Catacombs

One

         My dad always used to tell me, "Tessie, baby, rich or poor, it's nice to have money." Dad's one of those Hollywood producer people who calls people 'baby' and says things like 'that's golden right there' when you do something right. He's got a Brooklyn accent even though he's lived on the West Coast all his life and wears leather jackets and man Toms.

        Needless to say, Dad's my favorite person in all the world. Except maybe my ferret Ollie, who I think should definitely count as a person. I've never had a mom, which was a little problematic when I was thirteen and started having those monthly torture sessions we so affectionately call 'periods.' But I found the internet, and it was fine after that. So Dad and I have lived in the same huge house for all 15 years of my life, and It's way to big for the two of us.  I think my dad's pretty lonely without Mom, who we don't talk about, really, which is why he smothers himself in me. All the time.

       And so here I am reading at school and I get told to go to the office. Not uncommon, as I often get blamed for the crazy stunts my best friend Jordan pulls. So i figure she set the bathroom on fire again and I go through all the places I've been the past few days and whether or not I have witnesses. When I get to the office, the principle, Jordan, and my dad are sitting in desk chairs. Dad and Jordan are sitting in those ridiculous chairs grinning like idiots spinning around in circles. Mr. Richardson is most definitely not amused. He's this tall lanky guy with bald spots and sweat stains in his armpits.  I stand at the door for a minute, open-mouthed. Dad finally notices me and slows down his chair for long enough to say  

"Hey Tessie, babe! We're going to France with Jordan, and we're leaving in an hour." He grinned with the sort of glee that the Joker from Batman has, like he wants to kill you and is really excited about the whole deal. "Oh hey, remember when you asked me where all your shirts went and I told you I didn't know? Well, darling, I lied. You're mostly packed." I looked at Jordan in shock. I'd wanted to go to France since I was a kid.

        "Seriously? Wait, really?" I asked, my eyes wide. Jordan nodded enthusiastically. Now she had a Joker grin too. "Okay. Okay, so let me just get this straight," I said to Dad. "You, me and Jordan are going to France to go and see catacombs and the Eiffel Tower and eat crepes and croissants and stuff." I wasn't quite ready to believe my dad yet, but my heart was pounding with excitement.

        "Pretty much, babe. I have to work, so you and Jordan can do whatever you guys want while we're there." I sat down hard on the couch and put my hands over my mouth. 

        "Shit, Dad." I said, "We're going to effing FRANCE!" I stood up and started dancing around the principle's office. 

        "Tess, I haven't seen you this excited since I got you those signed copies of Harry Potter for your tenth birthday," Jordan says with a gleam in her eyes. "Should we get going, Dean?" She looked at my dad.

        "Yeah girlyos, we should get going" Dad said, the mischievious grin fading on his face. Mr. Richardson stood up and handed us both packets of schoolwork. 

"You will both be gone for two weeks, so you'll have to do make-up work for all your classes. I expect you to turn these in to me the day you return from Paris. Have I made myself clear?" Mr. Richardson looked at us expectedly, so we nod. Dad put his arm around Jordan and me and spun us around to face the door.

        "You gonna do that work, cause I'm sure not." Jordan says in a hushed whisper, glancing back at our principal. I nodded. She was much lazier than me in terms of homework, but still always graduated with A's in every class. Jordan was plenty smart, she just didn't bother herself with actually doing any work. Completely unlike me. I worked my ass off for every single good grade I got. Looking back, It doesn't matter at all. That school, my life, the whole world that I knew. Nothing I do will ever make me want to go back. That terrifies me. I love it.