Ghost Bird Fanfiction: Sang's Lyric, The Story of Sang Sorenson's Mother

Meeting the Academy

The ride was pretty quiet. I watched the cars pass us on the highway. I handed James change for the tolls when we exited, but I was absorbed in my thoughts. I needed to act really happy about this place, no matter what it looked like, or how much it broke my heart.

"What's the name of the school?" I asked, trying to sound enthused, but falling flat. Do better, Lyric.

"It's just called The Academy," James explained. "It's not advertised, and it is pretty exclusive. They have numerous donors, most of whom what to remain anonymous, so they haven't named the school after any one person."


"It has a number of satellite sites," Taylor added slowly. "So it doesn't make sense to name it after one place, either."


"Oh," I said, trying to project interest.

"So did you guys start at the Academy in Texas and England?" I asked Taylor and Kell.

Taylor hesitated. "Sort of," he drawled.

"Yes," Kell answered. "I started there. Sort of."

I waited, but neither of them elaborated further. Argh. Boys!

I didn't press, as much as I wanted to, as much as I wanted to tell them that it wasn't fair, that they knew everything about me, and I didn't really know anything about them.

We got off the highway heading into Portland.

"Where are we?" I asked, not recognizing the cobblestone streets and older buildings.

"Old Port," James answered as we passed a number of boutiques and restaurants.

"Oh," I answered again. Think of something better to say, Lyric.

"It's beautiful," I added. "I've never been to this part of Portland before." It screamed money, and I never had any. There would have been no reason for me to come here.

I turned around and looked at the boys in the backseat. When Taylor met my eyes, he didn't smile, but watched me closely. He ran his hands back and forth through his hair, and opened his mouth like he was going to say something.

I turned around quickly before he could. I needed to figure out a way to look them in the eye and tell them I was okay. This false brightness wasn't working.

"I'm really interested in seeing your school," I said. 

There. That was honest.

James nodded, and pulled into an underground parking garage. We all got out of the car, stretching. It wasn't long from Kennebunk to Portland, but the tension had ratcheted up the last five miles. I lifted my hands over my head and stretched from side to side.

I looked at the boys, who were communicating wordlessly back and forth. I saw a muscle tick in Kell's cheek, and James's eyebrows were drawn together. Taylor hands were busy messing up his hair. They were little balls of stress.

"Hey," I said, clapping my hands to get their attention. "I'm nervous about seeing this school, but I'll be okay." 

If it makes you happy, I added in my head.

It seemed to do the trick. My words rang true to them, and they each gave me their small special smiles. I gathered them up like flowers to tuck away in my heart, and smiled back at them.

"Show me," I said.

I was surprised when James reached out for me. I put my hand in his and he pulled me into his arms. He hugged me tightly. I felt his lips on my hair and then he lightly set me away from him before leading all of us to an elevator.