Nothing's As It Seems

Author’s Note: Hey, everyone! So this is my first story on Quizilla…tell me what you think, and make sure you read the note at the bottom of chapter 2! (This chapter was too long so I had to divide it into 2 chapters.)

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It was time to leave, but Tara was making one last stand.

“No! I can’t go there!” Tara exclaimed, stamping her foot. “Mom, you can’t make me leave my friends!”

“Honey, we’ve discussed this already. The public schools around here just aren’t helping you anymore,” her mother said with forced calmness. “You’re too advanced. You have to go.”

“Dad,” she said pleadingly, turning to her father, “come on. You really won’t make me leave, right? Right?!”

He didn’t answer, and shrugged apologetically as if there were nothing he could do. “Sorry, Tair, but your mother’s right,” he said, using her nickname. “It’s for the best.”

Tara’s blue eyes widened in disbelief. She had always thought that at least her father would stand up for her, no matter what. Apparently she was wrong. She stood in a stunned silence for a moment, then angrily flipped her long brown curls and said, “It’s for the best? It’s for the best that I should leave my hometown, my friends, my family, everything I love just for a stupid education?! Sorry, but you’ve got your priorities all screwed up. Education is last on my list.”

“You can’t think like that. Now come on, we have to go before you miss your flight!” her mother said, hustling them all towards the front door.

“Don’t I get a say in any of this?! I mean, I’m the one who’s actually going, after all,” Tara said, arguing with her mother.

“No, you don’t get a say,” her mother exploded, exasperated with all of Tara’s arguments. “You’re still a minor, and we’re still your parents, and we say where you go and where you don’t go! Now shut your mouth and get in the car!”

Tara glared icily at her, then turned and stomped off to the car, her father following her with the luggage. Once they were all inside, her mother started the car, and they backed out of the driveway. There was complete silence on the way while Tara fumed in the backseat and her parents struggled to find the airport. Finally, after they parked in the crowded lot, Tara’s mother turned off the car and twisted in the driver’s seat to talk to Tara.

“Sweetie, I know this is hard on you,” she said sympathetically, “but your father and I are just doing the best that we can to set up for your future. Besides, we’ve talked about this many times, and you should know by now. Please, will you just try to be optimistic and see the bright side of things? Have a good attitude about this, that’s all I’m asking.”

Tara and her mother locked matching blue eyes for a long second. Then Tara drew in a deep breath and exhaled slowly, wearily. “I guess,” she muttered, opening her door.

Inside the airport, her parents got her ticket and watched in the lobby as she walked through the metal detectors towards her gate. Tara waved once, then didn’t look back.

Tara found her gate just as people were boarding. She quickly joined the line and stepped forward, handing her ticket to the stewardess, who pulled off the stub and handed it to her with a smile. Tara stepped onto the plane with her carry-on bag on her shoulder, peered down the length of the plane, and began to find her seat. Unfortunately, she was seated in coach, which was towards the back of the plane. She squeezed down the aisle, trying not to smack people in the face with her bag, and finally made it to her seat. She had a window seat (which was one thing to be thankful for) and as soon as she sat down, a baby started to cry, wailing loudly. Tara groaned. Her parents had enough money to send her to some fancy-shmancy private school, why couldn’t they buy her a first-class ticket?

Tara leaned her face on the window of the plane and looked out as the plane began to move. Her heart skipped a beat as the plane lifted off and the ground dropped away beneath them. This is it, she thought, suddenly feeling as though she might run to the emergency exit and jump out. I’m actually leaving. She swallowed with some difficulty and blinked back tears. I shouldn’t be here. I should be down there, with all of my friends, instead of on a plane to some stupid school where everyone’s probably a bunch of snobs who won’t even give me a second glance. Why am I on this plane? What possible reason is there for Fate to be screwing up my life like this? The drone of the plane’s engines lulled Tara off to sleep as she pondered her future.

(Go on to chapter 2!)