This was supposed to be the time of space exploration and new inventions, yet it didn't seem like it to me. I assumed that everything that could be done, some lucky person had come up with it before I could experience the excitement of it. Let's look: rock and roll in the 1950's, hippies and man on the moon in the 60's, disco in the 70's, MTV in the 80's, the internet in the 90's, universal blackout on January 1, 2000, and tv-phones in the early 2000's. Let's face it, all we needed was a universal language, and the world would be complete, not to mention the fact of no more annoying exams for French and Spanish classes.

Or that was at least what I thought as I took a break from studying for a Spanish 5 test. I saw down in front of the telly, and as I started flipping through the channels, I noticed they all had the same thing on it, even MTV. "...reports that this day, November 16, 2013, they have found a planet capable of living on. A family from each country will be sent to represent. No official word on who will be sent for England, although the Queen's aunt, Jasmine Greenwood Grossi, her husband Eric, and daughters Alexandria and Jennifer were asked to represent..."

"MOM!" I screamed. "GET IN HERE!"

"What, darling?" she asked, coming in the room. "And please don't shout, it's not lady-like."

"What's all this news about a new planet?"

"Exactly that- there was a new planet found."

"And people are supposed to go live on it? Anyone we know?"

"Well, yeah. We were asked to go."

"We're not going to, are we? Why didn't you even mention it to Jen and I?"

"Well, I talked it over with your father-"

"But not us."

"Alexandria, stop inturrupting. We decided that we would accept."

"That's not fair! We don't know what's there, we could all die from an unknown disease!" I protested. "And not to even talk to us about it..."

"Too bad, you have no choice. It's not like you have anything left here, with Sam gone and everything. Although, I must say, I don't blame him for leaving."

"Mother, just because I'm not dating Sam anymore, doesn't mean it's the end of the world. That was a month ago! I still have friends here!"

"Yes, and look what they've turned you into! You're no respectable royalty, it would do you good to get away from them."

"For once, can't you leave my friends out of something? They didn't turn me into anything, I would have been like this anyway. Don't you ever wish you hadn't done everything your mum told you to?"

"That's proposterous!" my mother denied.

"Well, at least Dad understands. He wasn't born into it. Why he chose to marry into it is beyond me, however," I mumbled.

"Your sister doesn't act like this. Why not just accept it?"

"I'm not going to, that would be giving up. We're not supposed to give up, remember? I've been taught that since I was born."

"We're leaving in two weeks, be ready." With that, she left the room, and the phone rang.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hi Alex, it's Brian. Um...I have to tell you something."

"So do I, Brian."

"Well...my family's moving again. To Australia."

"But you just moved here a month ago!"

"I know, but my father has to move a lot because of his job. I would've liked to stay here longer, but sometimes parents are so stubborn."

"Tell me about it. Brian...my family's moving to a new planet that was just found. It's going to be horrible, and I don't want to go. My parents didn't even ask Jen or I about it. We're leaving in two weeks."

"So are we. Well, I guess there's not much point in me staying here, if you're not going to be here. I'll miss you," Brian said sadly.

"Yeah, me too. Unless..."

~*~

The next two weeks were busy, filled with packing and spending every spare minute with Brian. We had a plan in mind, but we needed his father's help.

"Please, Dad, could you change our flight to eleven at night?" Brian asked him. "And get an extra ticket for Alex. I'll even pay for it."

"No, Brian, I'll pay for it," I told him. "I just need an adult to confirm my ticket, which means he'll have to order it."

"Do you two know what you're doing?" Brian's father asked us.

"Mr. Aquiar, imagine, if you will, you're sixteen and your parents are making you move to a whole new planet, with no contact to your friends. That's my situation, and I'd rather stay on Earth. Besides, I might die there. And we only have a four days."

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