure. I pulled my hands to my chest and took one last deep breath before pulling myself away from my bedroom with my suitcases towing behind.
"All ready?" My mom asked, looking excited but just as terrified.
"I think so." I gave a warm smile and took in my surroundings for the last time.
"Let's go." My mom smiled into my eyes and hugged me tightly from the side.
"Let's go." I agreed, breathing deeply again. The feeling that washed over me was something similar to buyers' remorse, only this wasn't returnable.
My dad, brother, and sister were already in the car waiting for us. We hurried out the door, carefully making last minutes checks.
I slid into the car next to my older brother Augustus while my younger sister Emerson struggled to buckle her seat belt on my other side. Somehow we always end up sitting in birth order, which I don't think is very fair-- ever.
Augustus is back from his third year of college for the summer, and I'll be leaving for my first year in fall. As an almost graduation gift, my parents graciously allowed me to sign up for the Summer Exchange program. I've been restless ever since our match was found in Australia. I'll be spending the next two months with a family I've only ever communicated with over the internet.
The ride to the airport was as unsettling as ever. Not only was I uncomfortable, but it felt as though my hold body was vibrating with nerves.
Emerson is almost sixteen, and I've been feeling guilty about going away just as she's growing into herself as a person. She insists that it's okay, but I know that if I could bring her with me, she wouldn't hesitate to come with.
"Try to get a number from a cute boy for me, okay?" She whispered, cautiously looking up to the front seats to make sure our parents weren't listening.
I laughed and shook my head. "I'll do my best."
She nodded, seriously. "I'm not kidding."
"Yeah, no, I know." I laughed again, not comfortable with the thought of my not-so-baby sister growing up.
"Which reminds me... have you talked to the kid from your host family yet?" Her eyes grew, and a smile threated to take over, but she fought it hard.
After being accepted into the program, I was sent a photo of the family I was matched with. Em has been obssessing over the boy, and I'm not gonna say she doesn't have good reason to. He's pretty attractive, but he's also made no effort to contact or even reply to any of my emails.
"No. I think that's a dead end for you. Sorry." I smiled sympathetically as she sighed and gazed out the window.
"True love only happens in fairytales, I suppose." She breathed out lightly, almost joking.
"Never say anything like that again." I cringed and pretended to be nauseous.
"My poor, poor sister. Just wait. You'll see that I'm right, and you'll be sorry you didn't pay more attention to me." She shook her head in a disapproving manner.
I raised my eyebrows as I looked at her incredulously. "Don't act like you're so wise. I'm pretty sure mom packed you a juice box for the ride if you want it."
She scoffed, "I am wise, and if you weren't joking about that juice, I'll take it."
I laughed and reached behind me for the package of juice that my mother had in fact brought along for our car ride which would last less than an hour.
We each sipped away happily; that is until my gut wrenched with nerves again. I closed my eyes, trying to take my mind out of itself. I ended up falling asleep, which isn't the worst thing considering I'd be on a plane for the next twenty hours.
I felt pressure on my shoulder as my eyes blurred open. "Greta... Greta, we're here."
Augustus was shaking me awake as we pulled into a parking spot near the airport. I took a deep breath, collected myself, and got out of the car.
My dad towed my bags in. They stayed to make sure I got checked in okay, and we said our goodbyes before I went through security.
My dad pulled me in, barely letting me breathe. "Stay safe, okay? I can't believe I'm letting you go across the world without me again." We pulled apart, and he continued to hold me at arms' length. "When will it be my turn?" He kissed my cheek, and I returned one. "I love you, and we're going to miss you. Don't ever hesitate to call. Unless it's like three in the morning, though."
We both laughed. "I love you too, and I'll save all my calls for 3 AM."
I hugged my mom, and we exchanged our 'I love you's as well as her cautions and scheduled check-ins. I was to call before my plane left, when we landed for the layover, and when I arrived in Sydney.
"Don't do anything I wouldn't do." Augustus added, cheesing widely.
"Oh, I wouldn't dare." I teased back. We hugged tightly, and he kissed my forehead, which was rare but welcomed.
"Em..." My sister was hiding behind my brother with tears on the brim of her eyes. "I'll be back so soon, okay?"
"But then you're just going to leave again." She protested. All the resentment and jealously and sadness that she had been penting up since I received notice of this trip was spilling out.
I tilted my head and looked at her, challenging her unfair arguement. "I don't want to leave you like this, please." I pleaded, pulling her into a hug where she proceeded to wet my shirt with her tears.
"I'm just going to miss you a lot." She muffled into my chest.
"I know, and I'm going to miss you so much. We'll talk all the time, though, okay?" She pulled away just enough to look into my eyes, swearing in the promise.
I moved closer to my ear in order to whisper. "Besides, if I don't go, who is going to get you in contact with cute Australians?"
She let out a breathy laugh, finally smiling. "Fair enough." Her lips drew a line across her face, as she searched mine one last time. "I love you."
"I love you too." I smiled, biting my lip to hold in my own tears.
"See you in sixty days." She choked back some tears, as she gathered herself.
"See you in sixty days." I repeated to everyone.
"Remember to call!" My mom yelled out in a worried frenzy.
"I will!" I was making my way to security with my family behind me.
Thankfully, the line wasn't remarkably long.
"Name please." The man at the desk looked back and forth from me and my passport.
"Greta Fitzgerald." I twirled my fingers nervously, even though I knew there would be no complications.
"You may proceed."
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I just get ideas in my head, and they're never fully developed. Writing, no matter how poorly it is done, is a therapy. Thanks for reading. We'll see where this goes together. :)