The next day, I woke up and found myself locked on my parents' arms. They are both still sleeping and I don't want to ruin their sleep. They look so peaceful. Carefully, I wriggled myself loose from their arms. I tiptoed towards the door and carefully opened it without making a single noise. As soon as I am out, I stretched my arms up in the air for awhile and yawned. Thankfully, I had the best sleep ever. I felt so relieved last night that I couldn't even remember why I was in my parents' room. Anyways, it's a sunny morning and the official start of my vacation. At last, I wake up not because of class! I went to the bathroom in my room to wash my face and then changed into a pair of blue shorts, a white tank top underneath a red checkered polo, and a pair of brown boots. I went back to my room and noticed that something is on the floor, gleaming under the rays of the sun. I moved closer and took it.

It's a big white feather-I think it's as big as an ostrich's. I opened my window and looked outside. All I could see is the desert and the road with one or two cars passing by-nothing else. I looked at the feather I'm holding again. Strange, a vulture's feather isn't pure white and it isn't as big as this, right? And how did it get inside my room when the window was closed? I placed the mysterious white feather inside my desk's drawer and left to go down. I headed towards the dining area and no one is there. But the table already has boxes of cereal ready. Hmm, maybe I am the only one excited to wake up.

Cling.

Or maybe not.

I walked out of the house and Ahh! I moved back to the porch because the heat of the sun is burning me! I shaded my eyes with my arm as I run over to our diner. The little bell on top of the door chimed when I pushed it. Coming out of the kitchen was my grandfather. He grinned at me as he turned on the ceiling fans and lights.

"Wow, are you always up this early?" grandpa asked as he headed for the tables.

I smiled and helped out grandpa turn over the wooden chairs on top of the tables.

"Not really, but I am just so excited to do so much stuff today" I shared and tied my hair up in a ponytail with a few strands falling along with my bangs. "How about you?"

"I'm always up early. I'm the one who manages things around here"

"Do you get a lot of customers every day?"

"Yep, peppercorn. People are always on the road to go somewhere and it's a good thing you're here to help your old grandpa"

Peppercorn, I really have no idea how that became my pet name. Or is it because I just love his peppercorn sauce steak? Tsk, that's so weird.

Cling.

And grandpa is right, customers are already flowing in. Two families came in, all talking at the same time as they find a place to sit. Both families are big, having three to five kids. My guess is that they're going to California since most of the little kids are wearing shirts with Mickey Mouse prints on it. I took a small notepad from the counter and headed towards the two families with a big smile. I wish I still have my waitress skills.

"Good morning, what would be your orders?" I asked.

"I want burgers and fries!"

"I want an Oreo shake"

"I want spaghetti!"

"No, I want pasghetti!"

All the kids started talking at the same time and I can see the parents are getting pretty annoyed. The guy made the kids shut up and massaged his temple.

"Four pepper steaks, eight burgers, fries, and spaghetti, and one Oreo shake" he said.

I walked towards grandpa and handed him the order. As soon as he read it, his eyes nearly popped out in shock. He drew a deep breath and puts on his apron.

"Quick, go back to the house and wake up Percy and James. This is a lot of work" he said and starts cooking the steaks first.

I quickly ran out of the diner towards the house. Percy just passed by me and he's already on his way to help out grandpa. All I have to do is get James. When I went inside the house, mom and dad are already awake and is getting breakfast ready.

"Hey mom, dad. Good morning!" I said and ran upstairs.

"Aren't you going to eat?" mom asked and peeked from the dining area.

"Maybe later" I shouted from the second floor.

Okay, where is James' room again? I opened the door near the stairs and it wasn't his room. Maybe it's the room at the end. I opened it and hit the jackpot. James is lying on his stomach, shirtless, and still snoring. Ugh, now I know why grandpa likes to call him a jackass.

I walked towards him and tried pulling him out of the bed, but he wouldn't budge.

"Come on James, get up!" I said.

But he just pushed my hand away and moaned.

"Hey! Grandpa needs your help at the diner!" I shouted again.

"Go away" he mumbled.

Grr, what a lazy jackass! Well, he leaves me no choice. I jumped on his back and pinched him hard on the rib that made him scream and curse out loud. He got up from bed and I slid down on one corner. He looks really furious.

