Saying Goodbye, Part Two (Passports and Promises Book 1) Read Free

worrying about Dylan, you aren’t really going to experience it, and you may never get to do something like this ever again.”
    “You’re right, but I just don’t know how to stop thinking about Dylan.”
    “You just have to compartmentalize it. It’s like that song I used to sing when you were small. Put your worries in a box and tuck them away. ”
    I smiled at the memory. My mom, the kindergarten teacher, had a happy, motivational song for every occasion. “ And bring them back out on a bright, sunny day .”
    “It’ll all seem better in the morning, dearest. I promise. And if I hear anything from the Hunters, anything at all, I’ll call you right away.”
    “Really?”
    “Yes. Now get some rest and have a wonderful time in Tokyo. And Sam, if that Scottish boy puts on a kilt, I want a picture.”
    I rolled my eyes. “I don’t see that happening, but sure.”
    I hung up the phone and walked over to the window, staring out at the vast, sparkling city in front of me. Neon lights blinked and taxis maneuvered through the dark streets. It was late, but the city seemed so vibrantly alive. I touched my forehead to the cool glass of the window, soaking up the moment and the pure emotion of finally being here.
    I’d dreamed of coming to Japan for so long, and my mom was right. I couldn’t do anything for Dylan right now, but if I wasted this experience I’d regret it forever.
    Suddenly, exhaustion hit me. I left the curtains open and curled up in my comfortable bed. The lights of a nearby pachinko parlor blinked on and off, casting a rainbow of colors on the ceiling of my room, but it didn’t disturb me. The night sounds of Tokyo felt like a lullaby to my ears. I fell asleep almost instantly, a smile playing on my lips. I’d finally made it here. This was actually happening.

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER TWO
     
     
    T he next morning, we had a breakfast orientation with a bunch of other students in a large conference room. The orientation had been organized for students going to universities in many different parts of Japan, a big group, but as soon as I walked into the room, I saw Thomas MacGregor. He stood at least a head taller than anyone else, and his nametag said Ritsumeikan on it, too. Of course. It figured that out of all the schools in Japan, he would end up at mine. He made a beeline to where I stood.
    “Uh-oh,” said Hana. “Here comes trouble.”
    I turned my back to him, pretending I hadn’t seen him, suddenly very interested in a blank spot on the wall. I felt him behind me before he even spoke. He took up so much space with his gigantic body he seemed to change the very atmosphere with his presence. He cleared his throat. I ignored him. He tried it again. I shot him a look over my shoulder.
    “What?”
    “Either that wallpaper is very interesting, or you’re a bit upset with me, Samantha Barnes.”
    The way he said “very” came out as “ verra .” Normally, I would have found it adorable. Today, not so much.
    “Why would I be upset with you?”
    His wild mane of hair had been combed into submission and his clothes looked clean and tidy, quite a difference from the night before. Hana stood next to me, sipping orange juice and watching our interaction with interest. Thomas shoved his hands deep into his pockets, his cheeks turning pink.
    “I came over to apologize to the both of you. I understand I didn’t behave very appropriately last evening.”
    Hana narrowed her eyes. “Sam is the one who deserves an apology. I was just an innocent bystander. You didn’t call me names.”
    Thomas looked mortified as his blue eyes met mine. “I called you names?”
    The cadence of his voice mesmerized me, the sound making me think of windswept Scottish hills covered in heather. His words came out like “ Aye culled yu nems?” Trying hard not to focus on the music of his accent, I kept my expression stern.
    “Yes, you did.”
    He ran a hand through his hair, making it stand on end.