Awakening: Chapter 1

So i just wanna say congratulations to Toni for graduating school today!!!! (:
& I notice since the last time i posted a lot of people have changed their twitter names so if i ddnt @ u now let me know what they are.

Chapter 1

Nicki jogged down the main staircase leading to the foyer and jumped the last step. She took a right turn and walked into the dining room meeting her parents. Before taking her seat at the table she bent down and gave both her parents a kiss. Nicki smoothed her skirt and rolled up the sleeves of her sweater thanking the heavens this would be the last day she would ever have to wear the school uniform. Taking a sip of her orange juice, she eyed both her mom and dad who by now had folded down the newspaper and began their breakfast. As the household's cook set Nicki's food before her, her father James spoke up.

“Are you excited about your last day of high school Nicki?”

“Yes! I just want to graduate already!”

“Really? You're not sad at all?” Nicki's mother, Anne, spoke up.

“Well....” Nicki sighed taking a bite of her fruit salad. “I guess a little, im gonna miss this town and my friends but im just excited to go and live my life after I turn 18 tomorrow. College life sounds so good right about now.”

“I see, and you dont feel the least bit sad to be leaving us? You know New York is not that close to Connecticut if you really think about it. Why dont you just stay here?” James tried reasoning with his only daughter.

Nicki laughed shaking her head, “Sorry Daddy, as much as I love you guys I need to go and...branch out.”

“You can't branch out in Connecticut? You have to do that at Julliard?”

Anne playfully slapped his arm, “James stop it, you should be proud our Nicki got accepted into such a prestigious school.”

Nicki nodded her head in agreement. A few months ago she had received a letter confirming her acceptance into Julliard for their drama department. Ever since she could remember Nicki's passion was acting, and she was very good at it.

“I am proud. Extremely proud. She's such a talented girl its no surprise.”

“Thank you daddy.”

“But would a new car make you stay?”

She rolled her eyes playfully and stood up from the table. “I gotta go before dad tries to buy me my own plane.” They young girl kissed both her parents goodbye and headed for the door, but turned around abruptly, “...although, that wouldn't be the worst thing!”

Her parents laughed as she skipped out the door, but not before grabbing her school bag.

Nicki walked down the front concrete steps and unlocked her black convertible BMW. It was a relatively warm June morning in Hartford. Her drives to school were always peaceful, that's something Nicki was going to miss about this place. It was comforting, it had been her home ever since she was just a baby. Going to the same school system her whole life, with the same kids for 12 years. Nicki attended a private school seeing as her parents wanted the best education for her. Her father, James Smith was a renowned surgeon and her mother was a stay at home mom and Nicki always loved it. During her childhood Nicki spend a lot of time with her mom, being an only child got her a lot of attention by her parents. So emotionally it would be hard to separate herself from her family.

But there was always something missing. From a very early age the Smiths had been very open with Nicki, even informing her that she was adopted shortly after her birth. Although she could never tell her parents she wanted to know about her birth parents. Who were they and why they gave her up. It really hurt her knowing there was a whole other part of her life she had no idea about. For years she would spend restless nights wondering about her biological family. Maybe she had brothers and sisters, maybe she was from an exciting part of the world. She couldn't help but to think how different her life could be. The negative ideas came across but she brushed them off, Nicki didn't wanna think that if she had never been adopted her life could have been horrible. It hurt her having something so big missing in her life, it had for years but she kept it to herself. Who was she to complain? Her life was amazing, she lived in a beautiful home, had amazing parents who loved her so much and lived a great life. Coming off ungrateful was what she feared would happen, so she went through life acting like everything was fine. But now she was getting older. She was graduating school, heading to college and starting her own life...it was time to do what she needed to do for herself. 

 For the past few months Nicki had started the search for her birth parents. It was a lot harder than she expected, all Nicki had to go by was first names, an old picture of a two day old baby Nicki being held by her birth mother and father. It was her most prized possession, and a locket that was now too small to fit Nicki. It was beautiful white gold chain, with a heart shaped locket that read the letters 'OM' in the front and 'IHSV' in the back. There was no clue as to what they meant, nobody knew but she always kept it close to her. She was very thankful her parents gave her at least that, it couldn't be easy trying to get their only daughter to connect in some way with her true family. 

