The Prodigy and the Stray(UNDER MAINTENANCE)

Kella

"Kella?!" I heard my mom's voice from our hot tub in the other room. "Kella, honey?!"

"Yes, what is it mom?" I snapped back.

"I heard you come in, you sound upset honey!" She says. Crap, I need to cover my hair, she can't know about this! I grab a hooded jacket and throw it over my head. 

"I'm fine mom! I was just having some trouble with Mark!" Yes, I thought, the perfect lie, that technically wasn't a lie at all.

"I'll be in my room!"

"Okay, sweetie! Tell me how things go with you and Mark! I like that one!"

I run up the stairs to my large room. I hurriedly shut the door and lock it. I pictured what it would be like to be in the war, with all boys, pretending to be a girl. It was time for me to get ready for the test. I might not have another chance. You can join the war when you're 14 or older. If you join the war and you older than 18 though you only get one year of training, I'm 16 so this way I get years. That's why I have to join now. The catch is for me, you can't apply for war as a woman.

My mom always tells me stories about how when she was a kid women were aloud to vote, join the war, they were even allowed to be doctors! I always love hearing that story. I hate that law, that women can't join the war or do anything! Maybe that's another reason why I'm doing it... I've always gotten most of the things I've wanted, and I just can't get over the fact there is something I can't do. Maybe if someone finds out about what I did... more people will do it too, and eventually women will regain their rights! Of course, that's only wishful thinking.

I feel like I'm on to something, though. But first I have to figure out how to get out of here and join the war. I'll just make a list and then maybe... write a note for my parents. 

MY LIST:

- Pants 

- Shirts

- Undies 

- Protein bars

- Bandages

The rest they will probably supply for me I thought. I need to be quick, I grab a string bag and dumb everything on the list into it, checking them off as I go. I grabbed a piece of paper and started writing a letter to my parents. 

Dear Mother and Father,

I am not running away, I have just decided to go to Canada on a road trip with Lisa. Don't worry about me I'll be fine we already have a condo on the beach.

I will send you a postcard,

Kella 

That is perfect! I can just buy a bunch of Canada cards from hallmark before I apply! I'm a genius! I sneak out of my bedroom, and into my mom's room. I lay the note down on her wigs, since she puts one on each morning.  

I will have to sneak out tonight to get to Tallahassee in time and get a good spot in line for the tests. Since I live in Miami the internet says that it will take about 6 hours and 40 minutes by car, so I can probably just take a cab. I will need some money though.

I go to the computer to look up how much that would cost. Holy shit! $3251.24. I figured I could just steal -no, borrow- a little from my parents but that is definitely overpriced, even for my them. They would definitely realize something was up. I sighed and decided I would have to resort to a bus, but with all the stops it makes, I was going to have to leave now! I grab my bag throw it over my back and open my window. If I go out the front or back door my Mom will here me.

"Yes, honey, I was just going to ask Kella what she would like for dinner!" I heard my Mom's voice coming up the stairs speaking to my dad.

"Okay, hun, try to convince her into lasagna!" 

"Okay, but she seems to have her mind set on Chinese lately!" That's my call to go. I swing my leg out the window and jump off the roof onto our trampoline just as I hear my Mom swing the door open.

"Kella, honey?" I heard my mom's worried voice from the ground. "Kella?!" She was sounding really worried. "Well, George, I think Kella must have gone back to the party to talk to Mark. Looks like you get you're lasagna now!" Phew, that should buy me some time, I thought. Thank god for my mom always jumping to conclusions. "Hold on, let me grab a wig and we can go out to that new Restaurant down the road, I heard they had super good lasagna!" Crap, I need to get out of here before she reads the letter!

"Goodbye, mother." I say under my breath, knowing this would be my last time in a long time being home.

Up above is Kella's mom with one of her famous wigs on! ;)