The True Meaning of Home

Chapter 1

I’m standing in the middle of a room with everything crumbling down around me. I’m screaming for help, but there is no one there to save me. In the end, I’m left standing in the middle of the debris, completely helpless to it all. Maybe is the way things are supposed to be, trapped in my own personal hell for all the damage I’ve done.

“Annabelle? Annabelle!”

I slowly stir from my nap at the sound of my name being called and the crashing of a book slamming down next to me head. It takes me a few minutes to gather my surroundings and realize I’m in English class.

“Now really, Annabelle, it is completely unacceptable to fall asleep in my class! You, of every student, should know!”

Glancing up at Ms. McKinley, I begin thinking about the dream I had just had. It was a reoccurring dream that normally left me in tears and on the phone with James. All the while, McKinley was still raving at how important it is to analyze the true meaning of Beowulf before turning it back to the importance of my dedication to this abysmal class.

“It is your senior year of high school, and this is an AP class! Do you know what AP means, Annabelle? It means ‘Advanced Placement.’ I will not tolerate students not being dedicated to their work in this class!” Okay, so maybe it wasn’t an abysmal class, but it’s not like I’m learning anything new.  She knows that I know this as well! Goodness, I really hate it when she starts ranting like this. It always ends the same way, too. She threatens to drop me to Honors, but won’t because I’m her best student. Even with me occasionally drifting off, she knows that I could pass the AP exam with flying colors tomorrow. Either way, as future valedictorian, I can’t have my English teacher angry with me.

“Yes, I’m sorry, Ms. McKinley. You are absolutely right. I’ll save naptime for Spanish.” My response gaining me sniggers from the class, a pointed-look from James, and a glare from my incredibly frustrated English teacher. Just as she is about to respond though, the bell rings signaling the end of the day. James and I join the crowd filing out of the door, in a rush to reach the three-day weekend as quickly as they could.

“Did you really have to get an attitude with her, Anna?”

“Yes, yes I did. I’m tired of her continuous threats! So what if I dozed off? I’m still her best and favorite student, and we all know it. Besides, I had the dream again, so I really wasn’t in the mood to deal with her.”

“Again? You woke me up twice last night because of it!”

“You think I don’t know that? I’m sorry about that by the way though. It was your choice to be my best friend though, so you kind of brought it upon yourself, just saying.” I pause to recollect myself and my thoughts before continuing. “Hey, do you think we can go somewhere this weekend, starting tonight? I need to get away. Maybe we can go up to your cabin by the shore? Would that be okay with your parents?”

“Anna, are you okay?” He gazes at me through his chocolate eyes with worry lacing itself into his words.

“It’s getting worse with each day. Can you please just check with your parents?” We stop in front of my locker when I finish. As I spin the dial, 21-7-11, James calls his parents, who are at a work conference in Miami. He clicks off and shuts my locker as I finish cramming text books and binders into my backpack before taking my hand and leading me out into the Seattle rain to his pick-up truck. Once inside he fiddles with the radio, turning it to my favorite station.

“My parents told me to feel free to go up to the cabin for the weekend. We just need to pick up our stuff and some food before we head out. Are you sure that your parents won’t mind?” James asks as he pulls out of the school parking lot.