The next morning arrived faster than Naya expected. The car ride to the airport was quiet—one of those heavy silences where no one knew what to say. When they reached the terminal, her parents walked her to the entrance, and the three of them embraced tightly, none of them ready to let go.
Her mother broke the hug first, gently brushing Naya's hair behind her ear.
"Naya," she said softly, "you'll be late for school. You should get going."
Naya nodded. "Okay, bye Mom. Bye Dad. Text me the moment you land, alright?"
"Of course, sweetheart," her dad said with a small smile. "Now go be brilliant."
With a last wave and a deep breath, Naya turned and walked toward her new life.
---
Cambridge High
The school gates were buzzing with life when she arrived. Students shuffled between classes, chattering, laughing, and occasionally dodging hall monitors. Naya spotted Nora waiting for her near the front steps, practically bouncing with excitement.
"Yay!" Nora squealed, hugging her. "I can't believe you'll be staying at my house for a whole year!"
Naya laughed. "I can't believe it either. But hey—you're helping me carry my stuff after school, right?"
"Obviously! What kind of friend would I be if I didn't? After school then?"
"Yeah. After school's fine."
Nora leaned in closer, whispering mischievously, "Or… we could skip school and go get ice cream instead. You know, make it a celebration."
"No way!" Naya replied quickly. "I just got here—I'm not risking detention on day one!"
Nora giggled. "Relax, I'm just kidding. Sort of."
The school bell rang before Naya could respond, cutting their conversation short.
"Ugh, time for learning. Let's pretend we're excited about that," Nora said dramatically, then waved as they parted ways for their classes.
---
Science Class
Mr. Walter stood at the front of the room, adjusting his glasses and trying to balance a strange-looking beaker setup. Naya slipped into her seat just as a girl—Jessica—waltzed in late.
"Jessica," Mr. Walter said without even looking up, "are you supposed to be in this class?"
Jessica dropped her bag with a thud and rolled her eyes. "Am I disturbing anything… explosive?"
The class chuckled. Mr. Walter sighed, muttering something about patience and caffeine.
Just then, the school intercom crackled to life.
"Good morning, students!" Principal Raphael's cheerful voice echoed through the room. "This is Principal Raphael with an exciting announcement. All seniors will be going to camp next week! We leave on Saturday, so pack your essentials—clothes, toiletries, and maybe a little courage. That's all!"
A murmur spread through the class, half excited, half confused.
Mr. Walter clapped his hands to get their attention again. "Back to science, people! Volcanoes don't erupt themselves."
---
When school finally ended, Naya and Nora rushed to Naya's house. Together, they hauled her luggage into Nora's mom's car—Nora nearly tripped over one of the bags, claiming it was "trying to fight her." After some struggle and laughter, everything was packed, and they drove off toward Nora's place.
---
Nora's House
The mansion-sized house loomed ahead, elegant and modern, with a garden that looked like it belonged in a magazine. A butler opened the door for them as they stepped out.
"Welcome, Miss Nora. Miss Naya, we've been expecting you," he said with a courteous nod.
"Wow, okay. I feel underdressed," Naya whispered.
Inside, they were greeted by Nora's mother, Mrs. Williams, wearing a sleek business suit and a smile that could charm anyone.
"Naya, darling! You're just as beautiful as your mother. Honestly, those Austin genes are something else."
"Thank you, Aunt," Naya replied, a little shy but flattered. "I'll make sure to tell her. She'll be thrilled."
"Nora, please show Naya to her—"
Her phone rang mid-sentence. She held up a finger and stepped aside to answer.
"Yes?… Switzerland? Tomorrow? A big client? I'll be there! Yes, of course."
She returned with a mix of excitement and stress written all over her face.
"Girls, I have to leave for Switzerland tomorrow for an important business trip. Naya, would you be alright staying here on your own?"
Before Naya could answer, Nora jumped in, wide-eyed and dramatic.
"No way, Mom! We can't stay alone, right Naya? What if we accidentally blow up the kitchen trying to microwave popcorn?"
She winked at Naya, clearly fishing for backup.
Naya caught on quickly. "Right! Definitely unsafe. We're basically two walking fire hazards."
"Exactly!" Nora said, triumphant. "So we can stay at Aunt Grace's house. She has Netflix. And cookies."
Mrs. Williams hesitated for a second, then turned to Naya. "Would that be okay with you, dear?"
Nora was already giving her best pleading face—the kind no one could say no to.
Naya smiled. "I'm totally fine with it. Sounds like fun, honestly."
Mrs. Williams nodded. "Alright then. I'll call Grace and let her know. You girls behave. Or at least, try."
The girls looked at each other and grinned.
They had no idea what was coming next—but one thing was for sure: this school year was going to be anything but ordinary.