My holiday in Ghana was going to last for two weeks, taking up the last days of August, and seeping into September. I'd already packed my things for when I got back, since I'd be moving out straight away. It felt like things were happening so fast. 

"Make sure you text us every hour, every minute, every second!" Beatrice hadn't let go of me since we got out of Santi's car, and had continued to hold onto my arm all the way into the airport. We were both crying at the moment, in each other's arms, not wanting to let go. "Because if you don't, I'll personally come to haunt you in your college."

"I promise," I laughed between sobs, "And you better do the same, else I'll disown you."

"I WILL. YOU KNOW I WILL." Beatrice said, before finally letting go so that Aki could come in and hug me. 

"You big, annoying teddy bear. Too tall for your own good." I sniffed, wrapping my arms around him.

"You annoying, little teddy bear. Keep thinking you're getting taller, but I beat you to it every time." Aki laughed. "Do as Bea said, and keep us updated on how everything goes. And I know we won't be together much when you get back, but we'll always be here when you need us."

"I know. I've always known that. And even though I'll be on the other side of the planet, we're gonna be doing face times every day, so no need to worry."

"Hurry up, it's my turn." Katie tried to pull Aki off of me. "You guys were with her more than I was."

"We have half an hour." Aki narrowed his eyes at her. "You can have her in the last fifteen seconds." 

"What about a group hug?" I laughed, stepping back from him, and opening out my arms. Katie fell into them before anyone else could. 

"Nope, they got time so it's my turn." She said to me. "I just need to say how sorry I am for how I treated you when you first came here. You didn't deserve it. And I don't deserve you."

"Sweet words don't suit you, Katie," I laughed, causing her to punch my shoulder playfully, "but it's fine. We're practically sisters now, and that's all that matters. You guys are all family to me. I couldn't ask for anything better."

"You've given way too much to people, Jem. I hope you'll be able to see it that way one day." Katie whispered. "A real family is something that a lot of people don't really have. Blood doesn't make us family. Support does. And I can't thank you enough for being able to show me that." Her voice was beginning to crack now, and she finally pulled away from me, the tears streaming down her cheeks as she smiled. "Okay. I think I'm going to shut up now, before I make things even more cringey."

I snickered. "I think now's a pretty decent time to be cringey. But thank you, Katie. Thanks for saying that. And you should know you've helped me so much, too. I'm glad we managed to finally get along."

"Jem. Hey, Jemimah!"  

I heard the voice before I saw her, and gasped as Alana came jogging towards me, a large grin decorating her face. Katie let go of me, giving space for Alana to literally run over and swoop me in the air.

"Jesus!" I shouted, as she placed me back on the floor, laughing. "I didn't realise you were that strong."

"Girl, don't underestimate me because I'm hot. Pretty girls can be strong too, you know."

"Get it I guess." I laughed, shaking my head. "Thanks for coming! I didn't expect to see you today."

"Here." Alana handed me a small paper bag. "From me and the fam. Just a goodbye gift." 

I opened it to find a pair of pink gemstone earrings in a transparent case, and gasped in delight as I held them up. "Wow... these are gorgeous." I looked at her. "You didn't have to do this!"

"Oh, please. You deserve them." Alana's smile faltered a little, causing mine to falter too, before I came to the realisation that Jesse was part of this gift. 

"Tell him I said thank you." I said to her, quietly, still mustering my smile. I placed the earrings back in the bag, and tucked it into my skirt pocket. "I appreciate it."

Alana nodded, before glancing briefly to the parking lot, and then looking back at me. I suddenly realised what she was trying to say. "Only if you want to." She whispered. "He wanted to come over, but I said it should be up to you."

Beatrice placed her hand on my shoulder from behind me. "You don't have to if you don't want to, Jemmy."

I patted her hand, and smiled. "No. I think it's best to end things on a good note. I'll be back, guys." 

I started hesitantly down towards the airport entrance, and made my way outside to the cars. I saw Mr Nakamura's car and Susanne's car not too far down, and then Santiago's car where me and the others had ridden together. Then I saw him, leaning against a small blue polo, glancing down nervously at his phone. I wondered if he knew I was going to come out to meet him. 

As I approached him, I began noticing the small little details. He'd grown out his hair and had done it in cornrows, and I was beginning to notice the small amount of stubble that had begun growing on his chin and along his jawline. He was wearing a loose black tank top that showcased his muscular figure, and when he looked up, I noticed his muscles tense. 

"Jemimah." His voice was quiet. 

"Hi, Jesse." I tried not to waver. 

He placed his phone slowly into the pocket of his jeans, and stepped away from his car. I didn't even realise he had one. Or maybe he had just started driving. "You look good." I said, scanning him. 

He let out a short exhaling breath. "You too." He stepped a bit closer to me. "I won't waste any time. Thank you for coming out to see me. I didn't think-"

"Yeah, I didn't think so either." I shrugged, placing one hand on my arm. "But I just thought this had to be said. I never really got to thank you properly for what you'd done for me. Ever since I met you, I started to gather more and more confidence to go back to Ghana. It's been difficult for me to accept that country as my own for years. You helped me with that a lot. Even though..."  I looked down. "Even though you made things so painful for me afterwards. I have to give credit where its due."

