FRIENDSHIP

Chapter 2: Eina

I was back at home now, and I was practicing how to tell my dad. I didn't have a mom so I thought it might be easier, because I only needed to persuade one parent. Except, he was very overprotective over me. It was only until grade 7 when my father finally let me go home from school by myself.

I had written a few mini scripts:

"Dad, I want to tell you something... I want to leave Callkva for a few months... or longer... please, Dad, please let me go!"

"HEY! DAD! POP! POPSTER! YA KNOW, I'M LEAVIN' CALLKVA, FOR LIKE, FOREVER, SO BYE! C YA!"

Just say nothing and leave

I felt like number one was calm, number two made it easy to leave, but was a little too rude, and number three was too heart-breaking for Dad, and also confusing. He might think someone had kidnapped me, or that I had died. But number two was too drastic... actually, so was number three. But what if he reported me missing? And the police found me? In a war, no less. And if they didn't find me, they'd report me dead and Dad would be so, so sad.

I was getting more and more nervous as each second ticked by and my pulse pounded against my temples and boomed in my ears.

I freaked out when Dad opened the door in my room. "What are you doing, Eina?"

I closed my diary with a slap and nervously replied, "Noth... nothing...!"

He looked concerned.

"Really," I assured him.

"Alright..." Dad said. "I came to tell you that dinner is ready."

I nodded. "I'll be ready soon. Just give me a moment."

As he turned around and left, I traced my thumb along the rim of my diary, sighing. I knew I needed to help my friends, but how would I leave without breaking Dad's heart?

***

"Um, so, Dad," I said during dinner hesitantly, "I have something to tell you." I put down my fork.

"Mmhm." He focused on the chicken, poking the fork in its tender meat. "Your grades at school?"

"N-no. Something much more important." I was already starting to wimp out already. But what I needed to say had to be said, so I cleared my throat and said, "I have to leave Callkva for a few weeks... Can I have your permission?"

Dad shot up from his chair. "Leaving? What for?"

"To help my friends in a war." My voice came out barely a whisper as I fiddled with the peas on my plate, but he caught it clearly.

"WHAT?! A WAR?! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW DANGEROUS THAT IS, EINA ALEKSANDRA HUGWELL?!" He shouted so loud that the windows rattled.

"Dad, I--" I started.

"Tell me everything first. Where are you going?"

"Fayan."

"FAYAN?! THAT'S RIDICULOUS! IT'S A THOUSAND AND TWO HUNDRED KILOMETRES FROM HERE!"

"I-I know."

"AND WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO BE IN A WAR?!" He yelled at the top of his lungs.

"Because I promised Nexi I would go with her."

"You mean Inexa?" Dad asked. "WAIT! SHE WANTS YOU TO GO TO WAR?"

"Well," I said. "She didn't have a choice either... Her father's a soldier, and she's going with him.

And it was my choice to go with her. Ibe's going too. Probably."

"Even Isa-Belle? What is going on?!"

"Um, well, I told you that..."

"So now you're asking for my permission to go to a war."

"Yes," I confirmed quietly.

Dad gave me a long look from over the table, his blue eyes penetrating. "Eina, tell me, why would I let you leave to a battlefield where the chances of you dying are nine out of ten? Do you remember our dark story with your mother and Eula?"

"Don't you dare compare this with my dead mother and sister!" was what I almost said out loud.

I stammered. "I don't know, but, Dad, please let me go. I don't want to spend the next few months worrying for my friends and wondering if they're dead or alive..."

"Then what about me?! I'll worry for you!"

I bit my lip. "I know, but... you're safe here. I'll try to write every week..."

He ran a hand through his dark hair. "Do you really want to go that much?"
"I'm sorry, Dad... but... yes."
"Fine, Eina." He tapped his fingers lightly against the table. "You can go."
"W-what?"

He stopped tapping his fingers.

"You have my permission.