One: Moving To Stanford

ASHLEY

"How many boxes left, Ash?" Andrea yells from downstairs, her voice echoing in the halls.

"Two more," I yelled back, heaving as I tried to drag the enormous suitcase with me, simultaneously hoping I didn't twist my ankle and fall down the stairs. I will be trashed if that happens.

"Let me get that, kiddo," I nod gratefully at Theo, my elder brother who acts like a father, much to my dismay.

I place my hands on my waist and huff out a breath from all the stress of doing the barest minumum.

"Are you almost done? Oh, I will miss you so much, my babies." Mum says, pulling me into a hug.

I wrap my arms around her, the distinct scent of cinnamon wafting through my nostrils.

She has been baking, ßshe has been singing since morning that we needed cinnamon rolls for the trip.

"Well, you'll be with me for one more day, mum. There's not much to miss." I point out, earning a short chuckle.

"One day is not enough for me to get a fill of you, baby."

My amazing but overbearing family thought it would be an excellent idea to come with me to Stanford, where I got accepted into the prestigious Stanford University, to study computer and information sciences.

They are making it a pretty big deal since Theo studied here in Ramona, a small rural town in San Diego. I mean it is a big deal, but I've been modest about it, Andrea, not so much.

The plan was for both of us to get the scholarship with dad now retired.

Stanford University has always been my dream university, but I knew my parents didn't have the money to afford the tuition, but now, an all-paid scholarship, I would've been stupid to turn it down though I know there is no way my parents or Theo would've let me do that.

No one in my family has studied outside of the state before hence the reason for this forced family vacation.

It's like Andrea, and I did something so incredible; although her own scholarship is not fully funded, it does help a long way though.

Even my parents were born here in Ramona, and they studied here. We've heard their story about a million times though I have to admit it is kind of cute, seeing as they were high school sweethearts that made it to marriage and even had kids, and they are still growing strong that it borders on disgusting sometimes.

"Okay, let's get going." Dad claps from the top of the stairs interrupting our mother-daughter moment. She's still holding on to me, her little girl.

"Champ," Dad pats me on the back like dad's. "All set?"

I let out a breath before nodding. He clasped my hands on his making me look up into his eyes, his aging eyes that were starting to wrinkle from the sides.

"I'm so proud of you baby girl, my girls." He pecks my forehead.

"I know, dad." He has said that about a million times since we received the acceptance letter.

We hear loud footsteps before Andrea's form comes into view in her high-waisted jeans and crop top.

"Let's get going. We all don't want to be in the car with Theo driving late at night. He has terrible eyesight in case any of you have forgotten."

"Where is your brother?" He is referring to our ten-year-old brother Sam who has been pouting. This family trip doesn't sit well with him and he would much rather be on the couch with his game controls than in a car with us for hours.

"Out by the car, pleading with Theo to ask mun to let him stay behind."

"That won't happen," Mum says with finality.

"I'll take the last suitcase out. Honey, can you please switch off the electricity so the bill doesn't pile?" Mum nods, walking toward the stairs while dad disappears down the hall to get my last suitcase.

"I can't believe it's happening," Andrea says in a whisper and I nod.

It has been a dream of ours and it coming through is overwhelming.

"It is happening," I say, assuring her and myself.

"Let's go make the most of it, California; better be ready." I chuckle and shove her playfully.

"You are in California, dummy." Andrea rolls her eyes.

"No, now we're going there."

We walk out of the house we grew up in, my sister's hand in mine, going on this journey together just like we've done all our lives. This is the beginning of my happily ever after.

At first, I was not sure we'd be able to do it, but I told myself we had to try, and it seems like we're taking a big step towards everything we've ever dreamed of.

We get into the family car, Theo in the front with dad, mum, and a still pouting Sam beside her in the middle row, Andrea and me in the back seat.

Mum has her trustee bowl of cinnamon rolls which she insists we need on the trip to keep it fun.

Everyone else looks forward to that, but I'm terrified of it. Maybe I'm just not cut out for the moving out of the nest thing; Andrea seems enthralled.

