Juvenile Delinquent

So now here I am, sitting dangerously close to an uncaged lion, well I guess he was my judge. My lawyer had requested to talk to him privately so he was having a conversation that for the life of me I could not understand what was being said.

The Judge then nods slowly and glances back at me, where I was trying so hard to look angelic that I could have sworn a friggin' halo was glowing a few inches above my head. A few seconds later and James strode back to me with a wink.

"Cassandra?"

"Wha-? Oh sorry." I had been imagining myself taking the halo and using it as a frisbee. "Yes, your Honor?" I say, standing when James nudges me to.

"I don't like you or your generation." He starts bluntly, berely showing any emotion as he speaks. "All you kids try to do is get attention and by vandalism you have achieved that. Congratulations"

Crap. This is not going-.

"But, because of no previous assaults, your lawyer has talked me into a three month trial period with your aunt Ellie. Do you agree?" He says peering down at me from under his glasses.

My parents give horrified gasps from behind me and I hold in a smile. This was going to be awesome.

I nod as solemnly to the judge as I can but what I really want to be doing is hugging the crap out of the juicy juice representative sitting next to me.

"I understand that you have completed school so you can go not having to worry about catching up with anything. But if I hear you did anything wrong. And I mean anything! You will be punished severely." But I swear I saw a twinkle in his eye as he speaks. And even if they told me that I would have to first spend a month in an electric eel pit, I still wouldn't be dissapointed.

"Thank you, your honor!" He covers a laugh at my enthusiasm with a cough and I smile. Maybe the lion was just a kitten in disguise.

James winks at me again and for the first time, I wink back.

----

Lets start this trip with the fact that my parents do not like my aunt. She's my mom's sister and for a reason that is not known to me, they have not talked since before I was born, only allowing me to visit once a year until I turned seven. When my mom started to think that my aunt was turning me against my family. I have gone over every possibility there is as to why that wouldn't talk and have come up with nada. Nothing, zip, zilch, ah no.

So if there was anything that would hurt them the most, it would be a three month summer vacation at Aunt Jackie's house. Not that I wanted to hurt them or anything. I just wanted to make them feel like I had for the past seventeen years; neglected.

The plane ride was quick and soon I was thrown into the arms of three different relatives of mine. Which I enjoyed since I hadn't even heard any of their voices since Jackie had tried to apologize to my mom over the phone three years ago. It had resulted in a slammed down phone and a change of phone numbers. My mom is awfully friendly, isn't she?

We all pile into my aunt's silver minivan and the country side flew by my window as we drove. I mean back home we had country but not anything like this. Cows munch on dry grass on the side of the road, geese waddle right in front of the car on the road, and horses trot by behind their fences. It was gorgeous here.

Jackie turns into a side road after a good hour of driving and we were welcomed by a cute little blue and white cottage with a wrap around porch. A dog that was sunning on the porch stretches and jogs to meet the car, yelping with excitement.

My oldest cousin Chris grabs my two bags and suitcase and heads to the house with Ellie, while Reese introduces me to Charlie, the dog.

"Hi, puppy." I coo, rubbing my fingers behind his ears. I ask Reese what breed he is but she shrugs and frowns, "He's a mutt." She shivers, "I hate that term." and then loops my arm with hers and drags me to the house.

"Welcome to camp, Reese!" She announces, letting me go to spread her arms out.

Does anyone remember Annie the movie? When she goes into Mr. Warbucks house and sings that song?

I think I'm gonna like it here? Well right about now, I could sing it from the tree tops.