picking teams

chapter 2: cady

hellooooo happy wednesday! omg two chapters in a row who is sheeeeee

in all honesty i just had this one ready to go already, and my birthday was yesterday so i figured i'd give you guys a little present from me :))

i don't think i need any tw's for this one but as always if you notice something please let me know so i can add it in !

enjoy!

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"Binti!"

"Yeah, Mom?!" Cady calls across the savanna, popping her head out of the watering hole she had been taking a dip in to cool off and scaring away one of the zebras in the process. "Sorry, Zara."

"Dry off and come inside, please! We need to talk to you," her mom calls from the 'door' of their tent.

"Uh oh," Cady mutters to herself. She wades over to the shore and sits to talk to a gazelle as she uses her small towel to dry off and tugs her clothes back on. "That can't be good. How am I in trouble this time?"

The gazelle just honks at her and returns to its snooze. Cady nods.

"Yeah, you're probably right. Hopefully my punishment isn't picking up the elephant dung again. I'll see you later, Imani."

With a quick pat to her friend's head, she ties the last knot into the laces of her boots and jogs back home.

"Whatever I did, I'm sorry, I'll be less clumsy," she begins. Her parents laugh.

"You're not in trouble, Monkey. We just need to talk to you," her father says, gesturing for her to sit by them at their 'table'. It's actually just an elaborate construction of wooden crates, but they all love their little dinky dining table.

"So you didn't find out about the..." Cady says, realizing after she begins that she shouldn't continue.

"About the what?"

"Nothing! Nothing," Cady says with a sheepish grin. Phew. "So what's up?"

Her parents lock eyes with each other in concern before looking to her. Her father nods, and her mother begins speaking. "I've gotten a new job. We'll have to move soon."

"Oh." Cady says. "Where are we going?"

"Just outside of Chicago," her father says.

"America?!" Cady squeals excitedly. "We're moving to America?!"

"Yes," her mother says. "I thought you'd be upset. We're sorry to take you from the only home you've ever known."

"Are you kidding?!" Cady laughs. "This is amazing! Maybe I'll meet an obese person! And-and I can finally try Starbucks, and skateboarding, and real high school! And I won't have to practice my tumbling in clay and mud anymore, we might have real grass! Or even a real gym!"

"I told you we didn't have to worry," her dad mutters to her mother with a small grin. "We leave in a week, so you'll have a bit of time to say your goodbyes to everything here."

"Thank you!" Cady squeals, knocking their tiny table over as she pitches herself to hug her parents.

"You're welcome, Binti. Dinner's in an hour, go finish your chores," her mother chuckles, kissing her hairline.

"Okay!" Cady says eagerly. She trips over her feet on her way out the door as she calls for her favorite lions. "Nala, Zuri, Mtoto, guys! I get to go to real school! In America!"

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A week later finds her at the airport in Nairobi. She's managed to fit the last twelve years of her life into one backpack. It hurt more than she expected, having to say goodbye to her animal family and Kenyan home. But she faced it bravely, and now is eager for her next adventure.