Misguided

🌺 CHAPTER 1.0 🌺

As the sun began to rise at the Hale household, everyone prepares for a normal day. Only it's not and Arden knows it.

After her silent meltdown, she got back on track and packed all of her comfiest clothes, two pairs of shoes, a box of make up and a few pictures of her family.

Walking down the stairs with a suitcase in her left hand and a backpack in her right she emerges into the family room.

"Planning on taking a trip are we." she hears Reid chuckles from the couch. "Bahamas maybe?"

She turns to look at her dad for help but he just sits there drinking his coffee.
"Umm no," she coughs out, "I'm leaving for a little bit."

"What?! Where you going? Can I come it will be like a family trip?" Seven rushes out making her think he's had too much sugar already.

"No." Comes the cold voice of Eric. He's still sitting in the armchair, one knee crossed over the other. "The car will be here soon to pick you up Arden, best go wait outside."

"Wait dad, what's happening, It's not a funny joke." Wren joins the conversation, chucking nervously.

"Cape-mercy is a school for troubled teens. It's located in Missouri. I'm lucky a buddy of mine owns it and a place just opened up. It's only a two hour flight, she will be fine." Eric states, his authority taking control of the situation.

"I don't understand? Your sending her away! Come on dad she made a few mistakes but she's a teenager. Reid was like that at her age," yells a desperate Lake.

"Hey!" Protests Reid but their father was quick to silence them.

"Enough, she's going end of." His phone buzzes and he takes a peak at it. "You're car is here, better hurry up." With that he stands up and takes his coffee mug into the kitchen, not sparing his broken daughter another glance.

"It's fine guys, I'll be back for Christmas." Arden tried to convince them.

"Yeah, have fun sis." Reid states and takes his cue to leave, unfazed and just happy his troublesome sister will be leaving for a while.

"Y-you can't leave me." Stumbles Seven who is nearly in tears.

"Sev it's alright i'll be back before you know it." She tries to convince him but is immediately pulled into a hug. Two small arms wrap around her neck as she gets pulled into a warm chest. Those two arms are followed by another pair, and another one.

Standing in the middle of a group hug with her brothers is the safest she's felt in months. She's not panicked by the physical contact but comforted by it.

And then it's all ripped away by the honk of a car outside. Pulling away she notices Seven has tears in her eyes. Looking closer she notices so does Wren and Lake.

"See you guys soon." She whispers.

Wren picks up her suitcases and helps her outside as she waves to Lake who's holding a distraught Seven.

Placing her bags in the trunk with a thud he turns around to give her a kiss on the head. "See you in a few months yeah?" He questions.

"Yeah," she replied.
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Boarding the plane went smoothly, Eric had the decency to arrange an escort to guide her on and off the plane and into a taxi.

Sitting in the back seat Arden wasn't sure of what her future would look like. She told her siblings not to worry and she was fine, but she wasn't fine.

Running a hand through her hair, she watches as it gets caught in the unbrushed mess, after a few minutes she gives up and looks out the window at the Missouri country side. The website described the school to be a fresh start for children, a way to find themselves. She thought it was a bunch of crap.