I throw a pillow across the room hitting my door to the outside. How, how could he do this? Then I hear a knock at the door.



“Go away!” I scream. Tears make my face hot with anger. I am not in the mood to talk to anyone right now. I’m still trying to cope with the idea of Ronnie and me leaving. The knock comes again. This time with a name. “Kimberley open up, it’s Jason.”



I hesitate for moment before wiping away some tears and walking to the door. I look through my peek hole in the door and see Jason standing there his hands in his pockets and head down. When I open he looks at me. We stand for a second before he hugs me. I don’t wait to hug him back. He rubs my back soothingly and I don’t try to hold my tears back from him.



After we soon let go he walks in and shuts the door. “Are you okay?” I don’t answer to the question he already knows the answer to. Instead I walk over to my couch and sit down. He doesn’t need an invitation to sit with me, he just knows.



“Why, why is he sending us away?” I ask Jason.



Jason looks straight and sighs. “He thinks you need more training-”



“More, training? How much more can he give me?” I hiss in anger. “Ugh, just when I thought we were actually making up about the whole detention thing, he makes me even more pissed.”



“Look I know you’re angry and scared-”



“Scared!? You think I’m scared? I’m not scared!” I say sternly.



“Kim, I thought you knew me better than this. You know you can’t hide anything from me.” He’s right, I can’t. He can pretty much read me like a book. We have grown that close. Blake is getting better at it and so am I with him.



I tilt my head away and start to sob again. “I’m not scared,” I mumble whipping my eyes, “I’m terrified.”



“I know. But why? You’re only moving across the street.”



“I’m scared because things will be very different. I won’t see you guys at night, I won’t be training with other apprentices and their mentors. It will just be that man, Ronnie and I. Won’t that be awkward?”



“Um . . .” I can tell he’s at a loss for words.



“Think of it as you and Blake, Jason. Just you and some other guy. Wouldn’t that be weird?”



“Well, not unless I get to know him.” He looks at me like I’m supposed to give him an answer, but what should I say. Luckily I don’t have to, because he keeps talking. “I mean, weren’t you afraid of Logan the first time you heard you were going to train with him?”



No, because he saved my life and he was pretty much the only person I could trust at the time. “Yeah,” I lie.



“And, you learned to trust him, you let him train you and look where you are now.”



“Yah, but that’s with Logan. This guy is . . . old.” I comment. “Even if I learn to trust him, and he does become like a father to me, it will never be the same.”



“No it won’t.” He agrees. I look at him. Wasn’t this the part where he should try to tell me otherwise?



“It might be even better. You’ll never know unless you try.” He gets up and walks towards the door. “Oh, and you leave tomorrow.”



He is right to say that, quickly, and shut the door. Because I would have gone over there and freaked out all over again. I do though. I throw another anxiety attack. Screaming, throwing things, swearing and sobbing. Then I crash on my bed and fall asleep.











The next day is finally Friday. After school I serve my detention then Jason drives me home. We don’t really talk like we usually do. I’m almost too nervous to say anything. My body shakes while we drive home. I can’t control it. Everything seems so unreal. I keep forgetting I’m leaving the Lodge. Logan said the maids will have all our stuff packed up when we get home. He said we would be leaving at five thirty. That doesn’t give me much time to say my goodbyes.



Once I get up to my room I see Marta, the maid, packing up the last of my things. She made sure to fold them carefully then stuff them into the bag. I remember when we went to the house the first time. I came home with three bags. Now I have six. It proves that this is my true home. I just don’t want to think of leaving.



I let Marta walk by me, taking my bag of clothes with her. I don’t make eye contact. I keep my head down trying to fight the tears that start to pour down my eyes. I walk over to my dresser and look in the mirror. My face is already becoming tomato red and my eyes are getting puffy. I don’t hold the tears back any more and they start to flow.



The eagle necklace hangs out of my shirt dangling from my neck. I take the charm in one hand and run my fingers over the detailed work. I always wondered how long it would have been to make this tiny thing. Probably no time at all because of the fancy new factories now.



