Flashback To Six Years Ago

Six Years Ago

It’s the first day of sixth grade and I haven’t even left the house yet. But I’m still shaking with fear. I’m that nervous to start middle school. At least I know almost everyone already. When I arrive at the middle school and reluctantly pull open the large double doors, I’m bombarded with the sounds of lockers slamming, people laughing, and all those other sounds you hear in middle school.

I suddenly recognize a familiar face among a sea of unfamiliar ones. It’s the face of my longtime neighbor and best friend, Emma Grace. I’ve never been able to figure out why her last name is Grace. 

All my morning classes (first-fourth) go surprisingly well. At last, it’s time for lunch.   But I don’t make it to the lunchroom. Instead, I get called to the principal’s office. When I arrive and check in with the receptionist, she tells me that the principal will be with me shortly. 

I sit down in one of the comfy chairs in the office and twiddle my thumbs in boredom. Ten minutes later, the middle school principal, Mr. Ripper, comes out of his office with a man dressed in a Major’s military attire. It takes me a couple seconds to notice that he’s staring straight at…me.

“Tatum, this is Major Myers. He’s going to be taking care of you and your best friend, Emma Grace, from now on.” Mr. Ripper tells me.

“You mean, he’s going to give us a loving family and all that?” I ask a expression of pure happiness on my face.

“Yes, he is.” At that moment, my BFF, Emma, walks into the office. She looks first at me, then at Mr. Ripper. Emma looks at Major Myers in surprise, as though she knows him from somewhere.

“Hello, Emma, long time, no see, eh?” Major Myers says to Emma.

“Yeah, it’s been a while, hasn’t it, Major Myers?” My best friend answers. I give her a questioning look. 

“You two know each other?!” I exclaim in shock.

“Where are we, Major Myers?” I ask, my voice almost inaudible. Emma and I had gotten into Major Myers’ nice-looking (most likely expensive) black SUV back at school. Now, ten minutes later, we’ve arrived at what looks like a mansion. Neither Emma nor I were allowed to stop at our old homes and pack our favorite things to bring here. 

“Come on, girls, I want to show you around your new home.” Major Myers smiles at us cheerfully. A chauffeur opens the car door for us and helps us out.

“We’re coming, Major Myers.” Emma and I reply in unison.

After a extensive tour of the mansion, men wearing military dress uniforms show us to our own, large rooms. 

I finally get a room all to myself! I think out loud when I’m alone in my room at last. I wander around the expansive bedroom, looking for any cameras. I know that they would want to keep a close eye on me. After I’ve checked every place where a camera could be hidden and coming up empty-handed, I sit down on my beautiful pink canopy bed.  My thoughts drift towards the events that unfolded this morning…this morning before school.

My older brother (Connor) and I were arguing over something dumb yet again. I’m usually a perfect little angel around mom and dad, but not today. I always get straight A’s, I behave well at school, I’m involved in just about every extra curricular activity that my school offers, and, well, you know the rest. My brother, on the other hand, never got A’s (let alone B’s), he always got in fights at school, he wasn’t involved in any extra curricular activities offered by his school. Connor was the one who would always get sent home early because of one thing or another. That very, very rarely happened with me. 

“You’re an idiot, Connor!” I yell, taunting him.

“No, you are!” My brother, who’s only 1 year and 11 months older than me, retorts.  We go back and forth like that for several minutes until mom gets pissed at us and, with the help of our older sister, Margaret (age 16), tears us apart.

I was such a jerk to Connor.  He must hate me now. Not to mention, I was also pretty- My thoughts are interrupted by a refined, very soft knock on the door.

“Yeah? Who is it?” I call out.

“It’s me, Emma.” The person on the other side of my door answers.

“Oh. In that case, come in.”

Author's Note

I have absolutely no idea where in the book I should put this. Please help me find a good spot for it.