I wake up, sunlight shines through the curtains onto the floor next to my bed. It's Saturday, 9th March, 2013. I look over at the clock on my bedside table. It reads 7:12. It's one of those rare occasions when I wake up early on a Saturday. I turn over and try and fall back asleep but it's no use. I swing my legs over the side of the bed and get up. It's cold and quiet. I grab my dressing gown and put it on. It's small, too small. I've had it for way too long but I don't want to throw it out. I quietly open the door and go downstairs. No one's up yet so I just go into the kitchen and make myself a bowl of cornflakes.

Today I'm supposed to meet up with my best friend, Olive. We're going to a cafe near our favorite shop. It has all the best clothing in it. I've saved up some money in case I feel like buying something. I'm not usually the type who likes to go on shopping sprees. To me clothing is clothing and it just has to be comfortable. That doesn't mean I don't like to look nice though. Olive loves shopping though and she often likes to drag me along. I don't really mind though, she puts up with me dragging her along on big walks to every park in the area so the least I can do is go shopping with her.

I can't believe me, Cherry Natsurai, was being shipped off to Japan, my parents country. I didn't mean to slap someone so hard they ended up in hostpital, I didn't mean to be born to Mr & Mrs Natsurai and not Jack's parents. The're really nice, well except for the inevitable fact that they can't except he's gay (Considering his parents are extreme Christians.) I stuffed the last pair of undies in my suitcase and trailed the battered leather thing downstairs.

"その恐ろしいだぶだぶのセーターを着用しないでください！" Mama screeched, lightly picking up a strand of my shirt with a smooth, long finger.
"Fine mama," I sighed, "I'll change later!"
My father rushed towards me. "Why you wear this thing?" He picked it up from my sleeve, just like my mama. "You change immediately Cherry!" My father seemed unable to speak in an English accent, Jack had given me grief about it.

The lovely sun from this morning is starting to disappear. I walk up to the park. The sky is cloudy and grey. I can see Olive sitting on one of the park benches. She's wearing an orange top and jeans. She looks up, sees me and runs over, her blonde curls bouncing with every step she takes. Oh how I wish I had hair like hers.
"Hi Leah!" she says, smiling.
"Hey!"
"Well, should we go?"
"Yep!"
We walk side by side along the pavement. The cafe is right around the corner. The streets are busy just like every other day.
We go into the cafe and sit down. I order a milkshake.
"OMG, Leah, I can't believe you're going to Japan tomorrow!"
"I know! I'm so excited."
"Oh, I wish I could come, I've always wanted to go to Japan."
"Hmmm, I'll have to see if there's enough room in my suitcase..."
We laugh and finish our milkshakes. Outside light rain starts to fall. All the people who were planning a picnic are starting to pack up as we walk past, towards our favorite store.
As soon as we step in, we're hit with a wave a warmth and Olive speed walks towards the clothing for her size. She pulls out a red dress, covered in sequins. It's about up to her thighs.
"This is the dress I've been saving up for."
She holds it up to herself.
"I've GOT to try it on!"
She disappears into the change rooms. I flick through some of the dresses and then move on towards the more casual looking clothing. They're selling a new line of jeans. I look through them until I here Olive come back. She looks amazing. I knew she was pretty, but not THIS pretty.
"Olive, if you walked into the street right now, you'd be the center of attention!"
"Thanks! Let me see if I have enough..."
She counts her money and then I see her emotion change in seconds.
"I don't have enough. I'm $30 away," she says in a disappointed voice.
I think about it for a second and just before she puts it back on the coat hanger, I say,
"Here, I'm not going to buy anything now anyway. You look like you really want it."
Her face lights up, "really?!"
"Yep."
"OMG, you are the best friend anyone could ever wish for!"

