The Granagher Private Academy

It was an average the day I got the news.

I had been sitting in fourth period math, slightly foreshadowing, no? wondering when I could leave the hot and stuffy room for a place much better: lunch.

It wasn't like I had friends to sit with. It wasn't like I could even eat in the cafeteria without being ridiculed by none other than the queen bee Persephone.

But yet ten grueling minutes before the bell sounded, I heard an announcements from the intercom.

"Shayleigh Parker, please come to the front office immediately." Mrs. Hendrickson's voice filled the room, and all the judgmental eyes in the class turned to me and stared. I shrunk in my seat.

"Well?" My math teacher, Mrs. Adolf, frowned at me. I picked up my things and got out of there as fast as I could.

My stomach clouded with dread (and hunger) as I walked down the hallway and into the office.

I opened the door and Mrs. Hendrickson gave a compassionate look. "Shayleigh, hun. I'm sorry."

"What? Why?" Were my parents hurt? Did Aslan die?

Tears filled her bright blue eyes. "Your parents were going into a cave and it-"

I knew the rest. My worst fear had finally happened. "No!" I screamed. Mrs. Hendrickson called out my name, but I tore out of there like a criminal. Something in me exploded, and I felt grief wash over me like a heavy, scratchy blanket. It hurt like nothing ever had before.

I didn't bother about my stuff. There wasn't much anyway. My old binder that was torn and falling apart, the pencil stubs i had been using since eight grade.

Tears streamed from eye like a river of pain. My legs soon throbbed, and I was exhausted. I looked around and finally noticed my surroundings. I was in the Lillian Woods, no more than a mile away from my school, and just a little bit away from my backyard.

I held my knees and wondered what would happen next. Would I go to live with my Aunt? What about Aslan? Would he come with me?

I came up with a few answers to my own questions. A.), Aslan was my golden retriever, and he would come with me no matter where I went. B.) Even if my aunt was twenty years older than my father (his father was much older than his mother and had had a previous marriage.), and did not like children, or maybe just me, I was sure she would take me in. She had to, she was our only living relative!

Well, my only living relative now.

I wiped the new tears away and stood up shakily. I blinked a few times and shoved my greasy brown locks out of my face. My hair was practically becoming dreadlocks as I sat there. I needed a shower, not only to cleanse myself, but to refresh myself.

I chose not to go back to school. Did I really need to? My crappy mementos of the torture I called school should remain in the place of destruction. Fumbling with the key around my neck, opened my door. Aslan's rough barking could be heard from the backyard.

For not having a heavy pay, we considered ourselves upper-middle class. We had running water, a large estate, and we had two horses named Jessie and James. My mother's parents had died, leaving us with a hefty inheritance. Because my mother was an only child, she got all of the money my grandparents left behind.

They put half of the money in a college account, sealed off until I decided where I wanted to go. I had had my sights set on a college in California. I loved everything about California. The beaches, the wonderful weather, and the boys.

I cracked a small smile at the home. It's lovely granite counters and polished wood cabinets reflected nothing about my wardrobe. On purpose, I wore my parents cave exploring garb to school. I was stand-offish; socially awkward. I didn't want someone to like me for my appearance, and then find out how weird I really was.

Aslan's barking made me come to my senses and let him in through the back door. I opened the door, leaning so when he bounding in he wouldn't trample me.

"Hey there boy!" I rubbed his head and smiled in spite of my seriously depressed mood. He thumped his tail by the bar and stools, knocking one over.

He shot me a look, as if to either say "Oops" or "My bad. Since I am disabled and do not have the lovely things you call hands, could you please pick that up for me?"

I complied with his eyes, and put it back up as he nuzzled my upper thigh wiith his snout.

Oh, how I loved my dog.

Then the loss hit me like a brick. I fell to my knees.

I sobbed and sobbed and held my knees. Aslan tried to sit on my lap, so I pulled him into a hug.

I slept that way that night. Moved onto the couch and brought Aslan with me. In a deep mourning, because I knew I wouldn't see my parents again anytime soon.

I got up in the morning with a slight crick in my neck. My mind and body ached like no pain I had ever felt before.

I shook my shoulders and moved over to the breakfast bar. My eyes were ugly, and I had forgotten to shower last night. I mumbled some incoherent mumbo jumbo and poured myself a bowl of tasteless Lucky Charms that were sure to make me feel better.

Not.

Then the phone rang.

"Hullo?" I was sure the poor unfortunate soul on the other side of the phone could smell my unique morning breath.

"Er, good mornin' "

The caller had a Texas accent. I could barely make out what he said- I thought he said "gue mory."

"Yeah?" I croaked.

"This is David Calloway. Your father's cousin." Wait. Pause. My father had a cousin?

"You're going to live with us now."

"Get out!" I said.

"We live in a little town in Texas called Harker Heights. ever heard of it?"

I couldn't say I had. It must have been one of those tiny little towns with no one but a farmer and his dog that read "HARKER HEIGHTS: POP. 3" on it.

"No sir." I managed to recover from my shock.

I could hear a smile in his voice. "It's by fort Hood."

"Oh."

That I had heard of.

"Wait, like Central Texas? By Austin?"

He laughed. "Around there. How soon can you be ready?"

"Umm......a day or two?"

"Good. We'll book your flight promptly."

"Umm good?"

He chuckled. "Yeah. Hey one more thing-"

The phone beeped and told me I had run out of minutes for the month. Like I said, cave biologists.

Most experienced cave biologists made a lot more money than my parents did, because they were beginners.

"Okay, I have to go." I said. I only heard silence.

I shrugged and headed off to my room.

Harker Heights, here I come.