"What the hell, abs!" he shouted and looked at his sore red rib.

I slapped his head slightly and pulled him towards the door, "That's what you get when you won't listen to me"

We went downstairs and James made a quick trip to the dining area to get a piece of bread with strawberry jam. Mom even offered him a glass of orange juice which he quickly took. I rolled my eyes and dragged him out of the room.

"Come on!" I said.

"See you later Aunt Becca, Uncle Michael" James said.

Then we're out of the house and walked under the blazing sun and I took the opportunity to ask James something concerning my discovery.

"Hey James, were you in my room last night?" I asked, my hands turned into shades for my dazzled eyes.

James is still munching while he puts on a clean white shirt he's carrying, "Not really, why?"

"Well, I found a white feather in my room"

"A feather?"

"Yeah, and I big one too. But, my window was closed so I have no idea where it came from"

"Well, the wind was pretty strong last night. So, your window must've opened and some bird's feather might've flew in"

"Hmm, I guess so"

But a feather that big? What kind of bird lives in the desert with such big feathers? Obviously, it's not a peacock.

We arrived at the diner and James and I were nearly knocked down when the kids started to run around the place. James went behind the counter to start helping out grandpa and Percy while I take the ready orders to the customers. While I'm busy serving the customers, the bell chimed in again, which meant customers.

"Good morning! I'll be with you in a minute" I said as I carefully put down the sizzling steak on the table. "Enjoy your meal"

Then I walked towards the table near the window with a big smile and my notepad on my hand.

"Good morning, welcome to-" Wait a sec, Caleb?

The blue eyed guy sitting on the table wearing a white shirt and blue jeans is Caleb Sanders from the Academy.

"Caleb?" I asked.

He smiled at me, "Hey, Abigail"

And he isn't alone. Beside him is a black guy at around his age also. He's got black curly hair and beautiful brown eyes wearing a navy green shirt, brown cardigans, and sneakers. He actually reminds me of Chris Brown for some reason. I sneered at Caleb for a second.

"How did you get out of the Academy?" I asked, rather than taking their orders.

Caleb placed his hands over the table and smiled again, "I escaped"

I made a face for his sarcasm, "Haha, that is just so hilarious"

He chuckled, "They gave me permission to leave and have a vacation"

"What? That's impossible, they never-"

Caleb quickly shows me a piece of paper with the Academy's seal. It's true, it's a letter granting a leave for vacation. It also has the sisters' signature. Grr, this is so unfair! Why is it when I asked for a leave they never allowed me? Hmm, I think those sisters just fancy him or something. I gave the paper back to Caleb and took out my pen.

"Well, what would you like to eat?" I muttered.

"What would you like, Sam?" Caleb asked his companion.

The Sam guy shrugged his shoulders, "The usual, I guess. Mixed vegetables and bread"

"Two mixed vegetables and bread" he said.

I looked at him confused, "Seriously, you'd like to eat that crap when we're serving a variety of food?"

"We're vegetarians"

"Right, just wait for like twenty minutes"

As I'm about to leave them, Caleb grabbed my hand in a gentle manner. I looked at him and he showed me the "Lodging place available" sign he's holding.

"May I also talk to the owner?" he asked.

"Uh, sure"

I kneeled on top of the stool and watched my grandpa cook, "Two mixed vegetables and bread"

"Coming right up" grandpa said.

"And they want to talk to you about the lodging place" I said, annoyed.

Grandpa looked at me then to Percy and James, surprised. He takes off his apron and gives his spatula to James. I watched him approach Caleb and his friend and starts discussing about prices, I guess.

"For the first time, someone has finally wanted to occupy the rooms" Percy said.

"First time? But I thought you've made the vacant rooms available for almost six months?"

James stirs the vegetables in the pan and nodded, "Yep. No one really wanted to stay in the middle of nowhere without any police or whatever around"

All of a sudden, grandpa appears beside me with a huge grin. I guess they've talked it out nicely.

"Well, we've got our first two lodgers. And I want you to assist them at the third floor of the house after they're done eating" he said, pointing at me.

"Me? But why?"

"Yeah, according to that Caleb guy he's a friend of yours"

I smirked, "Yeah right"