I looked up, and saw that his full lips had set in a stern line, and I can't help but be brought back to the moment they were on mine, making me feel all the things I wanted to keep feeling forever, before he'd pulled away and broken my heart. Jesse sighed.

"I don't know what to say to that. I mean... I didn't deserve you. I didn't deserve someone who is so good. So thoughtful. I hurt you, and I don't know how you're able to come here in these last few minutes of being in this country, and talk to me instead of your friends. But thank you again. And I don't think all the sorrys in the world would show you how sorry I am for what I did to you. But I hope to some day change for the better. So that maybe I can finally give good people what they deserve."

I nodded. "I hope you change for the better, too. I really do. So that you don't keep hurting yourself so much. I hope for the best for you, Jesse." I paused, before turning, and slowly started to walk back up to the airport. "And just so you know, I came out here, because I'm saying thank you to every one who has contributed to the good things in my life up until now. That includes you, whether I like it or not. And I can never take that away from you."

I might never see Jesse again. Or who knows, maybe I would. It hurt to turn my back and walk away from him. It hurt, because I knew it was an official goodbye to everything that was us. The short moments that we had. The short-lived romance that was probably just not meant to be. But as Miss Brielle said, you learn from every experience, and that's exactly what happened.

When I got back to the others, they gave me wary looks. But I flashed them a smile, because after all, this was still a special day, and what had happened with Jesse was just not enough to ruin it. 

We spent the last fifteen minutes together looking through Katie's album of photos from our summer holiday, and mixes of emotions overwhelmed me as we retraced our memories over the last few months. I didn't want it to end. But before we knew it, Dad had glanced at his watch and told me it was time. 

"Alright. Jemimah," Dad came up behind me, "It's time to go now".

I bit my lip, and I felt the tears swelling up in my eyes again. I don't think I'd ever even given them a chance to dry out today. I turned round to the others. "Well guys...this is it".

"JEMMY NO!" Beatrice held onto my arm. "TAKE ME WITH YOU!"

I handed her my suitcase. "Jump in, let me carry you".

Katie pushed in. "If she's coming, I'm coming too".

"There is no way I'm getting arrested for something so ridiculous," Dad laughed, "You guys are all made for each other. Come on, Jemimah".

Aki had to pull Beatrice off of me for me to actually be able to walk. I was unable to hold back the tears anymore. "Bye, guys. I'm gonna miss you all so much!"

"We love you, girl!" Katie called after me, "Take lots of pics for us."

"Don't forget what I said!" Beatrice said, her voice trembling.

"Don't forget what I said either." Aki added, shutting his eyes from the tears.

"I won't. I love you!" I said to them, walking backwards, until I finally reached the escalator. I turned around to get on, and then watched as they all got smaller and smaller. None of us looked away for a second.

When I first arrived in this country, I would never have guessed the adventures that lay ahead of me. It had been a roller coaster ride, and I'd met a whole new world made up of the most amazing people I'd ever met.

I learnt so much, I've changed so much, and I've had the time of my life with Beatrice, Akito and everyone else. Even though things got hard, and they got painful, we managed to stride through and get through it all.

**************************

I settled into the seat by the plane window, and buckled my belt around my waist. Dad slid in next to me, with a smile. "You alright?"

I nodded, slowly, biting my lip. I knew I was going to cry again as soon as this plane began to set off.

I stared out the window. The sun was beginning to set, painting the sky with streaks of orange, red, pink and yellow. The warm, golden setting was comforting, and I rested my head against the window, already wondering what the others were doing right about now.

Maybe they were still crying too, and had gone to a coffee shop or something to settle down for a while. I missed them already.

But then, I thought about what lay ahead of me; I was going back to Ghana. Ghana!

And I was finally going to get to see what my country was like, through free eyes. I immediately began to feel thrilled at the thought of the chickens running around the dusty roads, and the red soil beneath my feet. The smell of frying plantain, jollof rice and beans wafting in the afternoon air. 

I could almost sense it already.

I closed my eyes, as the memory of my last time on a plane came back to me. I was so alone, miserable and still severely damaged by the life I had just left. I was such a broken child back then.

But now that was a world away. And even though I knew it would probably take several more years before I finally recovered from everything completely, I knew I was on the right track now.

But my mind was full of all the what ifs. What if I lost my confidence as soon as I arrived in a new place? What if my college wasn't even a good one, or if I didn't even enjoy my courses? What if me and my friends began to lose touch? What if even, going back to Ghana would do more damage than good?

But then... what if those things didn't happen? And maybe life would work out in its own complicated way? I guess I just had to wait to find out.

Dad rested his hand on my lap and smiled at me, as if he knew exactly what I was thinking. "You'll be okay, Jemimah. Trust me." He looked down at me, smiling, and I squeezed his hand, the same way I did when we first landed here. "You'll be just fine."