(Sara)
Sara stared at her reflection in the mirror, a small sparkle of excitement lighting her features. Tomorrow was the first day of her senior year, but that wasn't why she was excited; tomorrow also marked the first day of her freedom from Grace.
It had been exactly one week since her blow up at her mother, and aside from sitting poolside, it was too cool to swim now, she hadn't been allowed to leave the premises.
She looked down at her flat stomach wondering for the millionth time if being two days late was to be of concern. Yesterday she had almost convinced herself it was stress related, but now she wasn't so sure. She and Michael had after all had unprotected sex, and though it was only the one time, it was technically possibly that she was pregnant.
She tried to imagine telling Michael and couldn't, not when his reaction to her statement that she couldn't possibly get pregnant, had rang with so much relief.
And if she couldn't tell Michael for fear of rejection, how would she ever find the nerve to tell her mother and Aldo?
She sighed and looked to see the sparkle in her eyes diminished to be replaced by the familiar sadness that had greeted her on so many days; ever since she had left Michael in Chicago. She knew her plan of skipping classes to find a pay phone so she could call Michael would also entail a trip to the local pharmacy to buy a pregnancy test. It was better to know wasn't it? She would take the test and see that it was nothing but stress and then have one less thing to worry about.
She sighed and tossed the hair brush she had been running through her soft auburn hair aside and then stood from her vanity pushing in the chair.
She left her room and headed down the stairs a slight bounce in her step from her new resolve and confidence that life couldn't possibly deal her another blow, that of teenage pregnancy. She couldn't possibly have such bad luck could she?
She was hoping to escape the house and sit by the pool, when her mother's voice rang out from the dining room. Grace was stuffing envelopes for her latest charity function and Sara had hoped to slip passed her unnoticed, but no such luck.
"Sara, could you please be a dear and run to Aldo's office for me? I seem to have run out of envelopes. I think I left the box of supplies on the chair by his desk."
Grace's voice was syrupy sweet like she was a loving mother and not the evil step mother that called her step son trash.
Sara seethed inwardly, but turned and headed to her step father's office. It was easier to just do as she was asked and then she could disappear without an argument. She had been doing that a lot lately, just keeping quietly to herself.
She pushed open the door and entered the office, her eyes falling instantly on the good sized box occupying the chair by the desk. She sighed inwardly and headed for it, thinking she couldn't wait till she had the excuse of homework to hide behind.
She was reaching to pick up the box, but froze when her eyes fell on the documents laid out on Aldo's usually immaculate desk. Her heart pounding in her ears she let her eyes move over the letterhead, Oxford University.
When she could move again, she picked up the papers and read them quickly. Michael was enrolled to attend the fall semester. And according to the papers in front of her he was due to arrive…Yesterday?
She looked at the calendar to confirm and then her hands shaking she placed the papers back down as she had found them.
Even though she had known of the plans from the conversation she had over heard she hadn't truly believed he would do it. How could Michael do this? How could he take their parent's bribe?
She felt her heart breaking all over again at this betrayal. She let her eyes move from the tidy desk back to the box of supplies conveniently left behind. And she knew this for what it was. It was a set up. Aldo was too much like Michael to leave his desk anything but spotless.
She was positive that Grace had planted those papers for her to find. She brushed the tears from her eyes and picked up the box she knew Grace had never expected her to bring to her, and let it fly through the air sending envelopes and papers across the room.
And then she made her way blindly from the office and up to her room.
(Michael)
Michael lay back; his head on the soft pillow anything but cushioned from his thoughts of Sara.
Did she even know that he was gone? Did they tell her yet? He ached at the thought of how hurt she would be to find out that he was so far away. But of course that was the idea wasn't it? Send him as far away from her as possible?
He told himself for the millionth time it was for the best, but the thoughts left a bitter taste in his mouth. He knew that if he hadn't agreed to cease all contact she would have been sent away, God knows where. The great words of William Shakespeare rattled through his head, "Get thee to a nunnery!" He sighed at his ridiculous thoughts, but really he wouldn't put anything passed Grace at this point. He knew his step mother was bound and determined to keep them apart.
And she had been successful too. He had been on campus roughly six hours. The meet and greet behind him and a fresh stack of shiny text books on his desk, Michael was grateful to call it a day.
He shifted in the unfamiliar bed as it struggled to conform to his long frame.
True to his word Aldo had spared no expenses. Michael had a private room with an incredible view. But all of it was wasted on him. He would much rather be attending a community college spending every free minute with Sara.
He sighed again and looked at the darkening sky. What time was it in New York?
He knew Sara would be starting her senior year soon. Was it tomorrow; today? He flipped over and stared at the wall, the room growing darker to match his mood.
His thoughts then moved to the last time he had spoken to her; touched her hair. God he missed her so much! How was he going to do this?
He felt his eyes fill with tears and brushed them away, burying his head in his pillow for a cold comfort. He knew he would do it though. No matter how hard it was or how much his heart ached for her. He would do it because he loved her, and yes because he loved his family. He would do it because he just wanted to make things right again.
He closed his eyes and let his wet face press against the pillow stifling all sound as he cried for what mattered most; for what he was afraid could never be.