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"This is nice, isn't it?" My Mom sits perfectly straight with a string of pearls around her neck. Her question isn't directed at all of us but at Eric. He was wearing a nice suit it always shocked me how alike him and Finn looked. It was a spitting image except he was a bit taller and his curly, black hair had begun to gray.

He nodded his head with a forced smile. My eyes wandered around the country club restaurant decorated with fancy wallpapers and crystal chandeliers. We all sat around a round table in a tense silence.

"So how's school?" Eric clears his throat to get our attention.

Finn and I briefly look at each other before he looks back at his dad to respond his question.

"It's great. I've actually been taking a been taking a photography class on top of my academic courses. It's very interesting." He picked up his glass of water and sipped it to break eye contact with Eric's intense stare. I had never noticed how drastically Finn's behavior would shift when in the presence of his dad.

"Just make sure you're not wasting your time. You can't make a career out of pictures." Finn's smile dropped listening to his incredibly encouraging words.

I sat quietly hoping he would not direct the question at me.

"Lana?" Both my mom and Eric were looking at me now.

"Um, fine. School is great." I nodded my head and lied.

"Good." He went back to eating the food on his plate.

I pushed around my food not really in the mood to eat. I could feel my Mom's eyes on me but i ignored her trying to say as little as possible. They were having a conversation about Law schools and some of Eric's latest patients.

The night was seeming to come to a close and they were finally about to tell us what the dinner was all about.

"There's really no easy way to tell you this, so I'm just going to come out and say it." My mom began. My heart was racing once I figured out that the news was directed towards me. "Eric and I have decided that I'd be beneficial for you to go to boarding school for the next year and a half."

I had not completely processed what I was being told when a nervous chuckle had left my mouth.

"You're joking, right?" I shake my head beginning to feel angry. It had to be a joke it seemed incredibly unnecessary.

"No, it'll be good for you Lana. Poor decisions are being made lately. We're helping you." Her voice was steady and firm.

What was happening? I look at Finn with pleading eyes, but he was equally in shock. They couldn't just send me away.

"I'm not going to boarding school. That's fucking crazy." The panic I was feeling was evident but it didn't seem to matter because it all seemed to be decided.

"Please watch your language, Lana." Eric warned sternly. It was the last thing I needed, threats from a man who was not even my father.

"You've already been enrolled. You leave on the first." It began to make sense. Why she was acting so strange in the morning. It was obvious that I no longer had a spot in her life, now that her new life was commencing, she needed to get rid of me. I felt completely betrayed.

"That's- that's in two days."Finn finally spoke his cheeks were flushed and the shock had gone from his eyes and replaced with anger.

Eric looked away as if he was removing himself from the conversation. I wondered if this was his idea or hers. Either way, neither wanted me in their home. I had nowhere to go I was completely powerless in this situations.

I stood up allowing the chair to harshly scrape the wooden floor beneath me, catching the attention from people dining around us. She shut her eyes in embarrassment at my slight outburst.

My hands shook in anger. There was so much I wanted to say, but I knew i'd crumble if i tried to speak. Instead, I glared at her through watery eyes and made my way away from them.

I burst through the glass doors and stumble down the steps of the giant building. The man working valet looked over at me in concern but continued on with his job.

I wanted to scream. Things were finally going well for me and she was taking it all away. Whatever I must have done to her to make her hate me this much must have been horrible.

"Lana!" Finn yells over at me before grasping my arm.

I spun around and wrapped my arms around him tightly. I finally let my tears fall knowing that my face was concealed with his shoulder.

"I'm going to try to fix this, ok? You're not going anywhere." He tries to reassure me, but we both knew the reality of the situation. There was nothing either of us could do about it. I pretended to believe his words letting them comfort me.

My tears were not slowing down. I didn't want to cry, it made me feel pathetic.

"I need a drink." I half joked while wiping my tears. He let go of me trying to figure out if I was being serious.

"I don't think you showing up drunk is going to help my case while trying to convince the to let you stay." He shakes his head. "But I have a bottle under my bed."

We took a taxi home because I couldn't bring myself to be around her right now. My head rested on Finn's shoulder hiding my red puffy face.

Finn paid the driver and helped me out of the car. We had beat them home not that it mattered they wouldn't have bothered speaking to me either way.

"Here." He hands me a unlabeled bottle. I open it and take a big swig from it making my throat burn and my tongue temporarily numb.

"What is that?" I scrunch my face at the sensation.

He shrugs and examines the bottle. "I don't know. I stole it from a party." He chugs it and shakes his head harshly.

"Holy shit." We both laugh downing half the bottle.

We laid on his carpet while listening to music softly. The floor felt as if it was spinning, yet it was very peaceful.

