Gia is sitting on her mattress, quietly surveying the room. It looks so bare; the framed pictures from around the room have been placed into boxes, as have the clothes that were once overflowing in the cupboard. It's not the same. It won't be the same.

'Empty, huh?'I point out the obvious as I sink into the mattress beside her.

'I know. I hate seeing it like this,'

'You don't have to tell me,' I state, my tone of voice sounds so bleak.

'It's going to stink moving,'

'Yeah, but you'll come back twice a year. Everyone else will visit you too. And New York City: how exciting is it going to be?' I try to inject some enthusiasm into my voice, 'All those friends you're going to make in college. The freedom, you'll have no...' I trail off as I'm about to state the word 'Parents,' I clear my throat, 'Your mom won't be bugging you to do this, that and the other. You'll be partying every night. You're going to have no problem. Besides, if nothing else, you're going to have so much fun in your course. You're going to have a stack of fun,'

'That's not the point though, y'know? It's... I'm going to miss everyone here so badly. Mom, Marc, all the girls. You. The biggest girl of them all,'

'Ahhh, it was so moving up until your little insult,' I sigh,

'I try,' she shrugs,

'But you'll miss me?'

'Of course I'm going to miss you, you're one of the people I'm going to miss most. If you could make my mom's roast beef then I'd miss you even more than I'm going to miss her,'

'I'm glad to hear it. I'm going to miss you too, it's just going to be no fun without you here. We aren't going to be able to diss the skanky chicks who hang out at the mall,'

'Come visit me, I'm sure we'll find more in New York,'

'True. And you know I'll be over there heaps,'

'I suppose you are there more than you're here,' she says, trying to point out a positive point. I don't know whether I'm supposed to agree or disagree.

'I'll be there all the time. Who knows, I might just end up moving there,'

'Oh please???' she begs, 'You're there more than you are in Tulsa, it'd be so much more convenient for you,' she emphasises. I grin, and throw my arm around her shoulders, drawing her in towards me,

'I promise I'll do my best,'

'Good,' her voice sounds muffled as she places her head in the crook of my neck and shoulder. 'You�ll email me everyday?'

'Yeah, it'll be like tour again,'

'You better well ring me more than every three weeks. You slackened off during the TTA tour, you bastard,'

'You had better ring too, you cow,'

'Prick,'

'Slut,'

'Dick,'

'Whore,' I slam back. I love these abusive conversations. She pulls out of my hold and smiles a gloomy smile,

'I just don't know whether my mom and brother will be okay without dad here. I mean he...' she stops, 'Now me,'

'Your mom is one of the strongest people I know and it's not like you'll be there forever. It's only a quick plane trip away. That's what this time in your life is all about: change, adjustment. You'll all be okay in the end, you're still a family and a few miles separating you can't change that,'

'You're right,' she sighs. We draw into a huge bear hug, 'Taylor?'

'Mmm?� I speak into her hair,

'Love ya,'

'Me too,' I state. We sit on her bed, hugging in silence for what seems like a few seconds but in reality is minutes. Her mother's voice carries up the stairs,

'Gia! Time to go!'