"Mom! Where's my favourite bra?" I yelled frantically while trying to pack.

My mom walked into the room, her hair effortlessly curled as always, with a playful scowl on her face.
"It's right here," she picks up my hot pink bra, shoving it into my face, "in your pile of underwear."

I must have made a funny expression, because she snickered at me. What a great mom she is.

"I just wanted to make you feel better honey," she sighed, seeing my betrayed expression, "you're so nervous about all this. They were your friends before, and maybe they are still the people that you knew back then, with just minimal changes. You are going to be fine."

"Mom, people change, they always do," I sat down on my bed, "I changed a whole lot. And those people that I were in classes with a long time ago, they don't know me anymore. And they are just a bit more than strangers to me."

Linh was my best friend, and I thought I knew her better than anyone else. But then I moved away, to Canada, and she moved on. We kept in touch for a while, but then I moved on, too. We stopped the video calls, we stopped the texting, until all we ever got from each other anymore was only facebook and instagram stories and posts. I still hold the memory of her dear in my heart, and I know Linh does, too. But that's all we have, memories of each other. And based from scarce clues I got from her social media stories, Linh's changed, a lot, and I don't know if for the better. I'm terrified to see her, because what if she's not my best friend anymore, not the best friend I knew?

Dinh was a 9th grader back then, when I was in my 8th. We became friends on facebook because of the amount of mutual friends we had. We soon became really, really close. I know you might think it's totally crazy that I tell a person I've never talked to in real life all my deepest darkest secrets, but I don't think so, because it was like we clicked the very first time we texted. Not in the romantic way, hell no, more of the friends-for-life way. With Dinh, I kept my contact better, because we always texted when we were back home, it really made no difference in Canada, except for the ridiculous time change (he's always 11 hours early). But that does not ease my anxiety about meeting him, either, because I've never talked to the guy in real life, and maybe he's not the person I made him out to be. And I won't be the person he thought he knew.

Phong was a crush that lasted 6 years. Six frickin years, ever since I was in grade 3, and yes, I am crazy. In grade 5, we fell out, badly, and never saw each other again afterwards. 2 years ago, we found each other on facebook, with the help of Linh and Phong's friend. We texted for some time, but it didn't end up being something significant, except that maybe I can get him out of my system for longer until he kicked the doors open and barged back in. Maybe it's the texting, maybe something else, but there's no longer chemistry between us, so I ended the conversations and it's gonna be super awkward when we see each other again. Nevertheless, a promise is a promise.

I shook my head out of the daze, picked up my bra and finished packing up.

Laptop, check.
Headphones, check.
iPad and pencil, check.

My clothes were paired up, so I'd have sets for each day and not separate clothes. I take a long time to pick the "perfect" outfits. I had some makeup with me, not so much, though. A bag containing concealer, foundation, a few brushes, small eye palette and contour kit, with 2 lipsticks. I did bring swimsuits, Vietnam has many pretty beaches that I plan on coming to.
I had contemplated if I should bring my winter jacket. It seemed unnecessary, I wasn't gonna stay there that long, it's only June. I was just gonna get it out of my bag when I got interrupted.

"Sis, are you done yet?" my sister barged in, "it's dinner time, mom and dad are waiting."

She's just adorable, only 12 years old and she acted like a grandma.
"Come on!" She said, pulling me out of my room. Sorry, my bad, she's a whiny grandma.

"Mom, it's smells soo good," I hummed on the way to the dining table, "I'm surprised you could make this without me."

"Well, your dad and sister deserve a decent dinner before we're gone," mom said, still whisking the chopsticks in her hands, "plus, it's probably gonna be some time before we get some decent salmon."

My dad laughed at her comment and walked by to kiss her. "We will just order pizza, tacos, and some other things. I can cook some things, you know," He grinned, always so cheeky, and said, "Melody would love that every night anyway."

I snickered and glanced at the unknowing Melody, who's reading a book (thank god she reads now, she used to not at all) and I knew, that she would love some movie nights with dad, and pizza. It's perfect father daughter bonding time!

After dinner, I face-timed Kavya, and Skyla, who are two of my best friends from high school, we just graduated a few days ago.

"Hey guys!" I yelled into their faces.

Kavya, who was clearly disturbed by my yelling, since it's 10 o'clock and she has pretty strict parents, scowled and whisper-yelled at me: "What is wrong with you?!"

Is it weird that I'm not affected even in the slightest about the scowling? Also, I'm only thinking about how long her eyelashes are. It's like mascara does nothing for her anymore. I am so jealous. Have always been since we met.

"Hey Linda," Skyla said, grinning. She's the nice and polite one of the bunch, "How's the packing going? Are you almost done?"

"Yeah, I'm just freaking out about meeting everyone again," I mumbled, "I can't even speak Vietnamese that well anymore, and what if everyone's just gonna think of me as a Vietnamese-Canadian that lost the Vietnamese part. What if everyone doesn't recognize me? What if my cousins don't what to talk to me anymore? What if ..."

