Note: I do not own 'The Covenant' but do own my character. If wondering, it's pronounced the word 'are' with an 'n' on the end of it. I do take liberties throughout the story. Enjoy!

This time it had only taken a couple of months to get kicked out. I didn't want to be there, like the rest of them but my parents insisted. What did they know? They spend the whole year traveling for my father's job. While they do go home to London for a month, their flat is only a one bedroom with no place for me to stay so I never go there. When I do get time off school, I go traveling myself. I might see them for a total of a week or maybe 12 days out of the year.

Since this was my 9th school in 7 years, my parents are finally fed up. Most of the other private schools in Europe wouldn't take me so they had to ship me back to the States. We had lived there until I was 10 when my father got transferred to the London office. The only family we have is my mother's sister and her son. They graciously accepted to take me in. Once Winter Break is over, I'll be able to move into the dorms and out from under the watchful eyes of my aunt.

"Miss, we're here," the taxi driver said.

I looked out at the manor and how it twinkled under the falling snow. I was definitely going to need warmer winter clothes. I don't remember a winter being this cold in Ipswich.

The taxi pulled up to the front door. I got out of the backseat and smoothed out my skirt. The large door opened and there stood my aunt with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. I hadn't seen her since my uncle's funeral a few years ago. She looked relatively the same but with some new worry lines around her eyes.

"My dear, come in from this weather. The driver will bring your bags."

"There's only three so I can help."

I grabbed my carry-on and one of the suitcases. Being at a private school for 7 years, I didn't have much personal stuff (clothes took up 2 suitcases with books and photos taking up the other one). I had to leave behind all of my electric things because the plugs were European. At least, I was able to keep my laptop since I had it custom built. I'd just need a new power cord adaptor.

The drive told me the charge and I paid him. He put my suitcases inside the foyer before leaving. When I was in, my aunt closed the door and embraced me.

"Aren, it's been too long."

"Yeah, not since…" I stopped, not finishing the sentence.

"Come in. I have a fire going and we can catch up."

I took off my coat and followed her into the other room. In the giant room, it seemed that the area used the most was that around one chair in front of the fire. There was an ashtray and an old picture of my uncle on the table beside it. I pulled a chair closer and sat down.

"So, where's Caleb?"

"Out with the boys. You weren't scheduled to come until tomorrow so I was surprised to receive the phone call from you this morning."

"I'm sorry but there was no point in waiting around in London. Mom and Dad left the day after Christmas for their trip so it was just me anyways."

Aunt Evelyn and I talked for an hour catching up. Mom hadn't told her the whole truth of why I was kicked out of this last school.

"I was caught by the headmistress in her office with her son, who's 10 years older than me. It was in the middle of a dance with the boys' school, where he's a teacher. We didn't think she'd be using the office so we used it to entertain ourselves. Afterward, she had the desk burned because she got sick every time she looked at it."

"My dear…"

"Don't start on the motherly lecture. I didn't get it from Mom so I don't expect it from you. Do you want to know what my parents did when they heard? Dad shook his head and Mom just shrugged her shoulders, muttering 'Girls will be girls.' Sometimes, I wonder why she had me."

"Because she was jealous. I had just found out that I was pregnant and she was always trying to out due me so a couple months later, she announced she was pregnant. During those nine months, she acted very thrilled to be having you but then you came and the world came crashing down around her. That's why you were mainly raised by nannies."

Now I knew the truth. I was an impulse thing. Monkey see, monkey do.

"It's getting late for me. I'm going to head up to bed. They're probably at Nicky's. There are keys on a hook inside the garage door. Take one of the cars. Go back onto the road and head into town. Turn left at the third set of lights. You'll see it half way down the block."

"Thanks."

She kissed my cheek and headed upstairs.

"I almost forgot. My room is the first door on the right coming up the stairs. Caleb's is at the end of the hall on the left. Pick anyone of the other rooms. Each has a bathroom in suite. Good night."

"'Night."

I carried my suitcases upstairs and grabbed the last one on the right, across from Caleb's. It was decorated in greens and beige, too adult-ish for my tastes.

"Good thing I'm moving into the dorms soon."

I looked at myself in the mirror and decided to head to this Nicky's. It didn't sound too dressy so I left on my jean skirt and the mint green loose, off the shoulder sweater that I wore on the plane. I washed my face and applied the little makeup that I wear. I swept up my long red hair into a messy bun and secured it with a pen. It's just one of the things that you learn to do when bored out of your mind in class.

I found the garage and saw that there was a Benz and an older Jeep Cherokee. I didn't feel right taking Aunt Evelyn's Benz so I took the Cherokee. I followed the directions Aunt Evelyn gave me and found the bar. There was a spot next to a black Hummer. It was weird to see all these large cars and SUVs because in Europe, space is limited so it's mainly small compact cars that are driven.

The snow wasn't coming down as hard as before. I nearly slipped on the stairs going in but was caught by a guy coming up behind me.

"You OK?"

"Yeah, thanks," I said, as I turned.

His blond hair caught the light and his eyes just shined. He gave me a smile and looked as if he was checking me out.