Chapter 2-

"No, absolutely not," my mom said shaking her head. "You are sixteen years old, Sam. Why in this world would you think I would send you to some boarding school that is probably training killers and gang members? I mean, what kind of school specializes in fighting. What the heavens name is that all about?"

"Mom, it's a school that specializes in physical fitness. I would be specializing in martial arts and kickboxing. You told me you wanted me to lose weight so I could be healthy. This is my opportunity to get healthy while getting a great education. I could be happy mom."She looked at me for a moment lost in thought.

I know she was trying to protect me from all the evils of the world. My mom and dad had me later in life. They were in their mid 50s now and I was there only child, so it was kind of a given that they would be over protective. I continued to stare into my mom's deep brown eyes. Her short curly hair was all a mess from being so worked up and I couldn't help but think that she was really pretty. She was shorter than me, around 5'2 and a little on the heavy side herself. I think that's why she wanted me to lose the weight now. She says it gets harder when you're old.

I then looked over at my dad with pleading eyes. He smiled at me with his knowing smile. I knew that he would get mom to let me go one way or another. He knew it was such a good opportunity for me. He was tall and slender with grey eyes and salt and pepper hair. He had a mustache that he like to call his magnum PI stache. I laugh every time he calls it that. He was such a simple man who really loved my mom and I. He worked hard at the bank so that mom could stay home to take care of me. I love them both so much.

I had actually forgotten that Stan was still there when he spoke. "Mrs. Martin, I understand that this is a huge decision that needs to be made, but let me assure you, St. Vladimir's doesn't put out killers and gangsters. In fact we send 98% of our students to colleges and many of them Ivy League. Our graduation rate is 99%. As for the fighting, she would be taking, track, weight training, kick boxing, and martial arts, along with her other studies. They do block days so she would have track and kick boxing along with English, math and history one day. The next day she would have weight training, martial arts, science, a foreign language and study hall. We have around the clock supervision and we will also provide here with a cell phone and room phone, internet and anything else that you would like us to provide for her."

My mom looked defeated. She knew it was an offer that she just couldn't say no to. My dad who was on my side from the beginning took her hand and nodded. "When does she start?" he asked.

"Next week," Stan said.

"So soon?" my mom said fighting back the tears.

"Yes, unfortunately Sam wasn't even on my list to see. I was convinced by Tasha that I needed to come out and see her. She is a special young lady that has a bright future ahead of her. She will do amazing things in life and I know that St. Vladimir's is the right school for her." Stan smiled at my parents and handed them the papers for my enrollment.

My mom started crying as she signed me over to the academy, where I would spend the next two years of my life training and studying. I couldn't be happier, but I felt bad leaving my parents behind. I was their only child and I knew this would kill them.

Over the next several days my mom barely let me out of her sight. She took me shopping and got me a bunch of new work out cloths and shoes and bedding and everything that went with going away to school. I felt like I was leaving for college. The school paid for all of my things to be shipped so all I had to do what get onto a plane when the time came. My dad was kind of quiet through it all. I knew he was wondering if this was the right thing, but my happiness always came first so he didn't say anything. He just went along with everything that we did. I had never been so spoiled in my entire life. I was going to miss them so much, but I can't deny that I was more excited than anything. I was looking forward to this.

Our flight was scheduled to leave at 6 pm. My mom kept hugging me and crying that her baby was leaving her alone and she just didn't know what she was going to do. "Jeeze mom, thanks for the guilt trip," I thought. I was totally stoked that I was flying on a private jet. I mean come on how cool is that. This school must be loaded to have its own jet and air field.

My mom and dad got into the car that came to take us to the airport. I was quite surprised for it to be a limo. Holy crap, are you kidding me? I am so going to be living it up for the next two years. This is going to be awesome. "Wow, this is like royal treatment," my mom said smiling. Even the neighbors were all out looking and trying to figure out what was going on. I am sure my mom would be happy to fill them in tomorrow, but right now I was her main focus. She wouldn't be seeing me for four months. That's just crazy, I thought. I had never spent more than a night away from them and here I was loading up my suitcase and backpack into the back of a limo getting ready to leave them for the first time in my life. Wow, I felt awesome.

When the limo arrived at the airport the driver out and opened the door for us. "Mr. and Mrs. Martin, I will wait here for you. Please take your time, there is no need to rush," he said with a smile. Since I was a minor mom and dad were actually allowed to go past security with me. I didn't have to check anything since it was a private jet so I had all my things with me and it went pretty quickly. We waited in the terminal for the plane to be ready. It was a sad silence that filled the air and I could tell my mom and dad was really trying to hide how sad they truly were to let me go.

"Mom, dad," I said. They both looked over at me with tears in their eyes. "I love you guys so much and I can't thank you enough for letting me go. I know how hard this must be for you and I want you to know that I am really going to miss you, more than you probably think I will." Tears started to form in my eyes. Mom rushed over and crushed me in a huge bear hug.

"You can come home whenever you want. Do you understand? If you hate it just tell us and we will come get you. And you have to come home whenever you can and call me every day to tell me how things are going. Sam, I am so proud of you. You are such a beautiful girl and so strong. Just promise me you won't do anything stupid."

"I promise. And daddy, I promise that I will not date until I am married with kids. I can't promise I won't look, because let's face it I am only human and I'm sure at a school like this, there are going to be some yummy looking boys." My dad's eyes went wide and he grabbed my suitcase heading back to the limo. "Nope, you are not going to any school that has 'yummy' boys. We are going home right now." I laughed.

"Daddy, I was kidding." I grabbed my suitcase back from him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. It was then that I noticed Stan coming towards us "It's time," he said. My mom and dad gave me a tearful hug and kissed my head. I wanted to look tough in front of Stan so I help back my tears until a later time when I was alone. With a final wave, I was off to start my new life at St. Vladimir's academy.