Theo plays different songs that we sing along to, reminiscing the old days when we traveled during vacations to visit pop and grams in San Jose before they moved back to Ramona three years ago.

It was much better though, since I can just drop by after school and eat grams' special cupcakes, which she sent over yesterday when I went to tell them goodbye.

They wanted to come with me, but dad said it was of no use since the stress was unneeded, but she sent her love along with many kisses and hugs. I already miss our late evening visits and talks with her.

We got to Stanford a little past five in the evening and checked into our hotel, one that Theo swears is much better than the price might suggest.

Dad and mum are sharing a room; Andrea and I are in one, and Theo and Sam have a separate room though he is with us now; the latter went to bed immediately after dinner.

"We'll go to school tomorrow?" She asks, sitting on the large bed after Theo left us.

I have my room at home, but we're used to sleeping on the same bed, a much smaller bed.

"Yeah, to check out the dorms. Is it weird that mum and dad want to tag along?" Andrea feigns thinking about it before she bursts into laughter.

"Yes, it is weird. We'll look like preschoolers with our mum?" She shudders, making me laugh. "It's good that school isn't starting till a month from now."

"What?" I ask; you can hear the slight shake in my voice.

Andrea cackles; yes, my sister just cackled before getting to her feet and rushing to her suitcase. I watch her in panic, and I don't think you should blame me for it.

I know how she can get when she's excited and looks excited right now. Save me, dear lord.

What did she mean the school doesn't start till in a month? It is supposed to be Monday, and today is Friday, so, in three days, that will be Monday.

I think I'm hyperventilating.

She unzips it and looks through it before making an 'aha' sound and getting to her feet.

I follow each of her movements with scrutiny as if expecting her to throw a frog at me, and no, I am not being dramatic; she has done it before.

She drops what she is hiding in her back, and my mouth hangs open when I see the garment bag and the unmistakable shoe box––boxes, to be precise. Which I unfortunately know is for her and me.

"Drea?" I call cautiously, getting off the bed. "What is that for?" My voice is soft as if talking to someone liable to have outbursts.

"I know you would have screamed or something, so I kept it on the hush," I nod, waiting for her to finish telling me whatever crazy idea she has. "So you won't freak and tell Theo mistakenly," She made air quotes around mistakenly.

I'm not very much a liar, and Theo is the number one person who always catches on, so I find myself spurting out the truth even before he even says I'm lying.

"What do you want me to do?" I know she can hear the dread in my voice when I ask that, but since Andrea is well, Andrea, she didn't care and went on explaining her genius idea.

"And since that would explain while we're here a month early, I avoided that, and here we are." I'm looking at her like she has grown five heads, but she doesn't seem to mind if anything; she claps, hurrying my slow ass up as she calls it.

"It's almost twelve, Ash; get your butt in the game." I stare at my sister–no, my crazy sister wide-eyed.

"What do you want me to do?!" I ask, exasperated, opening my arms wide in question.

She gives me a look defining me as the bane of her existence. The look is relatively straightforward and concise.

"Get dressed!" She whisper-yells, trying to keep her voice low because this very affordable hotel probably has thin walls, and seeing the trouble and hurdles she has gone through to make us do this, she wouldn't want it to flop just when victory is almost at her grasp.

She manages to coerce me—force me if we want to use literals—into a tight red dress that barely covers my ass and heels. I'm not sure I can walk straight.

She hands me a purse and picks another one before dragging me by the arms, and I follow her to sneak out of the hotel.

"You are crazy, Drea," I tell her, but she doesn't care, busy taking selfies to save the memories of how absolutely crazy she is.

"One of us has to be fun in this family." She points her phone in my face. "Smile to memories." I frown, and she smiles widely before taking a picture.

A cab is waiting outside when we get there, and I give her a look. She shrugs and mutters she has her ways. I don't even want to ask what ‘ways’, and I get in the back seat along with her and this heavy eye makeup I can't see very much with.

"Where are we headed?" I ask with a defeated sigh.

"A club." My heart stops.