Elizabeth

" Liza! Hurry! We are getting late. " Eliot shouted from down the stairs at his sister who hadn't gotten ready for school.

" You would think she would at least hurry today since its her graduation but no, you thought wrong. She maintained her tradition even today. " Their mother, Kate Ryan muttered crossing her arms while standing at the main door.

" I am here. " Elizabeth replied huffing while coming down the stairs.

" Aren't you too early, dear sister? Should have taken five more minutes. " Eliot said sarcastically.

" Move Idiot. " She pushed him towards the door.

" We are leaving. " She said and kissed her mum's cheek.

" Be safe. " Mrs.Ryan smiled at her children who were bickering with each other on the porch.

__________

The school was looking exquisite, with all the decorations of bright red and blue. Looked like the school staff was happy that the troublemakers were finally leaving.

She snorted at the the thought.

Her friends waved at her from across the playground and she waved back, running towards them.

" Liza! You are late even today. " Nadia spoke smacking her back.

" You know it's tradition. It will be the end of the world if she came early one day. " Henry spoke wiggling his eyebrows.

" Then be late everyday, I don't want to die early. " Nadia replied winking at her.

" Come on, stop making fun of me. " She pushed both of them whining.

" Nope, its our job to tease you. " Henry tutted.

" But I have just one question. " Nadia held her hand.

" What? " Elizabeth inquired.

" Do you have some talent of being late? " Nadia asked and dashed towards the entrance when she saw Liza's hand forming fists.

Henry chuckled following after them.

...

" Life is a journey, and all the accomplishments you have achieved during this course, you should take it as a starting point for future achievements. May you all have the best life ahead. " The principal ended his speech and walked back to his seat in the loud clapping of the students.

The three of them beamed at finally being a highschool graduate.

...

The school had arranged a buffet for their farewell party.

" Which colleges have you applied to? " Elizabeth asked while filling her plate with nuggets.

" I applied for UST. " Henry replied stuffing his mouth with a dumpling.

" Same. " Nadia gave a high five to him.

" What about you? " They asked back.

" I have applied for both UCP and UST. " She replied.

" I hope the three of us get in the same college. " Nadia joined her hands together in a pray.

" Me too. " Liza engulfed her hand too.

They closed their eyes to feel the moment.

" Give me a nugget. " Henry broke their moment from across the table.

" Can't you see we are busy? "

" I am hungry and I don't care. Now give me the nugget. " He huffed.

After the event, they decided to stop by the children's playground where they had spent all their school years.

" I can't believe it. Time passed so quickly. "

" Yes. It seems like yesterday when you were pushed into the ground by some annoying kids and we came to help you. " Elizabeth said to Henry who stood on her right side.

" Yeah, he cried like this. " Nadia contorted her face in an ugly cry.

" Go away. " Henry slapped her shoulder with a small smile on his face.

" Its time to start growing up. " He said with a solemn look.

" How's your... mom? " Nadia asked him cautiously sitting down on the swing.

" She's better. But it's becoming difficult to buy medicine for her. I am going to start a job to at least cover my expenses. " Henry replied sighing and sat beside Liza on the bench.

" Don't worry. She will be fine soon. Go home and tell her about your graduation ceremony. " Elizabeth said rubbing the side of his arms.

He smiled and hugged both of them.

They sat there in a calm silence watching the sun set.

Before it got completely dark, they stood up to leave. Liza waved at both of them before she went off to her own house.

___________

Liza saw her father's car in the garage, " Dad's home. " She quickly skipped to her house and opened the door.

" I AM HOME. " She shouted loudly and sat down at the door to remove her shoes.

She walked to the living room where her parents were sitting in silence.

" What happened? Why do you look so gloomy? " She asked sitting in front of them on the couch.

" Dear, your father. He has been.... transferred to another city. " Her mother spoke.

She stilled, " Al-right, and? " She prayed it was not what she was thinking.

" And... we have to go... with him. All of us. " She completed and bit her lip.

" Where? " She asked lowly.

" Freiburg. "

Her father, Peter Ryan, looked up after a moment of silence and saw the realisation dawn on his daughter's face.

" WHAT? Why are you telling me this now? You should have told me before. I applied to college with my friends. " She stood up and walked around.

" I am sorry. It was an urgent transfer. I didn't want to ruin your graduation day so we waited. " Her father spoke trying to calm her down.

" I am not going. "

" Then what will you do? Live here alone. " Her mother asked raising her eyebrows.

" Yes. Obviously. "

" We are selling this house. " Her father sighed.

" I will do a job or something. Live in an apartment. "

" Honey, that would be difficult for you. We will be worried for you if we left you here alone. " Mr.Ryan tried to coax her.

" I will manage. I don't wanna go. " Liza spoke sternly.

" No can do. You will go with us. We leave in a week and that's final. " Her mother stood up and said strictly.

She wanted to argue but shut her mouth seeing her mother glare. Tears gathered in her eyes before she stomped her feet and ran upstairs.

Her mother sighed and slumped down on the couch. She put her head between her hands.

" I wish we could leave her here like she wants, she is old enough to take care of herself, but it's dangerous for both her and Eliot. "

" I know dear. " Peter put an arm around her shoulder, " she will be fine after some time. "

" But do we really have to go? You know what happened there. "

" I know but it's been years. And with these, " he took the necklace out of his shirt, " we will be safe. We will be careful. "

She nodded and snuggled in her husband's embrace.

__________

Liza had her face stuffed in the pillow when she heard a knock on her bedroom door.

" Go away. "

The door was opened despite that and Mrs.Ryan came in. She took a seat on the bed beside her. She felt a hand on her shoulder which she shrugged off.

" Dear, please. I know it's hard for you. You've spent all your life here and this sudden change is difficult to accept but just this once. It is important for your father. " Kate tried to turn her over.

She kept still for a moment before she pulled her legs under and sat up on them, making a cushion with her feet and putting her bum over it.

" I know mom. But I am not stopping you. Just leave me here. I promise I can live alone. I can take care of myself. " She pleaded.

" I know my dear. You are really strong. But I can't separate you from myself. I don't want to go either. That place doesn't hold good memories for me too. " Her mother looked elsewhere, her gaze unfocused as if she was remembering something.

Elizabeth furrowed her eyebrows at that. What was her mother talking about?

" But I am still going back. So do it for me. I promise you can come here to meet your friends whenever you want. " Mrs.Ryan stroked her cheek and patted her head before standing up and leaving.

When the door closed behind her, Liza bit her lip before she smirked.

" Let's see how you will convince me. I said I am not going and I will not go. Do whatever you want. "

...

The car doors slammed shut and locked.

" Stop pouting already.  " Mr.Ryan teased looking at his daughter through the back view mirror.

" I hate you all. " Elizabeth spoke, crossing her arms and pouting. She had been forced to come when all her video games were packed and put in the moving truck.

Her brother cackled beside her and she hit him resulting in a war to start in the backseat.

" Settle down you both or- " Her mother said and it was enough to make them sit still, though they still kept making facing at each other.

And so their journey to Frieburg began.

_