Outside the terminal window, the plane that will take me to my connection in Newark taxis up to the gate. Thirty minutes until they board first class. As if a big reclining seat and hot towels could make me forgive Mom any faster.

My hand cramps from white-knuckling the journal my best friend gave me when she dropped me off. I untie the string and flip open the front cover, smiling as I take in the first page decorated with red and green doodles and Pippa’s Italian Summer in bubble letters nestled in the center. The next page is a note in her handwriting:

I know you’re still angry this was all forced on you without much warning, but you really are going to have fun. YOU’RE GOING TO ITALY! Think of all the fantabulous pictures you’ll take! Of the food you’ll eat! Of the hot Italian boys you’ll see! All I ask is that you bring back a calendar for my locker this year (and maybe one of those hot Italian boys)
.

Since I can’t be with you on your fab jaunt across the Pond (that’s not sarcasm, it’s jealousy), I’ve constructed a book of activities for you, all geared toward the documentation of your summer. I might ask you to write, draw, smear dirt on the page. You never know! The important thing is that you have to do EVERYTHING I tell you to because I spent all freaking week making this for you
.

Love you, and I’ll miss you!

—Morgan

My eyes sting. Looks like I won’t have to be without her on this trip after all. I take a sip of Sprite and swipe my eyes with the back of my hand before turning the page to face my first task.

ASSIGNMENT NUMERO UNO: THE LIST
Write out a list of 10 goals for your summer while in Italy. Each of these goals
must
be accomplished IN FULL before you even think about setting foot back home. And … GO!

Ten goals? The only things coming to mind are fears. Accidentally doing something illegal … embarrassing myself in front of the locals. I shudder as I write:

Don’t get arrested

Don’t make a fool of myself in public

A worthy goal, though knowing me, it has the potential for failure. I’m not sure what I’ll be allowed to do outside the
snoozer of an art program I’ll be attending, so I dream up things I’d like to do if given the chance.