Tom and Jodie had been friends for years...too long in fact for Jodie to remember. Tom was a good friend and had always been there for her when she needed him. That was why she valued his friendship so much. They'd been through so much together and Jodie didn't want to lose his friendship, but then came the day that she, her mother, father and younger brother ahd to move...not just to a new house, but to a whole new country, America! Tulsa, Oklahoma to be exact (bare with me on this...I know most stories start this way). She had to be honest, she did not want to go. Not only would she be leaving Tom but she'd be leaving Tiff, Skip, Lousie and Caz too. Still, she had to be adult about this, she wasn't going to let this move wreck her life, even though deep down she knew it would.

"I stil can't believe you're moving," Tom said as he jumped off the swing. His short blonde hair was gelled down as usual and his blue eyes were dull. Tom was a year younger than Jodie, he was 14. The age difference didn't matter to her at all, he was a friend and that's was what was important.

"Well, I am."

He sighed and slumped down next to her on the grass. "It wouldn't be sooooo bad if you were just going back to Manchester. Do you realise how much it's gonna cost me to phone and write you? A small fortune, that's what."

"Then don't bother to phone or write," Jodie said, nudging him. "We''l see each other again, you know we will."

Tom sulked. "Yeah? That's what The Beatles said!"

Jodie looked at him, her right eyebrow raised. "What are you on? The Beatles never said anything like that!"

Tom grinned back at her. "Well, they would've, if they'd ever thought about it."

She stood up. "I better be going home. Mum'll be phoning the police if I don't getting going sharpish."

Tom nodded and stood up next to her. Straightening his baggy blue jeans as he went. "Okay, but I do get to come and see you off tomorrow at the airport right?"

Jodie smiled. "No, what makes you think I wanna see your ugly mug before I leave?"

She was joking. Tom knew she was, it was just her way of being affectionate. "I'll see you tomorrow then," he said walking off in the opposite direction.

"If you're lucky!" she shouted after him. "I could change my mind!"

Tom turned and started to walk backwards. "I wish you would!"

Jodie choked back the lump that was forming in her throat. If she started to cry now she'd be absolutley terrible at the airport. Slowly she began to make her way home, trying not to think about the boxes that were piled up in the hall and the look on Tom's face.

"I'm gonna miss you," Tom said as Jodie stood in front of him at the airport.

"I've given you my number and address, use then wisely!" she said, chuckling. "I'm gonna miss you too."

"Careful!" Tom said. "You almost sounded sincere!"

Jodie gulped. "Oh God, no! Not sincere!!!!!" Then her expression changed. He could tell she was finding it hard not to cry. He gently took her hand.

"It's okay to cry you know. You are leaving a lot of people you care about behind."

Jodie sniffed. "Thanks Tom, you've just made me feel ten times better." But her tough act didn't work. The tears began to flow and Tom pulled her close, they hugged.

"I'm really gonna miss you," he said as she blubbed into him.

"I'm gonna miss you too," came a muffled voice from inside his puffer jacket.

Then there was a hand on her shoulder. It was her father. "Come on, babe. We have to go."

"Can't it just wait a minute Dad?"

Geoff Culpin shook his head. "No, we don't want the plane to go without us do we?"

"Why not?"

Geoff smiled and took her hand. "Put Tom down."

Jodie turned to Tom. "Bye Ugly!"

Tom tried to smile. "Bye yourself." He looked at the ground. "I'm gonna go now okay? I don't wanna see that plane take off."

Jodie nodded. "I understand. I'l ring as soon as I get there."

Tom began to move away. "Make sure you do, or you'llbe getting a bomb through the post!" With a final wave he turned and sprinted through the terminal. he didn't want her to see him cry.

Jodie stepped out of the taxi cab and was hit by a warm gust of air. "I don't like it here," she said dragging her ba towards the house.

"Yes you do!" screamed Chum, her younger brother.

"Paul!" their father warned. "Calm down."

"This IS my calm Dad!" Chum said, grinning insanely.

"It's bigger than I thought it'd be," Ann Culpin said as she watched the taxi driver open the boot of his car.

"It's too big if you ask me," Jodie said bitterly.

"Who DID ask you?" Chum asked, trying desperately to shinny up the nearby lamp post.

"Some dog's probably weed on that you know," Jodie said as she watched him, her expression dead pan.

"Big deal, like I care."

She picked up her bag and followed him into the house. "You should, you'll probably go blind now."

He ran up to her and pushed his face into her's. "GOOD!"

She shook her blonde head. "For someone who's meant to be 13 you're mental."

"Cheers me dears!"

Jodie threw her suit case on to her new bed. Then she looked around her room. No phone. Out in the hall, no phone.The living room, no phone.

"Damn!" she cursed to herself. "Mum, where's the phone?"

Ann stuck her head around the bedroom door. "We're phoneless for a few days."

Jodie let out a groan. "But I need to ring Tom, I promised."

"They'll be a phone in town. Here's some money, go and ring him from there."

Jodie took the money and looked at it. "Mum, you gave me £3. This is America. Heeeellllllloooooo!"

Mrs Culpin rolled her eyes and fished out a handful of quaters. "Here, that better?" Then she handed her a couple of $10 bills. "Get something for tea while you're there."

Jodie nodded. "Oi, fart features, are you coming?"

"To where?" Chum asked.

"Into Tulsa. I'm trying to find a phone to ring Tom."

Chum thought for a moment. "Yeah, I s'pose so. But we better get out of here fast before Dad makes me pick a box up or knock down a wall or something."

Jode watched him as he scurried out of the front door, she followed close behind.