Hidden Motives

Where Changes Begin

One evening when I was looking through the mail I noticed a fancy envelope. It had the name "Oxford University" written across the corner. "Oh my goodness," I thought. "They must have reviewed my application." This was a big moment for me. Betsy and Jace didn't know about my college plans, but this was a good time to inform them. I called them into the room and told them where I had applied to. I decided it would be best to leave out the reason why I applied to so many out of country colleges, along with keeping Melissa's visits a secret. This was for the best. They didn't really question me and only showed excitement on whether or not I got accepted to Oxford.

I opened the envelope and saw the words "Welcome to Oxford!" written across the top of the page. I couldn't help, but feel the excitement bubbling through me as I pulled Betsy and Jace into a group hug. That day was truly amazing. Even though I know I got some help from Melissa on getting in, I was still very excited to be accepted. Getting accepted into a college was something that felt normal. "Finally. Normal" I sighed as tears started forming.

We decided to celebrate that night by going out to my favorite restaurant "Maison Blanche". We had a great time and I even got to invite some friends. Vanessa was so excited for me, but I couldn't help but notice the slight tinge of sadness behind her smile. We had been friends for so long and saw each other almost every day. It was going to be hard to leave her.

"We can facetime every day!" I told Vanessa with a smile. I hoped my attempt to lighten the mood would work.

Vanessa's face lit up for a second as she said "Yes Yes Yes! That would be great!" I laughed and we enjoyed the rest of our meal.

As the days passed, I grew more and more excited about college. I was going to be a political science major at Oxford University! I was also getting letters from other colleges I had applied to. I got accepted to the University of Cambridge and even the University of Bristol! I got rejected from a few schools like the University of London and Uni Durham, but that was ok though since rejection is a part of life. Besides I already had my heart set on going to Oxford.

Days and days passed. Eventually, it was time for me to say goodbye to the place I had called home for 17 years. I had graduated from high school, gotten my driver's license, and even worked a job. I didn't really need one, but I wanted a normal experience for once. When the day before my flight to England came I was very sad. I said goodbye to everyone and gave Betsy and Jace the biggest hugs ever. I was going to miss them so much but I assured them I would call home every day and even visit soon if I could.

The driver then took me to LAX where I caught my 8 am flight. On the plane, I had lots of time to think and read. I always loved reading, but it was different this time. I was reading through the message Melissa had sent me the day prior. It gave me information on my alias name and my new family. They were the Walsh family, who lived in Oxford, England. The father Dave Walsh was a "lawyer" while the mother Mary Walsh owned a coffee shop in the heart of town. They had a daughter named "Adyline Walsh". She was very pretty and we had similar features. I had to blend in with the family so no one would question anything. My name was to be "Zara Walsh". My school id and even my belongings had all been set to that name. "Zara" I thought to myself. "What a pretty name" I then dozed off into a light sleep while peering out the airplane window at the sea of clouds.