And Aaron

Chapter One

I sit in the back seat of the taxi, my legs crossed, the suitcase resting in the seat behind me. I'm in Nowhere, Oregon, going to Miss Sues boarding school for kids. A week ago, I had never even thought about this happening. A week ago, I was a normal kid with a businessman for a father. A week ago, I lived in New York. In seven days, my life has been turned around, upside-down, and inside-out. It all started a week ago, on my thirteenth birthday. Me, my mom, and my dad were going to a movie for my birthday. We got into the car, started down the road, and across the bridge... can you see where this is going? The car skid on ice,we plunged off the bridge, mom and dad drowned. I was lucky and got saved by a helicopter. I blink back tears. It still hurts. No thinking about the accident. I chide myself.

I take my notebook out of the suitcase and flip it open to the story I'm working on, about a boy who takes a submarine to the bottom of the sea. '"W-where are we?" Jason asked, his hands pressed against the panoramic window of the submarine.' I scribble down five hundred words before pausing. I'm rereading what I've written when my phone buzzes. I slide the iPhone out of my back pocket and check who's calling. Miss Sue, the teacher of the school I'm going to.

When my parents died, the court decreed my aunt would take care of me. The first thing she did was tell me to pack up my stuff. I barely got to go to my parents funereal before she shipped me off to this boarding school. I don't really mind. I'd rather live at a boarding school in the middle of nowhere then with her. She's got seven dogs,and I hate dogs. I cannot stand them. Plus, her house always smells like cleaner.

I press accept on my phone and take the call.

"Hello,Aaron. I'm Miss Sue. Your aunt notified me that you will be going to my school?"

I nod, then remember she can't see me. "Yes, miss."

Miss Sue laughs. She has a tinkling laugh, like fairy bells."Please,don't call me 'Miss'. It drives me mental. You can call me Sue, or Melissa."

"Of course..." All my other teachers made us call the 'Miss', or 'Sir'.

"You'll be sharing a room with Jordan. Don't worry, he's very nice." Melissa continues. "It's 4:45, you should be here by six,and can have dinner with us."

"Great." I say, ending the call.

I listlessly swipe up and down my text messages, messing up my phone, which freezes, and I turn it off and shove it into my jean pocket. I lean back in the seat, looking out the window. So many trees. Pine trees, oak, birch... and they're everywhere. If allowed,one would probably pop up in the middle of the road.

An abundance of trees, a shortage of parents, and a long drive to the middle of nowhere. Welcome to my life. I don't blame you if you leave. If it was possible, I probably would too.