CAROL MEETS WORLD

Chapter Two

A knock on my bedroom door snapped me from a beautiful dream I was having. It was morning already. Paro's legs were tangled with mine and of course, like always, she'd stolen the blanket.

"Caroline," my mother called out. "Are you both awake?"

I looked over at Paro who was still snoring peacefully without a care in the world. I'm pretty sure she'd get carried into the Indian Ocean and she'd not wake up.
"It's just me, mum," I replied

"Very well. Your father and I want to discuss something with you before he heads out. Please come to the living room."

"Yes, ma."

Despite my mother sounding like her normal composed self, I had a sinking feeling in my stomach. Usually, my parents never told me, or any of my siblings anything unless it was important for us to know.

I found my mother seated in her usual seat in the living room, both of her hands covering her face. My father was leaning against the door to the kitchen holding his morning cup of tea and newspapers.
"Have a seat," he said after we exchanged greetings

After I sat down, nobody said a word. My two other siblings were probably still asleep, so, the whole house was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.
"Is everything okay?"

"Everything is okay," dad replied

I let out a deep breath, relaxing. Thank goodness!
"So, we are still moving on Monday?"

"That's the problem," dad said. "We are leaving on Tuesday."

"How is that a problem?" It wasn't like staying in London for one more day was a problem, right?

My parents exchanged looks, seemingly coming to an agreement as dad cleared his throat. "We are moving on Tuesday," he repeated. "But you aren't."

"Huh? What?"

"What your father is trying to say is that Dana, Marcus, him and I will be moving to Luton on Tuesday. But you won't be going with us."

For a second, I froze. I could hear what they were saying but the words hardly made sense to me. "Why am I not leaving with you? What does that mean?"

My mother stood from her chair and knelt in front of me, her shaky hands engulfing my cold ones.
"We tried to get you a place at the universities closest to Luton," she said, her eyes locked with mine. "But none of them are taking up students mid-semester."

"B-but that's impossible! What are we going to do? What am I going to do?"

"Your father and I thought through it and decided that it would be better if you stayed here and finished your first year from here. In the meantime, we'll keep looking for opportunities-"

"No," I cried out, yanking my hands from mum's hold. "I can't stay here all alone! I've never been alone! There has to be something you can do! Can't I take online classes?"

"Honey, you can't take online classes when you're doing a practical course like yours," mum reminded me. "I'm sure you will be fine. We found you a dorm-"

I didn't notice when tears started rolling down my cheeks till I tasted salt. It hurt like a bitch when your family was leaving you behind, all by yourself, and looking so composed like it wasn't a big deal. Dad was refilling his cup of tea, mum was looking at me, begging me with her sad eyes to understand.

What was there to understand? I didn't have a choice, at least not after my parents had gone and made all the necessary arrangements - including getting me a dorm in campus - without letting me know beforehand. How long had they known? Why had they waited till the final days to tear me apart?