Chosen Ones

Chapter 1. Just the beginning

BEEP BEEP BEEP! A loud crash rang through the once silent air as the alarm was slammed off. As the room ran silent again The only sound that dared to break the silence was a sigh. Amelia Norwood sat up in bed and pushed her long blonde hair out of her face. "I truly hate mornings." She said as she looked at her now broken alarm clock. With another sigh she heaved herself out of bed. She had just finished graduating high school a year ago. One of the things on her list finally checked off. She had taken a years time trying to decide what college to go to and what would best fit in with her chosen profession.

She let out another sigh as she moved a large painting to the side so she could gain entry to her closet for a outfit. Art. Her passion for art had never changed. The colors and emotions that she felt with every pencil stroke or every tap of a paint brush pulled her in. She couldn't fathom loving anything else. As she looked desperately for something to wear that was comfortable yet decent to look at, she decided on a pair of comfortable grey yoga pants with a T-shirt that was jet black in color. She exited from her closet and took a look in the mirror and sighed. Her hair was tussled in thick blonde strands all over her head. "Please work with me today." She begged into the mirror. She stood for a moment and soon realized it wasn't going to fix itself. She smiled ruefully but grabbed her hairbrush and made quick work of it. She threw it up into a pony tail and took one last look before leaving her room to head towards the kitchen.

Sure enough her mother was standing leaned across the counter looking at college brochures. "Coffee is brewed if you want a cup" her mother's voice rang out to her as she descended the last step of the two story house they lived in. Amelia gave a curt nod but said nothing. She wasn't ready to be berated with her final choice as she recalled the conversation the night prior that had them both fuming before bed. "I don't understand your problem!" Amelia yelled "Columbia is just as good a university as any! And isn't this my choice to make anyways for my future?" She huffed as her mother sat across from her on the sofa aggravated to no end. "Columbia is very far and we already ruled that one out two months ago Lia!" Her mother challenged back. "And besides Brantwood would be a amazing school! The art program is highly specific and highly recommend! And-" Amelia cut her off smoothly "I get it that's where you met my dad but please I don't understand why you're trying to be so involved! It's not like you worried about anything else!" Her mother now held a wounded look. Amelia shook her head clearing herself of the vision of before.

She poured her coffee and came up quietly to the counter skimming over the pamphlets that lay strewn across it. She had a nagging feeling in her brain. A inner voice that kept speaking of Brantwood. She felt out of control and wanted to push it to the side, but she could no longer run from it. The day was today for her decision. She had to send her application in and get approved today before the semester started and she was left for another year to figure everything out and cause more stress on herself, and her mother. She took a breath and looked at her mom "I decided." She said and her mother looked to her in surprise. "You decided? Are you sure." She said warily. "Yeah, I thought it over and for some reason I'm leaning towards Brantwood." She spoke quickly and efficiently. Her mother smiled "I'm glad you came to that decision." Amelia nodded but said nothing else. They sat in comfortable silence for a while but it was soon interrupted by her father walking in from work. He looked tired and warn out. His brown hair askew and the bags under his eyes were beginning to darken.

She sensed something had been weighing heavily on him and her mother but as her piercing blue eyes flicked between them she just couldn't put her finger on it. Her father smiled warmly at her "Hey pumpkin, did ya pick a college yet?" He asked in his husky voice that he only had after getting off a midnight shift. She smiled and held up the Brantwood brochure and her favorite goofy grin began to plaster itself all over his face. "Oh honey are you trying to get on my good side" he laughed as he set his case down on the counter and gave her mother a quick kiss on the cheek before wrapping Amelia up in a hug. "I know this was a hard decision to come to but you won't regret it." She smiled and hugged her father back but she had no time for pleasantries. She had to submit her application now.

Luckily she had been working on what she would say and had it all typed up. She just needed to copy and paste it into the server and send it on its way with fingers crossed. Please let this be the right choice, she pleaded in her mind. She got up to go back down stairs when she heard it. A single ding from her computer, notifying her, that she had a Email awaiting her. She turned slowly and looked at the desktop with a raised brow. "It couldn't be." She said with a bit of anxiety. They couldn't have responded that fast could they? Her mind was running a mile a minute. She sat down shakily and opened the browser to full screen and opened her email. Sure enough in big bold letters BRANTWOOD SCHOOL OF LUPINHILL VIRGINA sat waiting in her mailbox. Her hand shook as she went to click it but she paused. "Mom! Dad!" She yelled and not but a few seconds later she heard hurried foot steps charging up the stairs.

Her dad was the first to enter closely with her mother at his heels. "What is it baby?" Her father said. She was shaking at this point "They already responded! I just sent it! I wrote three pages worth of my application there is no way it was read that fast!" She spilled out in a flow of words. Her father looked sideways at her mother in a look that Amelia couldn't quite distinguish but before she could read further "Well open it Lia!" Her mother said shakily as she inches closer to see the screen better. Her father coming to perch on her left. She turned back towards the screen and with a big breath of confidence, clicked open the email.

"Congratulations Amelia Norwood your application to the Brantwood school and university of Lupinhill Virginia has been accepted and approval has been granted. We look forward to seeing you in august when we kick off our year with a bang! Below will be directions to our estate as well as supplies you will need. You'll also be set up a quarters for you to stay in if you please."

A smile broke across her face. Her mother and father both began cheering and jumping up and down and she laughed. Maybe this was meant to be. Maybe this is what I should have decided all along. The confirmation came so fast it was all absolutely perfect. Everything lined up and she felt the control she felt she had lost creeping back up into her life. She felt in control again. She sighed relieved. Her mother pushed past her and quickly hit print. "We are going shopping for the things you need today!" She said with a big grin. "You only have a week before you have to leave and I want to make sure you have everything you need and want." As she heard the printer whirring she felt a warmth creep up into her heart. Their argument from last night finally pushed aside she was going to savor the time with her family before she moved away from the people whom she had loved More and more over the years. She gave them both a hug and clung to them for as long as she could. This silence was cozy and the only thing that rang through the air was the sound of the printer whirring away at her new life.