I let the charm drop. Then roll up my left sleeve. I blink at the letters. R O. Revenge, Outcast. I’ve taken care of Ronnie. She’s with me, safe, but Revenge. The word tingles my spine. My face turns hot with anger and I slam m fist on the hard-wood dresser. “I will find you, dad, and I will kill you.” I whisper silently to myself. More tears make their way out of my eyes, but it’s not because of sadness. It’s because of anger. I will find him.



Suddenly the door opens and Logan steps in. His face shows no signs of sadness. He almost looks happy or excited. I knew he didn’t want me. I’ve become such a pain to deal with I don’t if I would want me.



“Ready to get going?” He says, gesturing his thumb in a swinging motion out the door. I lick my lips and look around the room. It looks bare. Very bare. I will miss this place as much as I realized I would. But I nod, not wanting to start another conflict between Logan and me. I walk past him out the door. When he shuts it a sick feeling goes through me. Will I ever see that room again?



Logan opens Ronnie’s door and asks her are you ready. Of course she’s not. When she comes out with a bag swung around her shoulder her face is red and she wipes away some tears from her eyes. I feel my own face. Surprisingly, it has cooled down. My emotion has steadied a bit and the tears aren’t coming anymore. I take a deep breath as we follow Logan to the elevator.



He pushes the button and the doors slide open. I look down the hallway before going into the elevator. I sigh as the elevator shoots us down to the main floor. I grin a little remembering when my stomach used to go lopsided because of the speed. Now I barley feel anything.



When the doors open again we let Logan out first and follow him to the outside doors. Jason, Saige, Blake, Ivan, and Carson were there as well. Blake has his arms crossed not looking at us but instead looking straight ahead across the street and on top of the hill almost hidden in the forest. Our new home. I know he wants to be the tough cousin and show no emotion but I’m beginning to read his emotions, he’s sad we’re leaving. I can’t agree more. Part of me wants to forget this whole thing and run straight back up in my room, lock the door, and stay there till Logan has given up on sending us away. But no, I’ve been trained face challenges, not run away from them. I take a deep breath and let it out. Take risks, I think to myself.



“Well,” Jason come up to me clapping his hands together. “I guess this is it.” My throat becomes clogged. I blink a few times to stop the tears from coming out but a few make their ways to my eyes.



Jason hugs me before his tears form. I squeeze him tight. My cousin, the one who protected me, who I protected, is the one I’m leaving. He lets go of me and I see him wipe away some tears from his eyes. I grin walking past him towards Blake who is still not looking at me. Ronnie is saying her goodbyes to Ivan and Saige.



“Blake,” I start. He turns his head towards me and I see his face red emotion.



“This isn’t goodbye,” he states, “You’re coming back, I know it.” His voice is crackly because of the sweat in his eyes.



“I know, but could you at least give me a hug just in case I don’t?” He chuckles at that then outstretches his arms for me to come in. I wrap my hands around him squeezing him tight before I let go. We grin at each other before I walk over to Ivan and Saige. They are almost as tall as me. Where the time went I’ll never know.



I put an arm around both of them and stare at the hill. “You better not take my bedroom.” I say jokingly. They laugh only a little before I hug them each goodbye. When I pull away tears were starting to run in all of our eyes. I smile then walk over to Carson.



“No need to say goodbye to me honey.” She says putting up her hands. “I know you’re not leaving, in fact why is everyone crying.” She crosses her arms and looks around at all of us. “They’re only moving up the hill.”



“Because it won’t be the same.” Ronnie says.



“Oh, you’ll see each other after school and in school. It’s not like you’re moving away forever.”



It sure does feel that way though. I think to myself. Carson does hug me but it’s not emotional. I let go of her and see Ronnie and Logan both waiting for me next to the car. I sigh and walk over to them. Ronnie gets into the car first then I slide in next. Logan shuts the door and walks around to the driver’s side and gets in.



While he starts the car I roll down my window waving by to my family. Then we take off across the street and up the hill to our new home.