Chapter 1 The Letter
December 19- Present time
The bell rang, announcing the end of the school day. Instantly there were cheers, laughter, and the scraping of chairs as kids made a mad dash for their lockers, excited for the start of Christmas vacation. Sebastian Hanks slowly packed up his bag, not in the least bit excited for the upcoming break. He scanned his classroom one more time, and took in the Christmas tree in the corner of his ninth grade art class. They had spent an entire art period decorating their classroom with items Ms. Haney had brought from home. Lights hung around the windows, elaborate three dimensional glitter snowflakes twirled from the ceiling, and pen and ink snow scenes were plastered all over the walls. He had been so excited for Christmas this year until yesterday.
Realizing that everyone had bolted out of the room, Sebastian grabbed his bag, slowly making his way to his locker. Kids were gathered around in groups talking about what they were going to be doing over the break. Some were staying in town. Others were traveling with their families to ski resorts scattered across the northeast, which is what most kids from Preston Prep did over the holiday break. Kids were stretched across the hallway like schools of fish. To Sebastian they all looked and acted the same. He never understood the desire to be someone’s clone. Many were laughing, joking around or shouting at friends down the hall. They were making the most of their last minutes together. Others were shoving their books and binders into their lockers, grabbing their bags, while some were pushing their way to the bathrooms to change before leaving for vacation. Preston Preparatory School was the best in Ithaca, as well as all of upstate New York. It had a long history for turning out prestigious lawyers, prominent doctors, respected senators, and even several who had been appointed to presidential cabinet positions. Most parents had very high expectations for a son or daughter who attended Preston Prep. With Ivy League dreams, pushy parents could be seen demanding more from the school than of their own children. Sebastian opened his locker and pulled out his wool coat, trying to ignore anyone around him. In his mind, he was an ordinary 15-year-old boy. He was average in height, at 5’8”, a little too skinny for his liking and didn’t think himself anything spectacular. His hair was stick straight and copper in color, his eyes a deep brown that he found boring, and his complexion fairly tan. He was at least glad that he hadn’t gotten with acne like some of the other freshman boys.
Sebastian had a few friends at Preston, but mostly found the kids there too arrogant to hang out with, let alone talk to. He preferred his days uneventful, which meant he worked hard to remain unheard and unnoticed. Of course, he wasn’t lonely, with a sister and four brothers who were always hanging around. The two people at Preston he did consider to be his best friends were Trevor and Brooke. They were from lower-income families, whose parents worked very hard to send them to Preston. Sebastian found them more “normal” than the rest and had no problem talking to them.
Sebastian shut his locker, trying to be invisible in the chaotic crowd. Suddenly someone bumped into him, knocking his bag off his shoulder and spilling his books and papers all over the hallway floor. He bent over to pick up the mess as quickly as he could, but found a boot standing on one of his books.
“Great,” he muttered under his breath.
“Hey, Sebastian,” Bobby Myers called out, “Looks like you're planning on doing homework on vacation. What are you trying to do? Make us all look bad? In case you haven’t heard, it’s Christmas VACATION. No homework necessary.”
“Give me my book, Bobby. I don’t want any trouble; just give me my book back.”
“Trouble? Oh, this isn’t even close to the trouble I could give you. But maybe I’ll cut you some slack, since it is Christmas vacation.” Bobby picked up the book, throwing it to one of his cronies standing nearby.
“Let’s show Sebastian where this belongs.”
Sebastian watched as the jerk went running into the bathroom with his book. Bobby was the son of a local politician and a member of the Myers family. Everyone knew the Myers were made of old money and mean to the bone, every last one of them. Bobby was no exception. He and his thugs were usually grouped around a helpless freshman boy. Sometimes they were throwing the contents of his locker on the floor or giving him a lesson on how to wear his boxers. Other times they were taking his bags and sorting out the items they wanted from the ones they were going to throw in the trash can. The school’s staff usually turned a blind eye, because his father was a feared man in town and the family had deep rooted connections to the school since it first opened. Bobby was the kid who made students turn around and walk the other direction. Sebastian just wanted to get home without a bloody nose.
“So, Sebastian, afraid you won’t have anything to do while mommy and daddy are away digging for some old junk? Oh, don’t worry; I am sure you can find some diapers to change and some bottles to make. Go home and babysit your family, while the rest of us go on vacation and have a great time on the slopes.”
Sebastian didn’t dare look at him, for if he had, he knew that his fist would just end up in Bobby Myer's nose. That was the last thing he wanted to deal with today. So, instead, he just sat there and took Bobby’s incessant teasing and waited for the encounter to end. When Bobby didn’t get what he wanted out of him, he turned around and began looking for his next victim. His entourage followed suit.
