Dangerously Sweet.

That is how I got here.

            So here I am, 11 hours away from home and headed to my freedom or maybe death. My mom and dad are in the car ahead of us with my bags, Jared, Jeffery, Michael, and I are in Jared's car. It has been a silent ride other than the occasionally 'I have to pee' and 'I'm hungry' and then a phone call to the parents with a compromise.

            My stomach grumbles because I have not eaten all day. The screaming war between my dad and I means I only had one spoonful of cereal, and on the rode I have been too nervous to eat or drink anything. I made Jared nervous so he has not eaten anything either.  I do not want to talk to my father but I have to. I take out my phone and dial my father’s phone number.

            Jared steals glances at me than looks back at the rode. I look out towards my window and concentrate on not screaming. “Hello.” My father talks scornfully to the phone.

            “I’m starving, daddy.” I say daddy only because I now it will make him pull over to get me food.

            He stays quite. I can almost hear him thinking. “What do you want?” He says in a low nice voice.

            Hook, line, and sinker! “I want a hamburger.”

            He does not waste any time. “Tell Jared to follow me.”

            I hang up and throw the cell phone on the dash board. “Follow him.” I tell Jared without paying attention. My favorite radio station is losing connection. I play around with the radio station vaguely aware that Jared got off the high way. I am still playing with it when he pulls over. I see my dad get out of his car parked some ways down as I tune into a good station.

            Everyone gets out the car and we can hear my dad and my mom fighting. “You should not give her what she want's! She is too spoiled that is why she is like this!” My mother screams angrily.

            “It is my little girl and if she is hungry than I am going to get her some food!” My father screams back furious. I am still far away but I can see his nostrils flare.

            “We're twenty minutes away from the boarding school she can get something to eat there! It's free!”

            “She wants a hamburger not some disgusting school food!” There both quite for a second than my dad says something that should end the conversation. “She's my little girl and I have to give her away to some school! If she want's anything right now I will give it to her!”

            My mother nods her head like it obvious. “She's going to a—“

            “Shut up! People are watching!” I scream at them but look at her. She turns bright red and looks at all the people that are watching us not even bothering to turn their heads.

            My mother shut's her yap and together walks with my dad down to where the boys and I are. We walk inside and I smell the yummy fries, and the sizzling hamburgers. People are starring at us, it's getting me mad. “What?” I say loudly starring everyone down. Some people just do not look away so I get really mad. “Yeah I am going to a boarding school, want to know why I'm being forced to go there?” Everybody looks away this time.

            I shake my head and go into my bag for some money but my dad stops me. He takes out his wallet and hands me a couple bucks. I do not pay attention to what it is and go up to the counter. The cashier looks creeped out and backs away. Jared comes up behind me and puts his arms around me. “Don't worry the only reason she's going to a boarding school is because her mother doesn't like her.”  Jared says low enough for the cashier to hear. The pimply scrawny kid looks at my mother than realizes.

            “I can relate to that.” He says and laughs a shaky laugh. “So what do you want?”

            I give my order first consisting; a triple cheese burger, large fries, large shake, baked potatoes with cheese, a salad, and one of those small ice creams. Jared laughs at the absurdity of my meal while the boy stares ta me in shock. After Jared orders for himself the boy fails at a joke.

            I do not respond but give the boy the money. Jared and I waited for our order while Michael and Jeffery were flirting with a group of girls and my mother and father are standing awkwardly at the door. As soon as my mother’s sees me get the food she leaves and my dad follows her. I call Jeffery and Michael and they come after they collect all their numbers.

            We get in the car and Jared tells Michael to drive so that he can eat. Instead of getting back on the high way my father said it was faster on the street roads. I drink my shake slowly waiting for my steaming fries to cool down. Suddenly after some time there is a big building in front of us. The wall to the right reads “Hamigway Boarding School. “ And underneath it in smaller letters “If you can't deal with them send them to us." We all read it. We look at each other than look at the car in front.

            “Well aren't I loved?” I mutter under my breath. Apparently Jared hears me because he puts his hand on my knee. I ignore it and keep eating my hot fries.

            Dad stops at the gate and is talking with the man in a black uniform. The man looks back and is searching the car. A stupid idea popped into my head. I move Jared out the way and put his window down. I'm leaning across Jared and I can feel his elbow on my spine. I poke my head out the window and scream.

            “Hey mister! Don't I have the grandest parents in the world? They are so understanding!” I look at him as if nothing was wrong.

            The man nods his head and opens the gate. I put my head back in the car and roll the windows up. I can see kids inside starring at the car. Well isn't this just wonderful? I made myself known on the first day. Yay me! ….This is going to suck.

            We park inside and we watch my parents get out the car first. I take my burger and leave the mess in the car. Jared will pick it up for me. He won't mind. I step out the car and the suns heat is glaring down on me. Talk about a heater. I put my hand over my eyebrows to block the sun from my eyes. The first thing I see as I step out the car is the wall and high on the wall is barbed wire and a siren at regular intervals.

            I turn around and look at my parent's. “Are they scared we will run?” I point to the barbed wire. My father looks unsure and my mother... hopeful.

            I still have my hand over my eyebrows to block the sun when I feel Jared pull my arm down. I look at him and without warning his lips smack down on mine. Both his hands are on my either cheek and I can tell he's holding something. I expect my cousins to say something but they don't. He let's go and stares into my eyes while he puts a hat on my head.

            I mumble a thank you and turn away.