Athina in Greece

Prolouge (of sorts)

        I got the letter in the mail two weeks ago and I've still only told one person besides my parents, who then blabbed about it on Facebook because I guess that's what parents do. But now it's 8th grade graduation and I still haven't told my friends that I'll be attending high school half way across the world. I filled out the aplication in Janurary, wanting to get out of this town and travel somewhere cool. I got a letter in the mail from the school on May 14th, and was estatic when I read:

Dear Athina Morrison,

We are proud to say that you have been accepted to Professor Agatha's International Boarding School.

        At that moment I didn't really read any further, I crumpled the paper and ran to my mom to tell her the news. She then promptly called my dad and he sister and then the whole state of Ilinois, I'm surprised none of my friends know.

        We are all sitting in plastic chairs in the school gym because it's raining out and everyone is wearing really ugly maroon robes and caps. Our principal is currently speaking in a low monotone voice going on about how wonderful it was to have us in this school, and how lovely a class we were. Which is a ton of crap because he hardly left his office all year. Then they finally start calling people up to get their diplomas. Since my last name begins with a 'm' I'm right in the middle of everyone. I watch as Lauren, John, Sadie, and Kate get their diplomas and raise them above their heads as if everyne needs proof that they actually got it, but a lot of kids do it after them. Then Chase Marks is called up and I know my name will be next. I stand up and my heart is racing and my palms are sweaty, I clutch the notecards with a firm fist, sure that the ink is running anyway. I walk up to the stage and over to the podium, but instead of getting my diploma, Mrs.Piper leans into the microphone and says, "Athina has some exciting news she would like to share with us all here today."

        I nod and smile at her as she steps back from the podium and sweeps her arms twoard it. I step up behind it and clear my throat, I place my notecards in front of me and begin reading from them.

"The three years I've spent at this school have been some of the best three years of my life. I've met so many people and made so many new friends. The teachers were amazing, and I'll never forget any of that, so thank you."

        I pause, close my eyes, and take a deep, shaky breath. When I open my eyes, my hands are trembling and instead of looking back at my cards, I look at my friends sitting with their diplomas in their laps on the side of the stage. When I begin to speak again, my voice trembles.

"But, sadly, my journey here has ended. I'll be attending Professor Agatha's International Boarding School in Greece. I got my acceptance letter two weks ago. This is an amazing oppurtunity  that I would have been cray to pass up. So while I'm sorry I won't be returning to begin high school with everyone in fall, I'm exremely grateful for everything and I just wanted to say goodbye, and thank you to everyone who has helped me or befirened me."

        When I step back from the podium, the whole gym is echoing with applause and shouts of congradulations. Mrs.Piper shakes my hand and hands me my diploma. I walk to the chairs next to the stage and see Sadie crying and John beaming giving me a high five. I sit in the first empty seat next to Chase and hold my fingers under my eyes so no tears fall out. I then squeeze my eyes shut, when I open them everything is blurry and there are only three kids who still need to get their diplomas. Once everyone was seated they played a really cheesy video that was just a slideshow of pictures and crappy pop music in the background. Then they had us all stand and switch our tassles and throw the caps, although some people, me included, didn't throw theirs so they could keep the original one. This was the end of America, but the start of Greece.