Finding My Family **ON HOLD**

Ch 3: My Own Two Feet

Sang POV

Several months ago I couldn't even leave the house, but now I'm standing with my own two feet on the sidewalk past my driveway. Back then I was frozen in fear to go any further. Now I'm frozen with cold because it's actually snowing and I don't want to get too far away from the presents!

After being kidnapped I got special permission from Ashley Waters to have two weeks off from school. Those weeks ran into winter break and now here I am celebrating the holidays looking forward to getting back into the swing of things.

"Merry Christmas Booger!!" My dad yells from open front door. Today is Christmas, a holiday I look forward to every year I've been with the Anderson's.

My old family never celebrated Christmas, just one gift from my dad for Marie and I to share. No tree, no decorations, no family dinner, but now I have it all; now I can be happy. Especially with my "problems" out of the way.

After the Volto incident and informing my friends about the Academy we decided it was best to continue at school and finish off the rest of the year. We will be taking extra classes this semester and additional courses outside of Ashley Waters to have enough credits to graduate High School by the end of the year.

In between school and family we will begin the adoption process and also work on team building. Then once summer hits the real tests will start and we will apply to be official Academy members and go through all the proper training...including pursuit and escape with Henry!

But today we celebrate on a day most associated with family. Soon I will consider my friends family; it will be official once we are a team, but we still need to get to know each other better. That's why I think taking this year to continue school and get acquainted is the best option.

I turn my head down the street towards Nathan's house and notice his lights are all turned off.  The house looks like a ghost town; no lights are turned on inside and there are no Christmas decorations on the outside.  The contrast is sharp when I turn my head to Kota's house across the street.  The lights and decorations on the outside ooze joy and cheer.  Through the window I can see Jessica rummaging under the tree for her presents, while Erica is in the kitchen fixing breakfast.

I wonder what my other friends are doing today... I miss them.  Since my break I haven't seen them much and I'm almost dreading returning back to school. I want to see my friends more, but with the 'relationship thing' buzzing in the back of everyone's minds I'm afraid it will be awkward and my parents have warned that they will set strict rules once I'm able to go back to school. There's no time to think about that now, I'll see them soon enough when we all meet for our first official family meeting. Right now it is time to open presents!!!

I run back into the house to find Lily, Henry, Liam, John and William already sitting around the tree. Time flies as we each open our presents one at a time and admire all the gifts and in my case squeal with joy at the new Nook my parents got me. Eventually the tree empties and there are no presents left which means only one thing...it's pancake time!

"Sang?" I hear Lily call me as I'm already walking toward the kitchen.

"Yes, Mom?"

"You still have one more present." William answers me instead.

"Uhh, there's nothing under the tree." I point out then start thinking to myself, Please say my friends are outside...please say my friends are outside!

"Check the back." John states with a smirk.

I squat down around the back of the tree and don't see anything sitting there. It's only when I right myself that I notice a thinly wrapped rectangular package hanging in the middle of the tree. It's wrapped in pink paper with silver foil snowflakes and it says "To Sang, From The Academy".