Secret Academy - Deuteronomy

I: Unexpected Turn

It was four days before Jasper’s departure for college. Lisa was invited everyday in the big mansion where the McCurdy’s lived, and Jasper left almost all the details to his parents.

“Son, please don’t forget to confirm your reservation at the dormitory this afternoon” greeted Eugene McCurdy as Jasper entered the dining hall in his pajamas.

It was early morning, and his father was about to leave for work. He yawned widely and sat himself as far away from him as possible. A maid brought him orange juice and a plate full of toast and scrambled eggs, which he looked at disdainfully.

“This looks cold” he said, poking the eggs with a fork.

“It’s seven thirty, what did you expect?” was his father’s sarcastic reply behind the newspaper.

“I’m not hungry” he pushed the plate aside and started to get up “I’ll eat with Lisa later”

“You know, all this rebellion isn’t going anywhere. Your bags are packed except for all your gadgets, and you signed the papers yourself. If I can, I’ll send you there first thing tomorrow”

Mr. McCurdy was a nice man; but there’s not much of it that can be seen on his sullen face with his thinning hair. He wasn’t a man you’d like angry with you. He slowly put down the newspaper and finished his coffee without taking a glance at his only child.

“Try it then” whispered Jasper before getting up and running up the stairs.

Mr. McCurdy merely shook his nearly bald head and got up. He called a maid to him, and gave her some instructions which she quickly scribbled on a small notepad.

“Make sure to do it before three this afternoon, understand?”

“Yes, sir…”

“Oh! And call my wife to see me at one o’ clock today. In my office. Tell her to bring that kid along” and with that last order, he briskly walked to the door and left.

Meanwhile, Jasper intended to come to school late. He lay in bed, listening to some music and didn’t want to think about missing his highschool graduation. I can’t believe how quickly they wanted to be rid of me, he thought.

Although Jasper grew up contentedly, his parents were constantly away on work or business. His only consolation was that his mother started law school a lot later, and was able to see him grow up until middle school. For some reason, they moved quite a bit when he was ten years old until he was fourteen, but finally settled in the small town of Silver Valley just as he turned fifteen. He made his parents promise him that they would never move again – and to his joy, they didn’t. Lisa, who had grown up here her whole life in the uneventful town, was his first real friend and later - who would’ve guessed - would also be his girlfriend.

He smiled when he remembered meeting her on his fifteenth birthday. She was wearing a white dress, and her long wavy hair seemed to make her shine like the sun.

“Sir, your bath!” the maid shouted.

“Coming! Geez…” he threw his headphones aside and ran to the bathroom.

After a quick bath, he chose a plain black shirt and hastily dressed himself. He glanced at his bedside clock and cursed. Taking his backpack and stumbling down the grand white stairs, he made it out the door and into his new car.

It was a silver Benz and he drove it at 80. He’d be in trouble by now but he knew the sheriff; and the sheriff knew his father. He looked at himself at the rearview mirror and noticed his ruffled dark brown hair, still a bit wet.