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The security at the airport wasn't difficult to get through. I dragged my suitcases quickly passed many stores to make my way to where I would board my plane in ten minutes. I took a seat between two occupied chairs and tried to appear put together.

I removed my journal from my carry-on and began to write down a bit of what I was feeling at the moment: Fear, excitement, sadness; a whole mix of emotions. I couldn't put my finger on just one...

"What are you writing?" The girl next to me asked with a smile across her face.

I glanced over at her, closing my journal onto my pencil to keep my place. "Just some stuff... nothing important."

"Must be kind of important," she stated as she took her hand out of her pocket and wiped a tear from my cheek. "Are you okay?" The girl asked as she tucked her dark hair behind her ear.

I sighed, "I'll be alright."

"So, Los Angeles, huh?" She changed the subject. "That's where I live. I came out to Philadelphia to visit a friend of mine and now I'm heading home. What about you?"

Dang, this girl was friendly.

"Moving." I answered. Trying to slow the conversation down.

"Really?" She seemed to get a little excited. "You're going to love it. If you want, once we get there I can show you all around. I moved there when I was ten. I'm nineteen now. How old are you? Do you think you're going to like living in California? Are you moving all by yourself or do you have family out there?" She rambled on, I tuned her out and went back to my writing.

It was quiet for a moment before I noticed the girl leaning over my shoulder, "You're good with words," she said, "I couldn't write to save my life."

I realized she had been reading as I wrote so I closed my journal and put it back in my carry-on.

"You don't talk much, do you?" She asked as she turned sideways in her seat to face me. "My named Meghan, but you can call me Meg. All my friends call me Meg." She held out her hand to shake mine.

I accepted her handshake, only so I didn't come across too rude. "Hunter" I said, half introducing myself.

"Nice to meet you, so what's taking you to LA?"

So. Many. Questions.

"Got a job." I answered her.

"Oh that's cool. I only work part time right now. Which I guess is okay because I don't have any bills to pay." Meg laughed. Her smile is very bright. Gorgeous.

"Yeah I guess so..." I stood up as everybody started boarding the plane.

"So you really are by yourself?" She asked.

"Usually." I stated, though it wasn't an entirely true statement. I have- had friends by my side always.

"Oh. Well don't worry, Hunter, I'll make sure you're not completely alone in LA."

Oh Joy.

"Shawn."

"Come again?"

"It's Shawn." I repeated. "Shawn Hunter."

"That's a cute name." She said, rising from her seat.

I made my way away from Meg to board the plane. She wasn't bad, really, but she was almost as nosey as Cory. Maybe she was just being nice.... too nice.

I took my seat by the window once I got on the plane. This might not be so bad.

"Psst. Shawn... Hey.. Shawn." Came a whisper during the flight attendant's safety speech. A bright red fingernail poked my hand that held my pencil. "Pssst."

I looked up to see Meg, turned backwards in the seat in front of mine. "Hi." She said in a loud whisper. "I lost you for a second, but our seats are close."

Great.

"Hi." I said as I fixed my attention back on my journal.

"There's nobody sitting next to you, can I come back there by you?"

I shrugged. I didn't really care what she did. Either way, I'm going to hear her the entire way.

"Okay cool." She squeezed passed the people that were next to her and came to sit by me. "I'm not really sure if I'm allowed to do this, but you're cool, so I'm gonna sit by you." She said with a bit of a giggle.

"Thanks, I think."

"So, Shawn, are you scared to move to Los Angeles alone?"

"Not really." I lied, I'm terrified, what if it's not everything I dreamed it would be?

"Really? I was scared to fly out to Pennsylvania for a week alone."

"Uhhuh." I tried to quiet her. It worked for a little while.

We were in the air by now. I was gazing out my window, it's so beautiful to see the world from a different perspective.

"Your hair looks really soft." Meg said out of the blue. "Would you mind if I touched it?"

"I'd really rather you didn't." Who is this girl and why is she so strange?

"Oh, okay, sorry." She quieted down.

The flight seemed to go on forever. My mind was racing my heart and I wasn't sure which would win. I had a million things to think about. I wondered if I came across much like my father had, running off. I thought of Cory and Angela, how I had hurt them in leaving. I remembered Jack, who had expressed his desire to get to know me. As I watched the clouds from above, I wondered how my life would be; whether or not it was worth leaving everything I know and everything I love.

"Of course it's worth it, Shawn. This is your life, you do what you need to do in order to be happy." I thought, though I didn't exactly believe it, yet.

As landing approached, I put my notebook and my few snacks back into my carry-on to avoid doing so at the end of the flight..

"Hey..." Meghan started. "I'm sorry if I annoyed you. I would like to be your friend if you don't mind. I can show you around the city and stuff."

"I'm sure I can manage alone." I stated, but I know nothing about LA.

"Oh." She sighed, she seemed disappointed.

"I mean... I guess. I don't think a tour guide would be a bad idea."

"And a friend?" She asked.

"We'll see." I answered, to which she smiled and nodded.

The plane landed and all the passengers began to shuffle out.

"We can get some food first. I'm so hungry, but airplane food is so very expensive." Meghan said as she walked along my side.

I nodded in agreement.

We went and picked up out luggage. Walking side by side as if we had always known eachother. I decided that the short, talkative girl wasn't half bad, and that I might enjoy having her as my friend.

"I'd like to take you to my favorite Pizza place. I'll buy." Meghan offered as we weaved through people.

"You asking me out?" I joked, chuckling under my breath.

A laugh erupted from Meg. I didn't think I was that funny, she clearly did. She has a cute laugh.

"Haha, No! I just thought you might be hungry, I sure am." She said after she calmed her laughter.

"I can't say no to pizza." I accepted her offer. Free food? Why not?

We stepped outside the air conditioned airport into the hot Californian air. The sun smacked me in the face, but in a way that felt good. I stopped walking and took a deep breath to absorb the city, though Meghan kept on. The city was warm, bright, and active. People moving to and fro without stopping to say "Hi". It registered with me that this is where I am now, this is a huge step in my life. Thoughts ran through my head at an alarming pace. I wondered if I'd be capable alone. If I would end up just like I used to be in Philadelphia, as some kind of lower-class garbage. If I could possibly make friends here like I had back home- "This is your home now, Shawn." I mumbled to myself, but it was a truth I almost didn't want to accept.

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