“Sebastian, are you OK?” Brooke came running over to him. She was average height, with long blonde hair. For the most part, she was a typical girl who loved to paint her nails, have her hair done, and shop. However, Brooke had picked up a passion that had set her apart from other girls. At a very early age, she had fallen in love with skateboarding, and was actually very good, although he would never admit that to her. She had placed in a couple of regional competitions and took flack for having ponytails and ribbons in her hair while flying through the air on a half-pipe. In the end, though, the real reason Sebastian liked Brooke was because she was loyal, almost to a fault. Once, she had volunteered to work backstage for the school play, and her mom’s car broke down during dress rehearsals. Even though no one from Preston Prep would be caught dead on the city buses, she rode one every night to get to the rehearsals and performances. The kids still tease her to this day, joking that she is founding member of the transit theater group. It has never bothered her though; she just takes it all in stride, knowing that she did what she needed to do to keep her commitment.
“I saw the whole thing from across the hall. He is so awful! I hate that jerk.”
“Great! Did everyone see what happened? I just wanted to get home without talking to anyone.”
“Hey, man, you weren’t even going to say bye to the other biggest loser at Preston Prep?” Trevor’s big hand slapped Sebastian on the back as he stood next to him with a big goofy grin on his face. He handed Sebastian a dripping wet textbook.
“I found this in the john. I’ve heard of people using magazines and newspaper to wipe, but do you really need an entire chemistry book to get the job done?” Trevor winked at Sebastian.
Trevor was at least six inches taller than Sebastian, but was awkward with his height. He wasn’t coordinated enough to play sports, but was too tall to not be expected to be a star. However, one minute in gym class with Trevor, and you would know that sports were not his gift. But as bad as Trevor was at sports, he was a legend at video games, especially the kind that required dancing. Sebastian never could figure out how Trevor could be so skilled and coordinated with complicated video games, but so awful at dribbling a basketball.
“Thanks, Trev.” He grabbed the book and wrapped it in his hoodie and put it in his book bag. “No, I wasn’t trying to ignore you or Brooke. I was just trying to get home without any holiday scars. But too late for that I guess. Hey, why don’t we walk over to The Java Board and get some coffee, and maybe we could play some games for a while?”
The Java Board was the local café a
nd their usual hangout. Sometimes they went to the skateboard park to watch Brooke do her thing, but Trevor was not allowed there anymore. He had gotten into a fight with a boy who was harassing Brooke and would be grounded for life if his parents knew he was there. In fact, most kids from Preston Prep weren’t allowed near the skate park, but the three of them felt like they could blend in better with public school kids, as well as the Ithaca University students that plagued “those” parts of town. Most of the Preston Prep students went to Cornell’s campus to hang out. They always felt the Ivy League boosted their image and feelings of superiority. For Sebastian, there was nothing special about the students at Cornell. Because his parents had worked there for so long, he realized the students were no different than anyone else. He found that he was just as happy gaming at the Java Board or hanging out at the skate park, even if he wasn’t great at either. After all it was hanging out with Brooke and Trevor that mattered. Plus, it was always a welcomed break to get away from home and school.
Trevor smirked at Sebastian, pulling him back to the present. “Sorry, but no can do. I have to be home to help put up the Christmas tree. We are actually going to manage a pretty decent Christmas this year. My dad got a raise a couple of weeks ago, and my mom has been in the holiday spirit ever since. It’s amazing what a few extra bucks can do to my mother. But, hey, I’m not complaining, as I’ve been the benefactor of her change in mood! I’ll call you in a couple of days; we can hang later. Maybe we could do a movie at the commons or something, OK?”
“OK. I’ll talk to you then. Have a great holiday.”
Brooke was still standing there and noticed Bobby coming back their way. “Hey, guys, heads up at ten o’clock. We’ll see you later, Trev.” She pulled Sebastian around and started walking in the opposite direction. “Hey, I’ll walk with you and get some coffee at The Java Board, but can’t stay for long. I have to pack for our trip to Indiana.”
“Right,” Sebastian sighed, “The trip to see your grandparents in Fort Wayne. I forgot.”
“Hey, don’t look so down. You can’t complain, you know. You always get a ton of presents from your parents.”
“I know.” Sebastian didn’t want to talk about his mood or his family. In fact, he realized he just wanted to get home. Brooke was always a good friend, someone you could count on in time of need. She always had an optimistic view on everything that made Sebastian feel better about things. Sebastian never took her friendship for granted. He looked at Brooke glancing at some girls across the way.
“You know what, let’s just go when you get back and you can tell me all about your trip. OK?”
“Whatever. Are you sure you are going to be all right?”
“I’ll be fine. I always am.”
