InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Goddess of the Past ❯ Aproaching Exchange ( Chapter 3 )

Nena awoke to the smell of fresh coffee and pancakes. It was Saturday and her mother was making the usual family breakfast, as she did every weekend. Nena's room was tossed about with clothing everywhere, and personal items piled upon her usually organized desk. As the sun shone softly through her sea blue curtains, Nena realized that it was after 10 o'clock and she had to get up and prepare for the day ahead.

After showering and putting on her fitted jeans and blue ¾ sleeve tee, Nena made her way downstairs and to the kitchen. There she found her mother and sisters already eating.

"Hi, mom"

"Well, good morning sunshine" replied her mother with a touch of sarcasm.

"Yeah, yeah Ma. Where's my breakfast?"

"On the stove, honey" she said while going back to her own plate.

"Nena was up past her bedtime last night!" suddenly blurted out Nena's younger sister, Kira. "She was up very late!"

"Be quiet, pain!" shushed Nena.

"And how would you know that she was up very late if you were asleep yourself, dearest?" calmly replied Nena's mother.

"Umm… uh…." stuttered Kira.

"That's what I thought. Anyway, Nena was getting ready for her trip. She was finishing her schoolwork. Unlike some people I could mention, Nena likes to be ahead of her work, instead of behind."

Go Mom! Nena had rarely seen her mother so firm with Kira. Usually she was much gentler with her youngest child. But Kira had deliberately tried to cause trouble, again. And mom wanted to nip that idea in the bud right away.

"So Nena are you really leaving for three months?" this came from Nena's other sister, Lissey.

"Yes, I told you I'm going to Tokyo for a semester and I'll be right back here by mid-May, just in time for your sweet sixteen."

"I'll miss you too much, please don't go." Nena sighed to herself. Lissey was only two years younger than she, but sometimes she seemed to be so much younger. For a long time Lissey was a loner and Nena was her only friend. Lissey looked up to Nena and was closer to her than anyone.

"I know Lissey, but this is a big chance for me to travel without breaking Mom and Dad's bank account. I get to go to a school in Tokyo and live with a Japanese girl and her family. I can't pass this up. I'll be back before you know it. I'm not even leaving for another week. So please try not to be sad, or you'll make me feel guilty for three months." Nena smiled at her sister, and tried to be sympathetic.

Lissey smiled back, with that cute grin that Nena has become so accustomed to. "Can we go out together before you leave, just the two of us?"

"Sure."

Lissey made a small shout of joy and ran out of the kitchen.

"Will you take me out, too" chimed in Kira. Who apparently felt left out, because now she was being nice to her older sister.

"Only if you're good, and are nice to me."

"Okay" She then followed Lissey's suit and fled the kitchen.

"That was very nice of you" Nena's mother said, speaking up again.

"I know. They'll miss me, and I them. I can't deny them the time with me that they deserve."

"You've really grown up over this year. I can't believe you're the same girl you were when you were Lissey's age."

"Well people do grow and mature, Mom. When I was 15 I was confused and angry at the world. That was probable my worst year. I have goals now and I'm happy again."

Nena almost cringed at remembering her old self. She was full of rage, bitter and untrusting. That year was hard because of a girl who started many rumors about her that were all lies. It was the only time she could remember not be the happy person she usually is.

But now that was in her past and she wanted to forget it. Thankfully, her mother changed the subject.

"You do know how much the girls look up to you?"

"I do. But Kira has found an odd way of showing it lately." Nena had been wondering what caused this sudden mischievous nature in her little sister.

"She's just angry that you're leaving. She thinks you're abandoning us and that you might not want to come back."

"What in the world made her think that?"

"Oh, one of her friends found out that you were going away, and proceeded to tell Kira the story of how her father abandoned her mother and her. He used the excuse that her was going on a "business trip." Kira has been worried about your exchange trip ever since." Nena could tell that her mother was annoyed by the trouble this other child had caused.

"Well that would scare an eight year old." Nena sighed and tried to think of how could she possibly prove to Kira that she will be coming back?

Well, at least now she knew that there was a reason for Kira's behavior. Nena had always had a good relationship with Kira, but Kira's new behavior puzzled Nena. However, because of her impending trip, Nena had little time to ponder what caused this change in her youngest sister.

"Kira will get better, once she realizes that you're not going to abandon her and Lissey"

"Well how can I make an eight year old, who happens to be angry with me right now, understand anything?"

"Oh, I think you'll find a way. You're a smart girl." And with that Nena's mother began to clean up the kitchen from breakfast.

Oh damn it. Now on top of all my schoolwork, saying goodbye to everybody and packing, I have to convince my baby sister that I'm not running away from home. This was something that Nena did not need.

If I ever see the kid who messed up Kira's logic, she better run fast! With that little venting thought, Nena went back up to her room, rather steamed.

She's still a child, not a teenager. I must remember that she's still a child. Kira was one of the smartest and most mature eight year olds, that Nena had ever met. I guess having two older sisters will do that. Nena sometimes forgot that she was so young and that she is susceptible to the influence of other, less mature, children.

Later. She said to herself as she began to organize the objects on her desk. I can't think about this right now. I need to get this done.

*****

Meanwhile, as she was cleaning the kitchen, Nena's mother was worrying to herself.

Nena. What are we going to do without you? Nena's mother knew her better than anyone. She knew very well that Nena was not going to stay at home for very much longer. They lived in the middle of New York suburbia. She could feel in her heart that Nena is going to leave them.

Nena had always been a good daughter. She helped when she knew it was needed. She always did extra when her mother was working late. And she was so good to her sisters. And her mother counted her blessings because of it. But she knew that there was a part of Nena that needed more than she had here.

Ever since she was little, Nena has been different than other kids. She kept to herself a lot, and stayed home on the weekends. No matter how many people liked her or invited her to go out she rarely said yes. Nena was content staying at home with her books or her drawings.

Nena was rarely here on earth with everyone else. Her dreams took her to places that other people can't even begin imagine. Even when she was tiny, she would make Lissey play all these imaginary world games. They would play as different characters from every place imaginable. Nena's mother always wondered where Nena got the ideas for all these things.

But as she got older, Nena's mother realized that Nena just has a naturally strong imagination and excellent sense of creativity. A person with this much talent won't stay in one small place for very long.

Now that Nena was eighteen, that desire to explore and see new things was coming out much stronger, and her mother could no longer deny it.

It's her destiny calling her. Nena is meant for greater things than what a small town in New York can offer.

How will we get by without you? Even if Nena chooses a college nearby, like she says she will, it will only delay her departure. And the girls will have to learn to get by without their big sister to protect them from all the bad things of the world.

I will have to work much harder to keep this place together. Without Nena… With that, a small tear fell down her cheek.

Nena, my darling, I shall miss you. But you need to go, because a butterfly without wings is only a butterfly that will die. Go! Use your wings, and be the person you are destined to be.