"Linda, you are an amazing person, they're gonna like you," Skyla, like the moral compass she is, instantly calmed me down from my little spiral.
Kavya smirked, "And if they don't, kick their asses and show them how great yours is."

Kavya and I clicked instantly on orientation day - the first day from school. We had sat next to each other in the auditorium listening to the principal's speech, and didn't speak to each other. I did notice her beautiful long black hair put into a slick ponytail, and her long long eyelashes (I think I've mentioned this before), and the glasses that kinda looked like mine, but instead of talking to her, I spoke to the girl next to Kavya, because she was more talkative, and I was terrified to start any new conversations. But then when it was time to go, I lost the other girl (whose name was Anna) in the stream of 9th graders and turned to Kavya instead. We made small talk. I realized we had so much in common, and we stuck with each other ever since.

After getting to know each other, I was going to introduce her to my other friends, but a problem happened. I had forgotten Kavya's name. I mean, she only told me once, and it was a hard name to remember, I felt so guilty afterwards anyway. I was laughing it off, but I felt so guilty, and I think I still do.

Kavya and I first met Skyla in our geography class the day after. She sat at the same table as ours, and so we worked together for many projects. She was so nice, with her perfect brown hair and blue eyes, it was hard to even swear around her. But then we started walking to lockers, classes and lunches together, and she got used to my dark dirty humour that would throw out "that's what she said" randomly. We talk a lot about classes and exams and stuff, because if there's one thing we got in common, it's the love for learning.

Yes, we are all nerds. Skyla is a science-robotics nerd, Kavya's a book nerd, and I'm really, a love nerd. You'll get what I mean if you stay along for the ride.

Despite all differences, we were our little trio, and we stayed close until we graduated.

"Hey, earth to Linda," Skyla said, waving at her camera.
Kavya watched, totally bored, "Maybe she's daydreaming about some guy again."
"I never daydream about guys!" I disagreed, my nose scrunched up in disbelief, but we all know that isn't true.

Since my consciousness is now on earth, and not being pulled into a black hole no more, we started talking, like good friends do, about all random things in the world. We talked about how Skyla was valedictorian, how I got a very unexpected National Scholars award. Of course I worked for it, but I never thought I'd get it. We talked about how Kavya, despite all struggles in grade 9, was the one who got the English award that she deserves because her writing is, well, much better than mine. We talked about universities, too. Skyla might be going to University of Toronto, Kavya might go to Stanford in the US, and I, well, I have no idea where I want to be.

"But you promise to send us pictures, right?" Skyla asked for the 50th time, and Kavya nodded along with her words, "I mean, we've never seen Vietnam, and we want to know if you're having fun."

"I promise to send you pictures, and I promise to send you pictures of my friends as well," I added, knowing full well that they want to see the people in my stories.

"Okay then, goodnight," Skyla said before her portion of the screen went black, "and have fun!"
"Goodnight and good luck," Kavya smiled at me before her screen went black, too.

I typed in our group chat: "I luv you guys" a few minutes after, there was no response, they're probably already asleep.

And so I went to bed, closed my eyes and let sleep welcome me.

"Diinngg, diinngg, diinngg,...," my alarm clock sounded

Holy crap, the flight is today!

I jumped out of bed, grabbed the clothes I already prepared yesterday and quickly changed. The flight is early in the morning so mom and I are just gonna grab breakfast there. I put on some mascara, and ran out of the washroom to my luggage. I quickly stuff all the clothes in, and made sure nothing was missing. I took out some tags and wrote my address, as well as name and phone number on them, and stuck them onto my many bags, just in case.

"Honey, are you ready?" Mom was already standing at my door. No doubt fully ready.
"Yeah, I think so," I smiled, "care to do the last check?"

So she did, and then we went to the car, where my dad and my sister was already sitting. We went to the airport, and after a while of dad ensuring my mom that he and Melody are not going to starve, nor get some kind of sickness, we finally arrived.

With the help of my dad, we signed in and got our tickets, then, it was time to say goodbye.

"Are you su-sure you've gotta le-leave," My sister sniffled, "I don't want y-you to."

My heart fell, but Melody knows how much I want it, so instead of bawling like she would have 2 years ago, she wiped away her tears that threatens to fall, and beamed at me: "I know you want to go back, so just promise to text and video call."

"Of course," My mom told my sister. I hugged Melody, and a few moments after, we were all in a huddle together.

After saying goodbye, mom and I went to the security check. It was dreadful, and took more than an hour for us to finally get breakfast. Mom and I walked around to see if they sold anything interesting here, but the prices were crazy in the airport. In no time, it was time for our flight, and we both boarded the plane.

The flight lasted 24hrs. It was mostly was me watching new movies, and my mom snoring on my side. And when we got off the plane, we went straight to getting the luggage. But I didn't care anymore, because I knew,
I'm back.