Rio de Janeiro, that’s where our senior trip was this year, and I’m going to have to admit, I would be extremely stoked to go there but…

I have to get on a plane. 

I had never flown before, I never wanted to fly, but I wanted to go and that would require getting my happy ass onto that dreaded plane. It was going to take everything I had, but I was determined to have fun and go buck ass wild. 

Because I had just graduated and this was my last chance to spend it with my senior class. Plus my friend Mallory had somehow completely convinced me that I would regret it if I didn’t, so I was going. 

I was currently packing, shoving everything I could possibly fit into my suitcase. I had read over some guide lines on the plane and surprisingly they were fairly lenient but somewhat strict on what you could bring. The plane would be leaving tomorrow, and we would be spending two entire weeks in Rio, and I could only imagine how much fun I was going to have. 

Then I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket, and I pulled it out to see Mallory’s name pop up, I slid it open, “Hey.”

“I can not wait to leave, we’re going to have so much fun.”

Mallory had literally called me at least once a day every day this week to remind me of this, and the more I thought about it, the more excited I actually became. 

I smiled at her excitement, “We’ll be lucky if we don’t die from alcohol poisoning.”

She laughed on the other line, “Damn, this is the only thing I’ve been looking forward to my entire senior year, you know that?”

“What, not having to be in school? To be relaxing on the beach drinking mimosas?”

She sighed, “Are you bringing razors?”

I wanted to, I really did, but the only way I could do that was to get to the airport extra early tomorrow morning just to get my bag checked… and it meant waking up really early. I pouted, “I don’t know…”

“Come with me, I heard a lot of people are getting certain things checked. You’ll get to sleep the entire way there.”

I pondered the thought, was bringing my own razors that important? I really needed to, so I could shave peacefully and I’m sure I wasn’t the only one thinking that way.  I also had to get other things checked as well, like my shampoo and flat iron and all that junk, so I complied, “Fine.”

Mallory yipped on the other side of the phone and spoke, “Awesome, I’ll pick you up at 5:00 AM tomorrow!”

I groaned, “Whatever.”

“Sleep good!”

I clicked my phone off, plugging it into the wall so it could charge. I couldn’t contain my inner excitement, the fun we were going to have in Rio… the white sand beaches, the partying…

I was going to have the time of my life, and nothing was going to stand in my way.

~ ~ ~ ~

The annoying alarm clock was buzzing in my ear loudly, I slammed my fist onto it, hoping to shut it off but it only made it louder. I reached aimlessly for the plug, and when I found it, I pulled it straight out of the wall, groaning, “Shit.”

Even during summer I still had to wake up at 5:00 in the morning.

I stumbled to my bathroom, studying my brunette bed head and brushing my teeth, packing every remaining thing I needed into my suitcase. I did a once over check, then a second over, and finally a third bag check and I was settled.

If I was missing anything I would just buy it. 

I heard my phone buzz in my pocket, and I knew it was Mallory, but as I pulled it out I heard my front door open, letting me know she wasn’t waiting outside. She dangled her key in front of me, “Thank God for best friend’s who are generous enough to give their best friend’s a house key.”

I rolled my eyes, “Yea, whatever, now help me.”

She hauled my things into the back of her jeep and sighed, “Where’s your parent’s?”

“Las Vegas, they sent me a text saying have fun, and they left me an extra 2,000 dollars… Happy senior trip to me.”

I never really saw my parent’s, and sometimes I seemed to think that they forgot that they had a daughter. They never really paid any attention to me, but I didn’t mind, it was a mutual feeling with my parent’s.

But sometimes I figured if I disappeared, they would never even notice.

Or care. 

“Have your plane ticket?”

I groaned from my tiredness, “Well no shit, that’s the most important thing.”

“Jeez, just making sure, you’re sure as hell not a morning person.”

I got into her passenger seat, already feeling myself falling asleep. It was truly to early for this, all I could possibly think about was sleeping.

“Sucks that we have to sit in alphabetical order.”

I nodded, “Yea, go figure.”

They had given out our tickets in alphabetical order to avoid confusion, so no telling who I was going to be sitting by. I shoved the ticket into my hoodie pocket and rested my head on the glass window, hoping to catch some sleep but I came up short as we drove up to the air port.

This was going to suck.

I groaned, “Mallory, this is the most horrible thing you’ve ever made me do in the four years we’ve been best friends.”

“You’ll thank me later,” she pushed me forward into the already growing line and I looked at my annoying, but loveable best friend. She was right, I was going to thank her later, but right now I was exhausted, and I couldn’t think about anything else but sleeping on that plane. 

The time seemed to drag on like a train slowly coming to a stop, and finally, we had our bags checked and our razors approved by security officials. I had also brought a flat iron and Mallory with her other things, so it wasn’t just for razors. 

That would’ve never gotten me out of bed this morning.

Most of the senior class was here now, and we were getting in line to board the plane, and Mallory grabbed my hand in excitement, “I can’t wait!”

I smiled, realizing this was a moment I was never going to forget with my best friend. The girl who had stuck with me through everything, picked me up when I could no longer go, and we were graduating together, and going out of country for our final adventure as kids. 

I flashed my passport and my ticket, leading me onto the plane and being directed to my seat. I shoved my suitcase into the slot where I was directed and soon enough I took my seat, relieving my weak and tired legs. I sighed, knowing Mallory was nowhere near me, since her last name started with an R. I was glad because I had a window seat, so if I couldn’t sleep, I would watch the scene outside. 

But before I rested my eyes I glanced back, hoping to see anyone I knew, and luckily Mallory was in my view. She waved excitedly to me and I smiled back, turning back around and relaxing. 

I had begun to doze off waiting for every one to board and I rested my head on the wall of the plane. This flight was going to kill me if I couldn’t sleep through it. 

Then as I was about to fall asleep, someone joined me in my row, forcing me to look up. 

And I regretted it. 

She looked at me, Claire Gardner, my long-lost sexually confused ex-bestfriend was looking at me with  uneasiness in her eyes as I just rolled mine. I mumbled, “Great,” to myself, and rested my head back against the wall of the plane. 

This was going to be a long 10 hours.