Caught in between

3•

Ariel choked on her food as their father made the announcement, she was as shocked to the bone and so was Debby, they both looked at each other's face in surprise and couldn't figure out what was happening, she looked at her father who kept eating and her mother seemed calm and wasn't bothered by the news, she deduced that she had know about it beforehand.

"I've gotten a transfer from my place of work and we all will be moving." Daniel said again, to clarify his words and their doubts.

Ariel dropped the cutlery she was using, she thought she was hearing things at first but her father had just confirmed it, she smiled confusedly to herself and didn't know what to say next or do, Debby was also shocked by this revelation but she took it in quite well and didn't say a word.

"Congratulations on your transfer Dad." Debby said briefly.

"Thanks." Daniel said with a smile.

"When are we moving?" Ariel suddenly asked.

"By the end of the month." Daniel replied.

"Wait, is it just you and Mom or?"

"Didn't you hear me the first time Ariel? I said we all are moving."

Ariel smiled bitterly, it was obvious her parents weren't thinking of her, how can they just decide they were moving all of a sudden, it was too good to be true.

"Dad, is this some kind of joke or something? For real?" Ariel asked.

"Yes darling, you're not dreaming, it's real." Daniel said.

Ariel fell silent and everyone except kept eating.

"Dad, congratulations on your transfer." Ariel said flatly.

"Thank you." Daniel replied.

"Dad, if we're moving by the end of the month, what them will happen to me? What about me?" Ariel asked.

"What about you?" Daniel asked as he chewed his food loudly.

"What about me?" Ariel asked.

Ariel scoffed, she wasn't surprised, her father was a workaholic who barely had time for himself not to mention, his children, she was truly happy for his transfer and promotion at work but it would cost her her education and she wasn't ready to sacrifice that, she didn't have any memories with her father hence she wasn't close enough to him to know what he was thinking.

She thought he had probably forgotten about her and it would be best if she simply reminded him.

"What will happen to me Dad? I'm in the middle of the term in my senior year in high school." Ariel reminded him.

"So?" Daniel said monotonously.

Ariel scoffed, was he kidding her?

"So, what will happen to me and my education? I can't just leave in the middle of the term." Ariel explained.

"Why?" Daniel asked.

"Why? Because it would affect my education Dad, I need to write my examinations and leaving the school halfway isn't going to let that happen? You didn't write exams in your high school? Don't you know the drill?" Ariel asked angrily.