I had to change my sweater eventually, apparently it was not "suitable" For a first day of work. I dropped in to Jacks place to give him a bag of homemade cookies on my way to a quite popular shop (Which was apparently where I was going to be working.) People bustled around- mainly girls in their 20's, meanwhile I slumped against the wooden counter and began to doze off...
"I don't have enough, I'm $30 away." A younger girl said, she was standing next to another girl who was in deep thought.
Come on. I thought Lend her the money so I don't get the sack! I perked up, If I didn't sell one thing today, I could say bye bye to money and forget about the possibility of getting back to Sydney before the christmas holidays. Christmas with my grandma in Japan is always awful! She goes on, and on, and on about how I need more friends, how I need more clothes, how I need more personality and how that if my parents would just pay for her to come to Australia she could whip me into shape. Luckily my parents had enough money for me to go to a hotel in Tokyo, and not be trapped inside a cottage for 5 months. I don't think it's fair that I didn't mean to almost kill someone, but I still get taken away to within the proximity of less than 100,000 Metres of my grandma. The girl who didn't have enough for a dress was walking towards me now, a big grin on her face. "OMG you're the best friend anyone could ever wish for." She said.

The rain is really coming down now. I watch as Olive goes up to the cash register and pays for her dress. The girl behind the counter looks happy to have a customer. I've noticed that this place is surprisingly empty today. Olive pays and we leave the shop. I'm surprised. I've never seen her working there before. She must be new. I'll make sure that after Japan, I try and get on her good side. I try and be friends with all the people working there, it pays off if they know when your birthday is.

Olive and I walk to the bus stop, making sure to stay under the awnings. We arrive there and before I even have time to finish my sentence, she hugs me.
"I'll miss you! Send me a postcard!"
"I'll miss you too."
We say our goodbyes and I get on the bus. I watch as Olive turns the corner and heads towards her apartment block. I settle down in a seat near the back.

10 minutes later, the bus comes to a halt. I get out and walk the rest of the way home. When I walk through the door, I nearly trip over an open suitcase. There's stuff everywhere. Ally is jumping on the couch with her favorite toy, Dad's cooking dinner and Mum's running around with arm fulls of clothing.
"Leah! There you are! You need to get packing!"
"Yes Mum," I say, stepping over a pile of folded shirts.
I retreat to my room and flop onto the bed. I hate packing. I gather up some clothing, grab a few books, pick up my camera and slide my diary out from under my bed. I dump them all in a messy pile in my suit case.
"Leah, dinner time!" I hear my Dad call from downstairs.
I slouch down the stairs and sit down at the dining table. Ally is trying to put her peas on my plate.
"Ally, stop it!"
"No!" She screeches, flicking peas into my hair.
"ALLY!"
"Girls! Just eat your food like human beings!" Mum says grumpily.
Ally giggles and starts eating. Sometimes, I wish I didn't have a sister.

I awoke, shivering in a cold sweat. One day I might tell Mama about my continuous nightmares, If, that is, she decides to learn to speak English. Today was the day I must say fair well to my goddamn family. It's not like they ever tried to help me do anything in life, they didn't even have to sign any permission slips at my school. People who went to Chatswood High where the kind of people Alexandria Park kids envied. That was one of the most prestigious highschools in 2012. I thought. It had really started bucketing down last night, and of course mum & dad had taken the courtesy to make me take off my sweater- so obviously I got soaked and shouted at- But no matter. I had to collect my stuff for my backpack. I dragged myself off the bed and padded over to my window. I flung it open and caught a fresh breeze in my nose.

I threw an exploding backpack onto my black bedspread. Thats all of it! I sighed and turned to my wardrobe, just as dad called up the stairs. "Time to go!" I panicked slightly and shoved on a nice outfit. I tied my brown hair into a ponytail and skipped out of my room.
"Time to go!" I said and picked up the suitcase. Part of me wanted to go, but a smaller section of my heart felt like it belonged in Sydney. five months was a long time to stay in a country where you didn't know the language. I was just about to swing out the door when a firm hand grabbed my bag. "Darling," My dads soft eyes looked up at me- he looked as though he was going to give a speech, my eyes fell. "Try the Sashimi ,It good." He smiled and patted me on the back. "Off you go!"

