Fandom Academy

Chapter Two

        My bag is packed and I stand at the top of the steps with two suitcases of books, journals, clothes, and my laptop/electronics. Dad is coming up the stairs to help me with my bags. I look down the hall at me and my brothers' floor. Percy is sticking his head out of his room and Tex is looking out behind him.

        "Do you have to leave?" Tex asks in a small voice. He has tears in his eyes and I run to him and Percy. Throwing my arms them, we collapse against each other. They have always been my closest friends, despite our age differences.

        "I'll see you again for the Halloween dance. I'm going to be back for Christmas, for Easter, for your birthdays. I'll be back whenever you need me. I want to go to this school, though. This is a chance I don't want to miss. I love you both, so, so much. I'll write letters to you, FaceTime, text, email; everything!" Tex and Percy hold me tighter, their thin arms encircling both my waist and neck.

        I'm crying now. Mom is staying with the boys, so I this is the last time for a while I will see her. She won't be able to fly out to the Halloween dance, either. She is too pregnant to do that. Besides, my little sibling is due around November 8th.

        "Don't go, Mar," Percy murmurs. I can't stop the flow of tears and the ache inside of me is a torrent of pain. I don't want to leave, but I can't pass this up.

        "I'll always come back, Perce. I'm not leaving forever. Neither of you are allowed to get any bigger. You two gentlemen are big enough." I ruffle their hair and they smile behind their own tears. Walking away is one of the hardest things I've ever done. When I am down the stairs, I hug Mom and we just stand there for a few quiet moments.

        "I'm going to miss you, sweetheart. If you get a boyfriend, tell me. If anything major happens, tell me. Your little sibling is going to absolutely love you when he or she meets you. I can't believe you are growing up so fast. I hate this, but I know I will have to do this again eventually." Mom hugs me tight for a moment, kisses my forehead and pushes me out the door. Motherly love, alright.

        "Come on, Mar, I don't want to miss your flight. You have everything you need?" I nod my head and smooth down my peacoat. It was a present from Mom, Dad, Tex and Percy. It is a wool peacoat, with six large, black buttons. The warm wool is dyed a simple gray, but I love it. I have my uniform in a separate carry-on in a bag on my shoulder. I have to change into it before I get there.

~~~~~

        It takes thirty minutes to get to the airport. A large sign is over one station reading Fandom Academy. I hug Dad for a long time and say my final goodbyes. I'm finally alone. This is going to be hard. Somebody taps on my shoulder and I turn around. Danny is standing there with Nicole Reed, another fangirl. She was in my algebra class last year.

        "Hey, Danny, Nicole; what's up?" I ask. I have to hope my face isn't blotchy. It probably is.

        "Same thing that's up with you," Nicole says laughing. I roll my eyes. We've always been pretty easy with each other when we talk.

        "That was a stupid question. So, have we come to an alliance then? I assume that for the first day or two we'll at least talk to each other?" Danny says. "I mean, I don't want to be totally alone in that place. What do you say?"

        "I'm in," Nicole and I say simultaneously. There is suddenly an easy air between us. None of the other people here look familiar. We are the only three people from our school then. Nicole, Danny and I talk for what feels like hours, but it is only twenty minutes, before we are told we can board the plane. We are allowed to choose our seats and we find some all the way in the back. The jumbo jet is almost entirely full of students. This is nerve-racking.