Ash Costello & Chris Motionless

The Beginning

Looking through my closet at around 5 am,  I decided on wearing a black skate skirt,  a grey crop top and one of my pentagram chest harnesses with some simple white Vans. Once I deemed myself presentable, I ran down stairs and ate an apple for breakfast.

I stopped by the living room and told my dad I was leaving for school.

"Bye Daddy.  I love you. Tell mom and the others that I'll be a little late tonight but I'll do dinner on Thursday, please?" I asked as I kissed my dad on the cheek.

He smiled, nodded, and gave me a hug, "Will do, sweetie."

I opened the door and looked out across our yard. The older folks of the town were just arriving for Dad's service. I waved and began my walk to school. With Dad being the pastor, I knew everyone in town.

Sometimes it was hard to deal with but for the most part, I loved it. Mostly because we got to live in the church but my dad laughs when we talk about it. Even though I don't believe in God and I'm not Christian, my family still accepts me and loves me.

The school seems to laugh at the situation, in a good way. And I get it. It is a comical thing; the preacher's good girl daughter doesn't believe in God. The only person in my school who talks to me in Ander. Ander is my dad's best friend's son. But he happens to be my best friend.

Yes, friends. Boys and girls can be friends and not be dating. I actually have never dated anyone,  so there's that.

I'm going to turn 16 tomorrow. My dad said that I can take my bank accounts into my own name and do with it what I like on the condition that I buy and fix up an older vehicle and take it on a roadtrip. People at school think I'm rich and spoiled but in reality, that's only part true. My grandparents are very wealthy. They also recognize that I have secret dreams.

When I was born, my Granma Mae opened a stock account for me that she'd monitor until I turned 16. Five years later, my great-grandfather Jacob, died and left the family enheritance to me because I was the youngest at the time. Then,  when I turned 13 and started working,  as a babysitter and I helped in Mikey Jason's dad's farm, I opened a savings account for college.

So yes, I have a very large amount of money for a normal 16 year old. But, I am not normal. I already know that I, with the help of the local construction company, am going to start building my home for when I turn 18 and move out. My parents are even okay with it.

I have never been happier in my life than I am now. Despite being so young,  I have dealt with some stuff that most adults don't deal with. I'm proud to say that I've recovered from having suicidal urges and thoughts. I still cope with social anxieties daily, along with depression and ODD though.

And I was adopted. I mean, kinda. My biological mother died when I was 3. My dad then married Clarissa, my stepmom, when I was 5. She adopted as her own a few months later. But no matter what,  she's my mom.

My older siblings are all 100% blood related to me. Jaxon is 17, Mae (she was named after Granma) is 20, and Tristin is 22. That makes me the baby. There are pros and cons to being the youngest, but there are ups and downs to everything so that's okay.

Anyway, I look up at the building I've arrived at and call school. I just have to get through this last Friday, and I start online schooling. My dad wants me to do it because I'm about to go in that trip, if I get that vehicle restored in time. I don't know if I will buy my neighbor's '64 Chevy Impala SS Convertible or they mayor's old '55 Chevy 3100. 

I have until tomorrow to decide anyway. That isn't too much of a problem anyway because all I'm doing here today is getting my teachers to sign off on my transcripts.

It's a surprise/thank you to my entire family tonight because once my transcripts are signed by my teachers and principal, I get to graduate.

Even though I'm just 15, I'm a Junior because I skipped 8th grade.

I checked my phone clock. 6:30. I walked into the building with a deep breath as I walked into the cool hallway. My first stop was Ms. Lilly's room. She has been my favorite scince I started high school.

She looked up from her laptop with tears in her eyes when I knocked on her doorframe. "I just got your email. You're really here? Graduating early. Even when no one thought you would? I'm so proud of you!"

I felt my own eyes water as I nodded and ran to her for a hug. She was my closest friend for so long, until Ander decided that he was going to be my friend finally.

When Ms. Lilly pulled away from me she wiped my tears and her own. I handed her my binder and we set to work on my final forms for her class. I had earned a 97.65 in her class. She taught all of my math classes.

My next stop was Mrs. Killerman. I just called her Mrs. K. When I knocked on her door she looked up and wave me in. "Ashley! How are you dear?"

I smiled, "I'm doing amazing, Mrs. K."

"What can I do for you today?" She asked with her smile making the dimples in her chubby cheeks show. She was just an adorable old lady.

"Well, Mrs. K, I'm finally doing it. I'm graduating early."

When the words left my lips, her smile got even larger, if possible. She motioned for me to come over. So I sat in the chair in front of her desk.

"Here doll, what papers do you need me to sign?" She asked me as I handed them to her.

"Just those. I did the math already, since I know how much you hate it." Mrs. Kill is an art teacher. I got an 88.41 in her class.

"Okie dokie." She giggled slightly and started signing the papers while she began telling me about her thoughts on my art and how it has changed since I was a Freshman.

When she finished, she didn't say anything. She just handed me my papers and gave me a hug.

I had just stepped outsode her classroom when I heard her say, "You'll do great things Ash Costello."

I quickly pulled my phone out of my black and green backpack and checked the time. 7:00. People will be here soon.

I hurried to Mr. Able's science room and he just signed everything with a 'good luck' and waved me out of the room. 89.77 in his class.

Miss Mila, on the other hand, she went nuts when I walked in. I had to calm her down, the over-excited-bunny-like lady that she is. I'm glad I had her as my social studies teacher, otherwise I would've fallen asleep and/or failed this class. I passed with a 99.98 in her class.

And that was all my teachers for my transcript. Now I just had to get Mr. Muller to sign.

The clock on the wall read 7:46.

I hurried to the office and asked Shirly, the desk lady, to tell Mr. Muller I was here. I knew he'd be waiting for me today.

He was. I went in and he looked over my transcripts and grades and teacher signatures. He smiled at me and made the final mark on the page, leaving me, a graduated student.