A Different Story

Chapter 2: Unexpected

The next day, I woke to the sound of my alarm. I grumbled to myself, got up, and set the alarm off. I'm a morning person, but like everyone else, I have my "good" days, and my "bad" days. Today is one of those days, when I just wish I never had to wake up. Ha! Like that's going to happen. Today is a "normal" day in my school. Which basically means we have to wear our usual uniform; a white shirt, just like the P.E one, (except for the green collar) blue pants, and black shoes. I put it on, and texted Laura, "Hey, you up by now?" A minute later she texted back "Wish I wasn't" I chuckled.

In Aberoad Middle, everyone goes to the same school. I mean, from the first time you go to school, to the time you graduate you're stuck in the same school. This means there's kids of all ages here; although we don't see each other much because we have different schedules and are a little separated. But I still see my sister Kendall, who is a sosphmore, and I'm a seventh grader, so it's not so bad.

"Bye mom! Remember I'm staying 'till 7 for swim practice. Laura is going too, maybe she can drop me off, so you don't hav-" My mom interrupted me and said, "Not today sweetheart, I have something to tell you. Kind of a surprise." I must have heard wrong. I never miss swim practices, and my mom knows how important it is to me. So it's a shock that she's telling I'm not going today. "Wait, what?" I was confused. "What you heard honey! I'll pick you at normal dismissal" She waved me off and I closed the door of her car and started up the stairs of the school to my classroom.

As soon as I saw Laura in front of Mr. Roberts classroom I called out to her,"Laura! Can you come with me really quick to the schools pools? I need to tell Coach Bob I won't be there for practice after all." Laura frowned, "You are not going to swim practice?" She asked incredulous. "I don't know why, but my mom said she has a surprise... I don't know. Ill explain later!" I took her by the wrist and took off running to meet Coach Bob. We runned through the school's narrow hallways. There were classrooms on both sides of the hall, we turned right and went down the stairs entering another hallway, but at the end of this one there were doors that led to the outside. Here was the soccer field, basketball field, and volleyball field, along with the swimming pools that were a little to the side. "Coach Bob?" I was looking around the pools but couldn't find him. "Is that Annabeth I hear?" I turned, "Wow! Where'd you come from?" He winked, "From right around the corner." I laughed, and he said, " I see you are with Laura too." He looked at her and smiled. Laura smiled back and said hi. "So, what brings you here at this time? You girls should already be in class." I suddenly forgot why I was here, "Um, oh yeah, I won't be here for practice tonight." Coach Bob looked more surprised than I had when my mom told me the news. "Really! Oh well, you'll catch up tomorrow then."

After an endless day of school, I was finally at home doing homework in my room. I live in a pretty house, with a wide backyard, and a pool. When you enter my room is like you're entering "Annabeth's World," everything here is like me. Since I love to learn about other countries and have a list of the ones I want to go, you can imagine that my room is full of maps of different colors and places. I also love animals, so there are millions of animal posters. Besides that, I also have my room buried in books. There's books everywhere here; on my shelfs, on my nightstand, and even in my closet because there are way too many books to have them all out. You might be thinking that my room is the messiest place on the world, but you' re wrong. I'm a neat freak, as well as organized. My world is as tidy as it can possibly be.

"Food's ready!" I hear my mom call out from downstairs in the kitchen. I sigh and grab the book that I'm currently reading. On my way down, I remember that now is the moment when my mom is going to tell us her "surprise." Oh God, what's going to happen now?

"It's not that bad," my mom tells my sister Kendall. We are all sitting around the kitchen table, including my dad, who is usually late for dinner because he's at work. "Kendall, I know this is hard. But just think about it; not everyone gets an opportunity to move and experience something different in their lives," My dad tries to console her, "We are moving to Sweden! It's a great place, sweetie. I'm sure you'll like it." Kendall just sobbed some more, and looked at me for help, but what am I supposed to do? I mean, it's Sweden we're talking about! I was too stunned to talk and gave her a helpless look. I thought about everything I was going to leave behind; my house, my school, Coach Bob......Laura! I am going to miss her like crazy! She is the best friend anyone could ever have.

I cried a little that night, but I've got to admit that I actually am kind of excited to move to Sweden. All my life I've been planning on graduating here at Aberoad Middle School with Laura, and here I am; a month away from our departure time. All I can think about is that I was never, ever, expecting this. Not in a million years or lifetimes.