“I still don’t understand why I have to go.” I stood in the doorway to my room, watching my father pack away all my belongings into boxes and suitcases.

“I’m sending you to a very prestigious school; the son of an old friend goes there and from what he says he likes it a lot. I’m being sent to another country for a few years to work in a lab, I can’t take you with me this time.” He said as he closed up another box and taped it up.

“I understand that, but why can’t I stay here on my own?” I looked around my room, it used to be full of books, photos and clothing; now my bed sat naked alone in the room surrounded by boxes.

“If I was going away for a few months I would have no problem with that, but I’m going away for a few years, you’re only sixteen years old. I can’t let you stay home alone for a few years honey.” I dropped down on my bed and looked at my hands. I’ve never been away from my home before, we move around so much my father thought it would be easier just to homeschool me. Now he wants me to go to a school in a different state, with people I’ve never met before, while he goes off to a different country for work. He walked over to me and put and hand on my shoulder. I looked up at him, he’s a tall man with a full head of dark brown hair and light blue eyes. For a fifty year old single dad, he looked young for his age. “Belle, honey this will be good for you; you’ll make friends and have a normal teenage life.”

“I like my life the way it is.”