Meghan was halfway out of her chair. She read the letter in a low, slurred whisper to herself as her eyes grew larger than the burritos.

Her family could hear noises coming out, but couldn't understand what she was saying. Catherine sensed that something was going on and came into the dining room to investigate.

"Oh...OH!..."

"What? WHAT?!"

"I...I WON!"

Meghan was standing up now.

"Won what? The lottery?" Daphne frantically asked her.

"No! No, that's not it...I just...I can't believe this!" The excited teenager jumped up and down.

"Meghan! Tell me what you're - "

"Look!" She thrust the paper into her cousin's hands.

Daphne proceeded to scan the letter, eyes dashing back and forth, up and down.

"An...essay contest."

"Essay contest? That's my girl!" Meghan's mom rushed over to throw her arms around her daughter, beaming with pride.

"Hey, that's great!" her aunt agreed. "Whadja win?"

Daphne, who was still holding the letter, read further.

"I think she won a trip."

The two adults' voices chorused with excitement.

"A scholarship, actually."

"Oh, Meghan! I'm so proud of you! This is wonderful!" her mother cried.

"What school is it for?" her aunt inquired.

Daphne scanned further.

"It's a semester-long scholarship for someplace called...The Jasperstone Academy for Girls."

There was a pause. The adults had funny looks on their faces, having not heard of this school at all before.

"A girls' academy?" Catherine chuckled. "I don't think that's exactly Meghan's forté."

"Well, I think...I think this is some kind of foriegn exchange program. This school must be in another country."

Shock came over the parents' faces, and Meghan began to feel nervous.

"Wha...what?"

"I'm serious."

Meghan stared at the wall.

"Well, that's shot." Catherine stammered, overwhelmed. "We can't afford-"

"Everything is paid for." Daphne interrupted.

The semi-proud, semi-flabbergasted woman stared blankly. Daphne went on.

"Airfare is paid for. Housing is paid for. And...a bunch of other stuff...is paid for."

"I don't buy it."

"It's true, Aunt Catherine-"

"WAIT a minute."

Libby, who had been silent for a time, spoke up.

"Supposing this award actually is legitimate, where exactly will Meghan be staying? Who will support her? Buy her food and necessities?"

"Says here she would be staying with a host family in the city in which the school is located. For a gimmic, it sure gives a lot of information."

"Mmm-hmm. And what city is this?"

Apparently, the letter hadn't mentioned that yet. Daphne's eyes moved downwards, then back and forth. Then her eyes came to a halt; the answer had been obtained. She paused for a moment, staring at the print. Then she spoke.

"This school is in London."

Meghan sat on her bed, hugging her knees and staring straight ahead. Her cousin sat on the ground by their bedroom door, head back against the wall.

"Have they stopped shouting yet?" she asked Daphne.

"Yeah...they're still talking though."

Meghan looked straight again. "Whatever. They're never gonna consent to this one."

The girl on the floor looked up. "Don't be so sure."

Meghan looked at her strangely.

"What do you mean?"

Daphne half-smiled.

"Well, I can't understand them now." she said. "But when they were shouting, I caught a few things. And for the record, I think my mom was actually standing up for you."

Meghan raised her eyebrows.

"Your mom? And my mom's the one who's against it?"

"Sounds like."

Meghan plopped on her back, just barely missing her pillow.

"Wow. I would think it would be the other way around. No, wait - more like them both being against it and arguing about what an idiot I am for even signing up for that contest."

"Nah. Don't worry, it wasn't that bad."

"I'll try to take your word for it."

There was silence.

"Well, I think it's cool. That you won, I mean."

"Thanks."

"Anytime."

Meghan grabbed her cold burrito, which had been sitting on a plate next to her on her bed. She took a huge bite.

"I really hope Aunt Cathy lets you go. I mean, it's kinda the chance of a lifetime."

"Yeah, I know."

Meghan took another bite.

"Hey, can I have a piece of that burrito?"

"You just had one."

"Well, I want more."

Meghan examined her food.

"Alright. You know what - just take the rest of it. I'm not really that hungry anymore."

It had been three hours since I opened that letter. Amazingly, it really wasn't a gimmic - the adults had examined it themselves, thoroughly. I was incredibly shocked and happy that I had won, but also depressed about the fact that it probably didn't make any difference.

I was laying there, gazing into space, when there was suddenly a knock on the door. Daphne was so startled that she almost choked on a piece of tortilla.

"Can we come in?" It was my aunt's voice. Daphne answered between coughs, and the door opened.

"Meghan, your mother and I have reached our decision."

I sat up a bit, leaning on my elbows, and saw my mom standing in the doorway. I gave them my attention, though I was pretty sure I knew what was coming. Aunt Libby sat on Daphne's bed.

"We've been talking - I'm sure you probably heard." she said, eyeing Daphne.

"What?" my cousin protested, mouth full of burrito.

My aunt paused.

"Anyway," she said, turning back to me, "we think we've made our choice."

I looked on with silence. They had taken only three hours - a little less, actually - to make a huge decision like this. Not a good sign.

"We've decided...we're going to let you go."

That practically knocked me off the bed.

"Really? Are - are you serious?!"

"OK, calm down - yes, I'm serious."

I was sitting straight up now, boiling over with excitement. I looked back and forth to my mom and aunt, gratefulness about to pour out of my mouth like a waterfall.

"OH...THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK-"

The lone blonde in the room held up her hand, closing her eyes and pursing her lips. I stopped.

"Now, hold on, Meghan. This isn't an easy decision for us. We were both initially against it."

I breifly glanced at Daphne, and shot her a "what did I tell you" kind of look. She gave me one of her goofy grins.

"We were very skeptical about it. We weren't sure you could handle something like that - being alone, for a long period of time, in a foriegn country. But...I started to see some good in it. I reasoned that it would be a good experience for you. Also, being seventeen, you're old enough to be able to start doing a lot more things on your own. And it's a developed country, it isn't North Korea - you'd be reasonably safe there."

And this is why you are my favorite aunt - well, you're the only one I have, but still my favorite. I thought.

"And after a while, your mother agreed. But this is still very hard for her."

I looked at Mom. She was leaning in the doorway, arms crossed, head bent. Her face was solemn. I hadn't seen her look like anything close to this since...

"So I need you to promise something." my aunt said. "Promise us you'll be responsible, in everything you do."

I looked her straight in the eyes.

"I promise, Aunt Libby."

She smiled one of her warm, comforting, radiant smiles.

"I believe you." she said, placing her hand on mine. "We trust you, Meghan, we always have."

You can trust me. I thought. And it was true.

Well, that's it for now. Hope it was good! Please, please review if you like it! Or even if you don't like it! I need some input here!

I'm already on the sixth chapter so far, but please tell me what you'd like to see happen!

-rf-