Daytona

Ch.1 (Detroit, MI)

Clarke sits patiently among her classmates. Today is the day that they will graduate. Some will part ways, others will party their last summer away before heading off to college. As for Clarke, her summer starts with a phone call. She feels the bothersome buzz from underneath her gown, and the small ding letting her know a voicemail has been left.

"Clarke Adams!" The official speaks into the microphone. The crowd hoots as she stands and waves while making her way to the stage. She takes the steps two at a time and darts across the platform to receive her diploma. Some parents laugh, her classmates clap and laugh as well feeling the same excitement. As she takes the diploma in one hand and the mans hand to shake in the other, Clarke notices there are no parents for her to greet with a beaming smile.

In fact, she hadn't seen her parents arrive. She smiles and waves once more as she slowly makes her way off stage and back to her seat. Clarke takes the last few minutes before closing statements to check her phone.

(Unknown) 2 Missed Calls
(Unknown) Voicemail
(Aunt Anika) 25 Missed Calls
(Aunt Anika): Where are you?? Please call me when you can.
(Aunt Anika): Clarke? Please answer your phone dear, it's urgent.

What's going on?. She pondered. When the crowd erupted in more applause, she looked up and noticed her class tossing their caps into the air. Clarke simply stood up and made her way toward the parking lot, taking off her cap and pulling out her phone.

"Clarke?! Oh God, you're alright. Have you heard? Where are you, oh goodness are you safe?"

"I'm fine Auntie. What's going on?" Clarke replied.

"Oh darling, there's been a terrible accident. Your parents they.. they're on their way to the hospital. Sweetie, it's not looking too good."

Clarke leaned against her car in disbelief. Her aunt continued to ramble on the phone as Clarke simply stared off into the distance, watching her peers smile and snap pictures with their parents and family.

"Clarke? Can you hear me, dear?"

"Y-Yea I'm here. Uh, I'll meet you at the hospital yea? I've got to go."

"But-" Clarke hung up the phone and dropped into her car.

She drove as if she was being controlled by someone else. Her face set in a blank stare as she pulled into her driveway. Her fathers car was still outside, which was strange considering her parents always took the Rover when they went out. Her mothers car was only used for the road trips they'd take every so often.

She stepped inside and made her way to her room. She placed the cap and gown onto her bed, then sat down and stared at her diploma. Putting it on her side table, Clarke stood and went back outside to make her way to the hospital.

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[CLARKE'S POV]

I sat in the hospital lobby for God knows how long. My heel tapping the floor rapidly, and my hands never stopped shaking.

They weren't at fault, although I know that doesn't make it any easier to bear. Your mother died during transport, but your father was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. The person responsible still hasn't been brought in, so as of now we don't know the circumstances of the crash. All we can assume is...

I stopped listening after that. They still don't know who's responsible, or why this happened to them. I'd never share another accomplishment with them, never hear them hooting obnoxiously in the crowd at my basketball games. They didn't even get to see me graduate.

I decided to head down to the police station after signing all the necessary paper work. Aunt Anika never showed, and at this point I couldn't care less. She was never that close to any of us as it was, but she was the only family we had left in Michigan. Everyone else had either died off, or moved away to pursue happier family lives. Now, sitting here in my car on the way to the station, I realized all I had left in this world was me. My home would never feel comforting again.