AURORA'S POV:
   "Girl, you haven't packed your personal stuff yet?" Cali's voice rang out in the bathroom disrupting my focus.
    My eyes are trained on the letter sitting pretty inside my open suitcase. The letter from my...Mom. It sounds so weird coming from me. 
  Sigh.
I've been contemplating whether to open the letter or wait till my 18th birthday. I feel like somehow it would help me recieve the love of a mother even if it's through a letter. A mother who loved me.
    "I'll pack it as soon as you leave the bathroom ten years later." She's been in there for so long it's worrying. If she hadn't called out to me, I would have thought she fainted in there or something.
   "Oh please. Ohhh! That reminds me. I have so much tea to spill." Typical Cali. 
   "Tell me when you come out. Well, that is if you do ever get out of there." I laugh out loud. 
   To my surprise, the door clicks and Cali comes out with a white towel wrapped around her hair and body. 
   "Bitch, what were you saying?" She asks me in a sarcastic tone. I flip her the bird and shut my suitcase in the most casual way I can to prevent her from realizing that I am hiding something.
   Lord knows how bad I want to tell her about what is going on. I hate keeping her in the dark. I'm sure she would also be able to even advise me or just even support me. I really wish I had someone in my corner. 
   "Earth to Rora!" Fingers snap in my face. My mind returns back to the present and I slap her perfectly manicured fingers out of my face. 
   "I have a couple of things to do before we have to leave the hotel so I want to take a shower and leave."
   "What? We have barely spent any actual time together since we got here and on the last day, you are off to wherever again." Her expression looks so hard and sad at the same time that I almost break my facade.
   "I'm sorry, Cali. I'm just... a lot is just happening at the moment and I'm trying to figure it out." I move towards her and take a hold of her hand.
   "That's what a best friend is for, right? To share and listen to your problems? But you don't even talk to me anymore. It's like you have shut me out." Her broken expression starts to make me feel how bad of a friend I have been this entire trip.
   "I'm sorry, Cali. I will tell you everything soon. I promise. I just need to wrap my head around something first. I have been a bad friend, I know. Okay, you can tell me all the tea you want to spill regarding your escapedes." I wiggle my brows suggestively.
    "As long as you will come back to tell me, I'm fine. Just stop disappearing on me so much. Also, don't you dare replace me with any of those boys." She threatens with a deadpan look.
   "Ok ma'am. Those boys don't come close to you. You are my sister, Cali." 
   I notice her eyes starting to tear up and I stop it before it even starts.
   "Don't even try that. Carry your long awaited tea to the front of my bathroom door and spill while I'm bathing." Without waiting for a response, I enter the bathroom.
   As expected, she starts yapping outside the door, entertaining me and in the process, strengthening our friendship.
******
   Text message:
Aurora: Hey
(Less than a minute later)
 Jon: How are you?
 Aurora: I'm okay. Can I meet your mum?
(Typing)
 (Typing)
When is he going to reply? Did I overstep? Should I delete the message? But he has already seen it...
(Ping)
Jon: Yes. But we are to go back to the US today...
Aurora: I know. Can I just see her for a few hours before we have to leave?
Jon: Oh. That's actually true. Are you ready?
   His question catches me off guard. One look at my plain tees and bum shorts immediately tells me that I am no where near ready. 
   I open my suitcase back up and after disrupting the entire arrangement I did earlier, I finally found a cute sundress which I didn't even remember I had packed. Great!
  (Ping)
  (Ping)
Jon: You there?
Jon: Did I say something?
   This guy needs to chill for real. It's been literally just two minutes.
   Aurora: Calm down. I was just looking for something to wear. I'm ready now.
  Jon: Oh,sorry. I'm in my room. Should I come over to yours?
  Aurora: Don't worry. Just go outside the hotel. I'll come outside too in a few minutes. 
  Jon: Aye aye sire. (Saluting emoji)
I laugh and shake my head at his antics. After arranging my suitcase properly, I zip it up and put it on top of my bed. I shoot a quick text to Cali to inform her that I will be stepping out for a while.
  She actually went to her sneaky link's room. She might be too busy to even check my message. 
   I step out of the hotel and without any stress, I find Jon sitting outside. He stands up with a huge smile on his face that almost blinds me. How are someone's teeth so white??? And his dentition?? I'm jealous, please.
   "Hey durling." His Australian accent poking through strongly and making him sound incredibly sexy.
   "Hi" I laugh.
"So, I've ordered a ride. He should be here....in," he trails off looking down the road, "here he comes."
   A car parks beside us and we get in.
It does not take us much time to get to his house. Like the previous time, I stay at the back of Jon while he knocks on the door.
  "Hi-" Her eyes catch my figure at the back of Jon.
  "Is that Aurora?" Her voice suddenly changes, sounding heavy and thick with emotion.
  "Hi ma'am. Can I ask you a couple of questions? We will be leaving today but I have a lot of questions to ask before I leave." A smile spreads on her face.
   "Oh, yes darling. Come in." She opens the door wider.  
   Entering that space, I start to feel peace within myself for finally accepting my fate and parents.
  I hope this doesn't end badly.