I am on the run again. Well, Not really "On the run" More like "Going on holiday again," According to Dad. It's also not really my fault we need to keep doing it, It's my aunts. It's not my fault she has a gambling addiction, but it's kinda my fault I ended up under her care in the first place. Today it's a bright, crisp morning, perfect for a flight. I settle down into a leather car seat and pull on my cardigan, as usual it is colder in Aunt Cara's car than it is outside of it. The violently read headed women walks up to the car and shoves the rickety door open. She steps in and slams it shut, a few flakes of paint gently floating down the window.
"Here we go Millicent..." She revs up the croaky engine and offers me a meek smile.
I fake smiled back at her, "Why thank you, dear Aunt Clarissa," I death stare her, "Perfect day to be abandoned by your so called godmother."
Aunt Cara's feeble attempt at a smile drops as soon as she hears the word "abandon" She shifts Uncomfortably in her seat, already beginning to look a little sick. "Your father and I have a perfectly good reason for sending you to Australia for a couple of months- er years."
I sighed. "What would that be then?" Two years ago this "Ownership of Millecent" Thing started. My mother and Father broke up and then they started fighting about who was going to have permanent ownership of me and who was going to get a restraining order. My mother is getting higher and higher in the politics career, that means they have to hide me somewhere. Do I get any say in this? No. Trust me, I've tried finding my mother, i've tried getting in contact. But I can't, Aunt Cara & Dad always find me. Maybe they put some sort of tracking device on me, maybe they are actually evil. Anyhow, I don't care because one thing is for sure: They don't want me to find my mum.

I wake up to the sound of loud talking. I sit up in bed and try and make out what's being said.
"Yeah, now. No. In Chatswood. Yes but I told you already. Okay. No, Chatswood!"
It's my mum trying to get a taxi. I here a soft knocking on my door.
"Come in!" I say.
The door opens slightly and Ally walks in. She climbs onto my bed and crawls under the covers.
"Mummy said you have to get out of bed now," she says, still rubbing sleep from her eyes.
"Okay," I say and hug her.
She walks out of my room. I open my wardrobe. I reach my hand into the mess and pull out a blue, short sleeved top and leggings. I slip on my shoes and grab my hair brush. I do my hair into a long braid and then walk down to the kitchen. Mum's already made me some toast. I eat it and then drag my bulging suitcase down the stairs to the front door. I put it down and then help Ally carry her pink barbie suitcase to the door. Mum and Dad's suitcases are already there. The rain is still going.
I watch as a taxi pulls up in front of our house. It honks it's horn and then I'm nearly pushed over by Dad who is now frantically getting his suitcase out the door.
"Sorry honey!" he says over his shoulder.
I pick up my suitcase and put it in the back. Once we all settle down in the taxi, the taxi driver says
"Where to?"
"Kingsford Smith Airport," Dad replies.
The taxi's engine starts up and we're off.
The whole way there, Ally is telling us about what her teddy did yesterday. I pull out my phone and put on some music. The rain is beating down on the taxi's roof so I have to put the volume up high. We drive up a ramp and the taxi stops. I put my phone back in my pocket and get out.
Once we're inside, we all try and dry off.
"Look!" Ally shouts, "I can see a plane out the window!"
"That's nice honey," Mum says looking around, trying to find a map.
We check in our baggage and Mum and Dad set out to fill in some forms. Dad tells me to take Ally into the toy shop so I grab her by the hand and walk off. We come back 15 minutes later and Dad looks at us.
"I have some bad news, our seats have been seperated."
"I'll sit by myself," I say in reply.
"No, it's okay. Your mother and I have already decided that I'll sit by myself."
"No Dad, I want to. Please?"
"You really want to?"
"Yes!"
"Okay but if you want to swap seats just come and ask. I'll be happy to swap."
"Thankyou!"
Two hours later, we board the plane. I take my seat and say goodbye to my parents and Ally. I place my bag in the overhead locker and sit down. I watch as people try and squeeze past others, pushing bags into lockers and finding their seats. I unpack and put on the headphones. I plug them into the seat in front of me and put on my favorite band. Suddenly I see someone climb into the seat next to me. I look and can't believe my eyes. It's the girl behind the counter at my favorite store. I don't know... Is that really her? Or does she just look like her... Well, I guess I'll find out....

I climb over the rows of cheap economy class seats and sit down with a sigh. The taxi man took extremely long to find Sydney Airport and also implied that I was drunk. I think he might've been the drunk one. I dropped by backpack under my seat with the tip of my bright red fingers. Not only had the Taxi driver taken me to the Sydney Tower first, he had never bothered to open the tiny taxi boot for me. I surveyed for little, sleep sleep depriving babies, I only saw one, a girl with Dark Brown hair. Great. I thought. 12 hours of no sleep. All kids were like that. Moaning and groaning about ear-ache the whole flight. I notice something strange. That girl looks weirdly like the customer I served yesterday. I look up and there she is, one of the most beautiful girls I have ever seen, walking, ear phones in, to her seat.
"Hey!" I call to her, may as well make some friends for the flight. "I saw you lend your friend $30, that was really nice!" I flicked my hair back the way I did normally when talking to someone for the first time. A flight attendant barged in and turned to the girl. "Would you like fruit salad or yoghurt?" She smiled. She then looked at me and scowled. "I've got orders that you are not to communicate with other people your age." She clinically sized me up. "Fancy being so Violent!" She dusted off her polo shirt and turned back to the girl, "What was that darling?"