During her search, about a month ago she had come across an article online about a couple who resembled her biological parents, having to do something with a controversial trial. Granted 18 years had passed and they wouldn't look the same but the resemblance was startling to Nicki. She needed to find out if that was them, but it was hard. She was just turning 18 and graduating high school, its not like she could tell her parents, they would be heartbroken. But she just had to find them. After a lot of thought and different ideas, Nicki decided this was her time. Over the summer she would travel to California, where that couple lived, and find out if it was really them. It would be tough getting away from her parents but she had no other choice.

Nicki pulled into the packed parking lot for the last time and prepared herself for her last day of high school.

---

“CONGRATULATIONS NICKI!” The graduate laughed and wiped a few stray tears on her face seeing all her family and friends together in the living room. A huge congratulations banner hung over the entrance and green & gold decorations all over going along with the school colors.

“Awwww oh my God! This is so cute!” Nicki went around hugging all of her relatives and finally reaching her parents. “Thanks you guys, this is unbelievable.”

“Its no problem honey, we're just so proud of you! I can't believe you graduated already.” Anne pulled Nicki into her arms, a few tears threatening to fall.

“Mom dont cry...” Nicki patted her mother's back gently and pulled away to go on hugging her father next.

“And with honors, that's quite an achievement.” James squeezed his much shorter daughter tightly.

“Oh 6 honors classes in senior year did that, no biggie.” Nicki playfully brushed off her shoulder.

“Well I think right now is a good time for us to have a private talk.” James eyed his wife smiling coyly.

“About what?” Nicki asked confused.

“Just a little surprise we have for you, come on I can't wait!” Anne pulled Nicki into the private dining room and closed the double doors after James.

The three sat down on the dark cherry wood table while James pulled a small envelope from his coat.

“Now Nicki, you know your mother and I are so proud of you for everything you have accomplished including getting accepted into the school of your choice. Tomorrow you turn 18 and its a big step, we thought in light of your graduation we would get you something special.” James handed her the envelope and let her open it.

Nicki read the first few sentences of the letter but still didn't comprehend. “I dont get it...what's it saying?”

“We know how excited you are about starting this independent college lifestyle but we don't want to throw you out into this huge city on your own in the fall. So your dad and I signed you up for a summer program at Julliard. You will get a private orientation, head start on some activities, maybe getting ahead for next year and learning the ways of school. You got a dorm room all set up, you get to start this exciting chapter a few months sooner.”

Nicki stared at her parents in shock. Just a few hours ago they were reluctant of letting her go now they were offering her this?

“And seeing that tomorrow since you are 18 that means your trust fund kicks in and we trust you to be responsible, you will have everything you need. Shelter, money for food and necessities. We trust you Nicki, we just want you to be happy.”

Nicki let out a squeal as it all sunk in. “Are you guys serious?! I get to go live in New York now? Like spend the whole summer in the greatest city ever?!”

“You sure do.” Anne smiled at her daughter's excitement.

“This is unbelievable, this is great.....” Suddenly it hit Nicki. Summer. The 3 months she had been planning on going on her adventure to find her birth parents was now all taken over by a completely different scenario. Her smile faded a little realizing the big moment she had been waiting all her life was not going to happen anytime soon anymore.

James seeing his daughter's change in expression became concerned. “Are you alright Nicki? Whats wrong?”

She looked up at her parent's expectant faces and knew she couldn't tell them the truth. They were so excited to give her this gift, thinking it was everything she wanted. She couldn't let them down. “Yeah..” She shook her head putting on a smile. “Im good....its just, um I still can't believe this. It's so exciting! When do I leave?”

“In a week.”

“Perfect.” She gave them a fake smile and went on to enjoy her party.

Later that night, Nicki was laying in bed dealing with all her thoughts. 'I knew my idea was too good to be true. It wasn't even all planned out. How stupid could I be, how was I really going to sneak away to the other side of the country without my parents wondering where I was going? I just thought this could have been it...i would finally meet my birth parents. I've been waiting for so long. But now im heading off to New York. It is exciting though, im going to meet so many new people. Get acquainted with my school and be independent. Maybe this is fate telling me im not ready to go find my parents, maybe its not my time yet.'

Nicki looked down at her locket she was holding in her hands and kissed it one time before putting it away in her nightstand. It would have to wait.

'After all, what I really want is to find myself, who I am. Isn't that what you are supposed to do in college? This is where im meant to go. It's going to be the best summer of my life.'

Nicki yawned, snuggling herself up to her pillows. The whole graduating thing added with her party had left her exhausted, all she wanted to do was sleep. She took one last look at the digital clock on her nightstand as it turned 12:00. 'Happy birthday to me.' And with that she closed her eyes and succumbed to a peaceful slumber.