Straddle

7. Daddy's Little Girl

Our dark truck screeched to a halt as we reached the entrance of  the towering academy. My father was a lot of great things but I can't bring myself to add safe driver to that list. His brother and sister have never looked more relieved to hear an engine cut. 

"Oh, come on" my father starts with an amused grin on his face, "that wasn't that back"

 Uncle Harrison rolls his eyes as his brother gives hard pat on the back, "Casper, you almost hit a pregnant woman at that crosswalk." Now it was my father's turn to rolls his eyes, but both men had identical grins across their features. "Oh whatever," dad replies, "She had it coming."

His sister snorts, pushing her bright red hair out of her face as she quickly removes herself from the vehicle she had called my father's death trap of a car only a mere 10 minutes into our 4 hour ride. She turns to me as I unbuckle with a genuinely sad pity smile on her face as she say, "I am so sorry"

I laugh as my father lets out an offended "Hey!" with a pout contorting his features. At sound of my laughter his pout falls, replaced with a content smile as his stormy blue eyes meet mine, which are a carbon copy. Nobody ever fails to mention that I have my father's eyes.

He hops out of the car and makes his way to my door, running his hands through his hair as a light breeze blew across his face. He was wearing a white button up with a blue black suit jacket with a slight smirk on his face. He opens the door for me, lifting me out of the dark jeep and onto the pavement.

I rolled my eyes as he adjusts my hair pin, and brushes off imaginary dust off of my uniform. "Dad, I am not a child," I say with an annoyed voice, though I still can't fight the smirk off my features.

"No?" he replies, giving me a glancing wink. 

"I am nearly 13 dad...I am the top of class" I say lifting my chin up. " I am no child, I am a proper agent of the Academy."

I hear him fail to stifle his laughter as he takes my hand in his and we start to make our way into the massive establishment. "That's good to know."

I feel the usual stares of students and teachers alike as the four of us make our way into the school. I don't let my unease show in my features, but my dad gives my hand a squeeze as if hearing my subconscious. 

I feel him looking at me, but I concentrate on being stoic and not showing my fear to my fellow school mates. His light chuckle makes me comfortable as I look to see him staring at me again. "You're just like your mother."

And I am. I know this. Our actions, the way we hold ourselves, we have the exact same personality. Her influence on me and the pressure that both of us put on me is so immense sometimes it is hard to breath. 

It is one thing to be 2 years younger than your classmates, and it is another to also be the Director's daughter and have the  intimidation of your future as potential Director ahead of you. There is one fear to not know what the future holds for you, it is another to not like the future that has been planned for you. I've never been given time to give my opinion....that is if I have one.

Today's the first day back after summer break, and the first time I will be seeing my mother in a month. My father's pretty excited about it. I haven't seen him this happy in months. 

As we near my mother's office, his stride becomes longer and his grin wider as he literally pulls me down the halls. In the background I hear my aunt reprimanding him about his speed in the hallway, and my uncle laughing as my father trips over himself nearly falling face first until my hand reaches to steady him.