Home Is Where The Heart Is

Chapter 1

Her mind was in a whirl. 

Maybe it was because of her surroundings. Everything felt not right. The seat belt was constricting her and she could barely move her feet, with the little leg space. There was no way of sleeping comfortably, with the seat upright, and she didn't want to annoy others by reclining the chair. Moreover, there was a plump lady neighbour next to her who apparently found her gross, long, pointed red nails more interesting than her. 

The aeroplane definitely felt too stuffy. Perhaps it was because it was her first plane ride - she wondered how he could even possibly endure multiple plane rides in a short period of time. And some were especially long, too. Well, he had been terrified, of course. Her face lifted in a smile as she imagined him squirming uncomfortably in his seat (in an unintentionally cute way). Subconsciously, she began to do the same thing. Urgh. She felt the compulsion to scream out in her seat and escape the plane in a way only recognisable by people just out of an asylum. But they were in the air... she briefly contemplated; a) breaking every bone by landing on an island nobody knew even existed, and b) bobbing in the freezing waters of the Pacific like a stupid cork and becoming the main course of a shark's dinner. She hastily backpedalled from the consideration. 

She sighed as she fruitlessly shifted her bottom. All this thinking had still done nothing to calm her nerves. Why was she even feeling that anxious? It wasn't that she was worried (okay, maybe just a little. She noted the strange pieces of metal on the wing with distaste). It felt more like her entire body was tingling with anticipation for the unexpected. And come to think of it, she didn't think it really had to do with the United Airlines. 

So. 

She stared at her boarding pass, still not quite believing what she had done. She had gone and run away from home, flying over the world's largest ocean to be with him. Could she even call it 'running away'? She was nineteen and officially an independent woman, even though she had only just finished her studies. Well, but she hadn't told anybody back home where she was going. Though they could trace her track using her passport, of course, when looking for her. 

If they were even looking for her. And why should they have to? They had her lovely little sister. They had her and that was enough. She was a smart girl, and obviously they were pleased with her acting like it was Burger King and having it her way. Paradise on earth. 

Not her idea of paradise on earth, apparently. Just the thought of his dark tousled hair, warm chocolatey eyes and perfect rosy lips made her insides turn all shuddery. He was perfect for her, she knew it. She could not wait to begin her new life. With him. Damn all the fangirls around the world, they were meant for each other and she knew it. She could just see them now, making their first public appearance together and triggering all the paparazzi and tabloids. She would be the subject of envy of millions of girls around the world who would burn with jealousy and turn into new-generation Nazis. They would be declared 'Cutest Couple' in Young Hollywood and spend the rest of their lives together with three beautiful children and three cats and a dog and a picture-perfect mansion and sex three times a week. She began floating away on a vision of them stepping out of a sleek limousine, looking absolutely dazzling together, arm in arm, walking down the red carpet, being bestowed in roses, girls at her Marc Jacobs-clad feet, begging, begging, begging for - 

"Miss," the flight attendant's voice yanked her out of her reverie. And judging from her tone, it was probably not the first time she had been called. Silently cursing the woman for cutting off her perfect fantasies, she coughed and turned towards the stewardess, who gave her an obviously forced smile. "We will be landing in Los Angeles in the next hour. Would you like to fill up an immigration form?" 

It took all her energy to not lapse into her own mind again. Even the words 'immigration form' made her giddy at the surreality of what she was doing. She had travelled almost nine thousand miles to see him smile. Surely that would prove something to him? 

She nodded her thanks and took one slip of paper. Staring blankly at the form, she then proceeded to fill it up to the best of her ability (please do keep in mind that it was her first time on a plane). "Amy Lea," she murmured to herself, almost detesting the way it came out. It was such a plain name, and her surname was unusual in a place like Singapore. She wondered what was going through her parents' minds when they named her. 

What was that turning feeling at the bottom of her stomach when she thought of her family? 

Nobody took her seriously at home. No inkling of interest in what she wanted, whatsoever. They suppressed her independence and always assumed she still wasn't 'grown-up'. Well, she'd proven them wrong. She'd gone and picked up and left and showed them that she could do very well on her own. And now there was no turning back. 

So why did she feel something persistingly eating away at the back of her mind? 

She firmly squashed down whatever it was and hoped it had been killed for good. She turned towards the window, allowing her fingertips to graze the surface and embrace the coldness. The aeroplane appeared to not be moving at all, frozen in the seemingly endless sky of chilling blue. Grey clouds seamed the expanse and gathered above the horizon, where the sun was just beginning to peek from its sleep, the breaking of a new dawn.