Many thoughts were swirling around in my mind but the most prominent one was Sadie. How was I supposed to tell her that I was being sent away? I wondered if she'd still want to be with me despite the distance.

"We can always run away." Finn chuckles rolling over to me.

"And go where?"

"mars."

If only, I thought.

The next day had arrived too soon, it was the last real day before I had to go. It was also the day I had to tell Sadie.

I ran my fingers over the pink, satin gown. I was not in a very festive mood, but I knew i'd make Sadie happy.

"Ok, close your eyes." Sadie instructs while standing over the toilet holding a cup of fake blood over my head.

I closed my eyes as I felt the cold liquid drench my hair. The feeling of an excessive amount falling on my head made me gasp and step back nearly slipping.

"Finn, you dick!" Sadie yelled while grasping my arms to keep me from falling.

"I can't see!" I yelled to whoever would help me. Someone wiped my eyes allowing me to reopen them.

I flipped Finn off as he stood by the door with a cocky smirk. My reflection startled me, the blood had quickly dried into my hair and it slowly streamed down my face. We all had agreed on a horror film theme Sadie was Laurie Strode , Finn was Freddy Krueger , and I was Carrie White. We weren't going to go out to ask for candy as I hoped but instead Finn was taking us to another Halloween party.

"Sorry, babe. I didn't know he was there." She wipes the blood from my lips and gives me a short kiss. I couldn't help but smile at her small actions of endearment.

Being show affection was still very odd to me. Yes, sometimes it made me uncomfortable, but I loved it. I just couldn't believe I was about to ruin all the progress of our relationship.

"Remember when you use to call me babe, and then you cheated on me with my step sister?" Finn chimed in trying to get a reaction out of us.

"Look, I wouldn't go there if I were you." Sadie turned to glare at him,playfully, sort of.

Finn raised his arms in defense. He laughed before disappearing from the doorway. I intertwined my hand with Sadie's and led her out of the bathroom.

We entered the humid house and Finn was immediately pulled away by a group of boys. I held on tight to Sadie not wanting to get lost. Her eyes lit up when she saw the flashing lights and drunken bodies loosely dancing. She definitely liked the parties and being in big crowds blending in with everyone else, but she never seemed to be able to blend in, at least not to me.

I sat on the couch next to a police officer and and what seemed to be a witch ontop of eachother, only seconds away from public indecency. I shift in my seat with a surprised smile wondering if a place to sit was worth my sanity.

My eyes moved back to Sadie jumping around to the blaring music with Lizzy. Scout was not far also taking in the sight. I freed my spot on the couch deciding to go up to him.

"Is that Scout Good or Bruce Wayne?" I approach him before he had the chance to see me coming. He jumped and grasped his chest.

"You scared the shit out of me." He laughs at my corny joke still trying to process the scare I had given him. I had forgotten a couple times tonight that I was covered in fake blood even scaring myself. I apologise and nudge his arm.

We stand in silence for a moment before he offers me a drink. I knew I had to tell him I was leaving as well, I didn't want to just disappear. I wasn't sure if he cared though.

"Hey, Scout..." My words drift.

He looks up at me as a cue to continue.

"I'm leaving for boarding school tomorrow morning." His face dropped no longer pouring the liquor into my cup.

He remains silent searching for some sort of sign that I was kidding. I wished I was joking.

"Why?" He questioned. The look of confusion still lingering on his face.

I didn't really know why, I of course had my suspicions, but I was never really given a solid reason why it was being done.

"A punishment, I suppose." I responded simply.

The conversation continued with more questions I had no answers to. I quickly realized that I had to really think about the way I was going to break the news to Sadie. The uncertainty of what her reaction would be frightened me. Would she scream and shout at me, break up with me, or not care at all?

Sadie and Lizzy found us in the kitchen laughing about something that both Scout and I were out of the loop about. Scout looks over at me with a brief look of panic.

"Wow, you look really cool." Lizzy looks me up and down with a smile. I returned the compliment with a chuckle.

She was wearing a catwoman costume matching Scout's, she really did look pretty.

Sadie slipped her hand into mine, squeezing it lightly. She pulls me away and out of the crowd, Love Is A Losing Game had begun to play, the night was beginning to wind down. We step into a vacant room and she locked the door behind us.

I frantically turn knowing the moment had come.

"Sadie." I mutter closing my eyes tightly. My heart raced and I instantly had become self conscious. I couldn't take myself seriously knowing what I looked like.

"Yeah?" She smiles her warm, beautiful smile. My heart ached.

"I have something to tell you."

Her smile quickly faltered. She stared at me with a frown and watering eyes.