The final bell rang and papers flew up in the air joyously. Kids ran out the front doors excitedly and jumped into their parent's cars or hopped their buses. Riley Brown slowly said her good-byes to her friends and hugged them all more than once until she finally began to look for her Grandmother Rose. "Over here Gram!" Riley called to her, who was searching for her in the parent pick-up line, driving a white Sedan. She pulled up to the curb and Riley jumped in happily.

"Happy school is out sugar?"

"Definitely! It certainly was a long wait!" she replied as her seat belt buckle clicked securely.

"Well that's wonderful. How about some well-deserved lunch at your all-time favorite restaurant?" her grandma suggested.

Riley's face lit up, "You mean Louie's Pizza!" Grandma Rose smiled and nodded, turning out of Easterly High's driveway and onto the busy streets of LA.

Once comfortably seated in a booth at Louie's, Riley's grandma took a deep breath and held a gaze with her.

"Gram, what's wrong?" Riley questioned in concern.

"Riley, I have some bad news," she said seriously.

Riley stared at her, waiting nervously, "Well, what is it?"

"Your parents were in an accident."

Riley walked into her room and shut the door angrily. She could hear her grandmother coaxing her out on the other side of the door to come back out, but she was intent on staying put.

"Riley, please come out. I know it isn't exactly what you wanted, but your parents would have wanted you to get the best education possible, and going to boarding school is the only way," she explained.

Riley opened the door abruptly, "Gram, just because my parents died this summer and I was forced to live with you doesn't mean you can come in and take over my life! Why can't you just let me go to my old school!" She pushed past her and quickly exited the small cottage and sat heavily on her favorite old bench swing. Her grandmother soon followed and sat beside her.

After a few moments she spoke again, "You know, when my mother was alive, she and I used to sit on this swing and talk for hours about the good old days when lemonade was fresh squeezed and not from a can of concentrate. And I remember one day while it was raining, I was sitting out here, angry as all because I couldn't go to an outing with my friends, and she came and sat beside me. She said, "Rosie, why do you want to grow up so fast?" and I never answered that question because I never had an answer good enough. I knew she was right, and I still believe it to this day." She turned to look at Riley, "Darling, you are a wonderful granddaughter and I only want what's best for you, do you understand? Right now all I have control of in your life is a few things, and I want to make those things the best they can be."

Riley grumpily stared at her feet, also knowing her grandmother was right. She then looked up, "Grandma Rose, I still don't understand why I can't stay at my old

school. I was happy there. I had friends there. And it was free, but at boarding school, I don't know anyone and it cost a lot of money."

"Riley," her grandmother set a hand on her cheek, "I don't know if you know this, but your parents had always dreamed of sending you to boarding school and had put away money for it since you were born. It was there wish, not mine. If you go and just try it, I know it will make your mum and dad very happy."

Riley had never known that and now felt badly about her behavior, "Ok, Gram, I'll give it a go-for Mum and Dad."

"That's my girl," Grandma Rose replied, hugging her warmly.

That summer passed quickly, but slowly at the same time. Riley missed her parents so much that she had excluded herself from the outside world. She hadn't seen her friends once since the end of school and it was already August. In an attempt to get Riley out and about, her grandmother called up her friend Hilary and invited her over. The doorbell rang and Grandmother Rose answered it, letting Hilary in.

"Riley, you have a visitor, "she said, knocking on her door.

"Tell them to go away," she softly replied.

"Riley? It's me, Hilary. Can I come in?" Hilary said as she opened her door a crack. Riley jumped up and wiped away a few tears from her face as she greeted her friend.

"Hilary! What are you doing here?"

She walked over and gave Riley a hug, "To see you, of course!"

Riley hugged her back, happy for some company that wouldn't shower her with a pity party.

"I've missed you!" Hilary smiled, "What's up?"

Riley sat down on her bed and Hilary followed suit as Grandmother Rose closed the door. Riley smiled and then sighed, "Well, I'm guessing you've heard about my parents."

Hilary nodded and laid a hand on her shoulder, "I'm so sorry, Riley-I know what you're going through." Riley suddenly remembered that Hilary, too, had lost a parent in an accident; her mom.

"How do you deal with it?" Riley asked her.

"I know you probably get this a lot, but it helps to think about the good times you had with them and how much they loved you and still do. I bet they're watching over you right now, in fact," Hilary said. Riley looked out her window at the sky. "You think so?"

Hilary nodded and smiled, "And if that ends up making you cry, know that they're tears of joy."

"Thanks, Hil. How could I go on without you?" Riley replied.

"You couldn't!" She joked back.

Thinking of not being with Hilary reminded Riley of boarding school and made her sad all over again.

"Hilary, I'm not coming back to Easterly this year," she told her.

"What! Why not?" Hilary retorted.

"It's complicated, but I'm going to boarding school this year and maybe for the next three years," Riley explained.

Hilary looked down at her hands in her lap and then up at Riley, "I'm going to miss you so much though!"

"I know, but you can call me there once I get my room number and visit on the Holidays and free weekends."

Hilary sighed, "Life is so unfair."

Riley grabbed her shoulders and stared into her eyes, "Hil, I'm not ever going to get a new best friend while I'm there! Don't even think that!"

"You promise?"

"Cross my heart."

The two friends embraced and chatted for a while longer until Hilary had to leave for dinner.