The people around me start to settle down. The girl from behind the counter sits down next to me.
"Hey!" She says, "I saw you lend your friend $30, that was really nice!"
"Thanks, I thought I recognized you," I say with a smile.
Then there's an awkward silence. I turn back to the screen.
"Hi, would you like fruit salad or yogurt?"
I turn and see one of the flight attendants standing behind a trolley.
"Yogurt please," I reply. I didn't know they served you food before take off. An announcement comes over the speakers.
"I'm sorry for the delay, we will be leaving half an hour later, due to stormy weather."
Great. Well at least I have yogurt to keep me busy now. I wonder how my family is going. I open up the plastic lid and start eating. Cherry looks at the flight attendant who doesn't seem to look happy to see her.

I tap the flight attended on the back, just as she is about to leave.
"I'll have Fruit Salad please." I raise my eyebrows with a slight attitude.
She rolls her eyes and shoves a metallic container into my sore, red hands, "Don't expect any kindness from the flight attendants, i've told them you are a murdering psychopath!" She started to screech at the end of her sentence.
"For gods sake- I did not mean to almost kill someone!" I screamed, kicking the floor.
The flight attendant gasped- "And a abuser of god as well!"
I started to wonder why this lady was permitted to serve people food.

I watch as the flight attendant seems to throw what looks to me like a fit.
Half an hour later I hear an announcement saying that the plane is set for take off.
"Finally!" I hear someone say. I recognize that voice. it's Ally. I giggle to myself. I wonder if she's already scared away the people in the neighboring seats. The plane starts to move forward towards the runway. We stop and then the plane starts again, this time with more momentum. We go faster and faster.
"Yeah! That's more like it!" Ally screeches.
"ALLY! Be quiet!" Mum says. I can just imagine her scolding Ally. Ally is quite crazy if you haven't already guessed.
I watch as the grumpy flight attendant buckles down her seat belt at the front of the plane. She looks really uncomfortable. Well, I'm glad I'm not her.

The wind and speed starts picking up, i'm pressed against the back of my scratchy seat, "Ahhhhhhhh!" I screech, practically thwartling into the seat in front of me. I start finding it hard to breath, I grip the armrest- wait no- thats an old mans arm. I rip my hand back- "Sorry!". He grunts back at me in a rather grumpy manner. I hear the girl scream. "Would that stupid girl shut up?!" I whirled my head around and tried to breath normally.

We've been in the air for about half an hour. Cherry has gotten many bad looks from the passing flight attendants. I've listened to a full album now and I'm looking through the games they have. Something's telling me I should start a conversation. I don't really know how to though. I play game after game, mentally giving it a score out of ten. I'm playing hard memory and I notice as I start to feel tired. It's still daylight but I didn't sleep very well last night. My eyes close and I lean my head back. The last thing I feel is the game control falling onto my lap.

I flick anxiously through a magazine. "This is all rubbish!" I cry, jabbing Leah in the arm unexpectantly. Whoops... I watched as the glass of orange juice slip over the edge of Leah's tray and miraculously thud onto the person sitting in front of her...
Double whoopsies. I sighed, waiting for the flight attendant to come. At least it didn't fall on me. I am wearing a candy coloured dress that took almost a year to save up for, I need it perfect to wear it for my grand entrance in Tokyo.

I'm woken in the strangest way ever. Cherry jabbs me in the arm and then I'm hit in the face by my tray. I manage to recover in time to watch as my orange juice pours all over the person in front of me. I look at Cherry who is now nervously looking around.
I sit up, adjust my pillow and look at Cherry.
"Wow. How did you manage to do that?" I say with a laugh.

"What do you mean?" I un-buckle my seat belt and leave and old episode of Tom & Jerry on standby.