My Little Bird

Asher Maxwell was finally going to get her chance.

She was sick and tired of stupid Florida and its stupid weather and its stupid residents. She needed to get out. After nineteen years of life in her stupid town, her mother and father had finally agreed. They were going to let her leave her suffocating environment for one a bit less oppressive: her cousin's flat in London. Perfect, rainy, not Tampa, London. She was extremely grateful for the change of scenery, even if it was only for the summer.

All their lives, Asher and her cousin, Eleanor, had been opposites. Asher was raised in hot, humid Tampa by parents who couldn't care less about the oldest of their four daughters. Eleanor was an only child raised in cold, rainy London by parents who supported any decision their daughter made.

Asher practically lived under a rock. She dressed like she was from a different decade and the only music she listened to was her faithful old records of The Beatles. She wasn't interested in most television and the last movie she'd seen in theaters was the first Harry Potter movie. Most of the people who went to school with her thought was rather odd.

For months, she had been looking forward to this trip. She finished up her first year of college at Florida State University and she now had less than two hours to get her things together, say goodbye to her family, and get to the airport.

She checked her floral suitcase one more time to make sure she'd packed everything she needed before dragging it down the stairs to the front door. Voices came from the kitchen, telling her that her family were all there. She pushed open the swinging door and found her three sisters sitting at the counter, with her parents sitting at the breakfast table.

Her sisters were all what one would call "perfect children." The youngest, eight year old Flora, had an angelic look, with light blonde hair and crystal blue eyes. She was quiet and always happy. She spent most of her time out of everyone's way, just playing with her dolls in her soft pink bedroom. Thirteen year old Millie was a touch less heavenly, with darker blonde hair and the dark hazel eyes of her mother. She was a bookworm to say the least. The oldest after Asher was named Iris. At sixteen years old, she was probably the most beautiful of the family. Her dark blonde hair fell perfectly straight over her shoulder and her dazzling blue eyes shined brightly. She was a straight A student, who was also a varsity cheerleader and volleyball player at her high school.

There was no doubt that their parents were proud of their three daughters. The girls were everything they ever wanted in children. Asher, however, was not. She was too brunette, too loud, too independent, and just too different. It wasn't that her parents necessarily treated her badly. It was only plainly obvious that she wasn't the favorite, or the second favorite, or the third favorite. She was the least favorite by far. And she had learned not to care about it.

Flora was the first to acknowledge her as she stepped into the kitchen. She jumped down from her chair and threw her arms around Asher's waist, hugging her tightly. "I'll miss you, Ash."

"I'll miss you too, kid."

Asher picked up the girl, who was small for her age, and set her back in her chair.

"Did you pack everything you need?" her mother asked as she poured a glass of milk for her youngest child.

"I think so."

Her dad briefly looked up from his magazine. "Got your ticket? And passport?"

"Got them," she confirmed, patting the large green print bag hanging off her shoulder.

"Well then, it looks like you're ready to get going. Say goodbye to your sister, girls."

Flora, Millie, and Iris each took turns hugging their sister. "Have fun in London, sis!" Millie called as she turned to leave the kitchen.

"Yeah, bring us back some souvenirs!" Iris added.

"And say hello to Eleanor for us," her mother put in just as she shut the front door. Asher rolled her suitcase out to the waiting cab parked in front of her house. She wasn't surprised that her parents weren't even going to take her to the airport. The cab driver got out of the car to help her put her suitcase into the trunk. As they pulled away from her house, she whispered a goodbye then turned to face forward for the short ride to the airport.

She couldn't wait to get out of Florida.