Brooke gave him a hug and turned around to say goodbye to the girls, who had just started walking down the hall. She walked away with them, talking about the coolest boy band and movies. Sebastian would never understand girls, especially their ability to switch gears so quickly. Makayla, his 13-year-old sister, did this all the time at home making her the one who could keep up with his little brothers.
He finally found his way outside and began his walk home. He passed the school pick-up line on Buffalo Street and watched as the kids filed into their expensive cars and SUVs. Turning south onto N. Albany, Sebastian thought of his parents and how last month they had come home in a brand-new Black Lincoln MKX loaded with all the extras. He chuckled when he thought about the adaptive headlights, the seats that fold at the touch of a button, the GPS, and all the other stuff Sebastian tuned out while his dad was trying to show him the newest car in his collection. This was his father’s newest toy, added to the other six cars sitting in their eight car garage which were never put to use, because there was never anyone home to drive them. His parents were collectors of automobiles, among other things. But their job was always taking them away, so they rarely got to enjoy their stuff. He had been eying a red two door mini-coop that was sitting in the corner of the garage under an old tarp, wondering if he could soon sneak it out for a drive. It had tan leather seats and was a soft-top convertible. It held only two people, which is why he liked it most, a car where his brothers or sister could not tag along. Sometimes he would pull the tarp off to sit inside. He figured he wouldn’t really have the guts to sneak it out, since he always tried to do the right thing. For now he’d have to be satisfied with the driving time he got on his permit with Alice, their live in nanny. But, he had yet to convince her of driving the mini coop, when the safer silver Volvo was only two cars down. Alice was more than just their nanny. She had become like one of the family now. She had taken care of Sebastian and the others for the last four years, and they all adored her. She didn’t seem to mind having to help Sebastian learn to drive. It was only a couple of months before he got his license. Sebastian couldn’t wait to have the freedom to take off whenever he felt like it.
Lost in thought, Sebastian automatically headed east towards the downtown commons area. This was his usual route home, but for the first time he noticed that the storefronts had been decorated for Christmas. The local bookstore, Book Rack Alley, had a window set up with a tiny village. It was covered with animated figurines and had a toy train running all around it. There were red and green banners hanging from the lamp posts, which were perfectly spaced all the way down the brick paved shopping area. Below the banners, huge wreaths hung with a big gold sign that read, “Happy Holidays.” He noticed that Christmas music was playing through the speakers that aired over the commons area. An old Christmas classic was blaring out and he heard the singer singing, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” Sebastian sighed and wished this time of the year would just be over. He had hoped that this year would be different, and promises were made that it would be. But, then Alice brought him the letter, and he realized that once again things would be the same, like they were every year. Sebastian felt his pocket, where he had been keeping the letter. He pulled it out, starting to unfold it. It was getting dark and cold, but he wanted to read it one more time before reading it to his brothers and sister. He sat down at one of the many tables in the commons. He shook off his frustration and began to scan his mother’s handwriting once more:
Dearest Sebastian:
We hope this letter finds you well. We tried to call, but you weren’t home and we had to leave on an emergency excavation this afternoon. We are still in England, but came across a major lead. We found evidence of another possible site, and have decided to extend our trip to start another dig.
Of course, this means that we will not make it home for the holidays. We know we promised that we would have a normal family Christmas this year, but the excavation sites won’t wait.
We have asked Alice to stay and make sure that you are well taken care of this Christmas. We have lots of fun presents being delivered to the house and have asked the house staff to make an extra big meal. Alice has also agreed to do some shopping in our absence. Grandma and Grandpa have said they would stop by Christmas morning to spend the day with you.
Please let your brothers and sister know we love them all and miss them very much. We will be home soon. We will try to have a belated holiday celebration then.
We are so grateful that you can be man of the house while we are away. We are very proud of you and love you all very much.
Much love,
Mom and Dad
Sebastian wanted to shred the letter and throw it to the wind, but he owed it to the others to read it to them, so he placed it back into his pocket. He hated having to be the one to deliver the news. Alice had offered, but he told her he would do it. Now he wished he had kept his mouth shut and let her take the job. He had been so excited for them to finally have Christmas with mom and dad. He remembered when they used to be home all the time. They had been head of the archeology department at Cornell and didn’t do much traveling, except for a few speaking engagements once in a
while. However, about eight years ago, they accepted a very generous offer from a private collector to begin traveling across the world in search of priceless artifacts. They still held offices at Cornell, but Sebastian had no idea why. They were hardly ever there. They never spoke of their boss, but Sebastian had accidentally seen some papers in his dad’s office that said Tildon Enterprises on them. That was about all he knew concerning their jobs. That, and the fact they were never home anymore. He was often jealous watching families doing stuff together any time of the year, but it was even harder around Christmas. It wasn’t that they didn’t have anything. They had everything money could buy. They had more than most kids could even dream about. But, while the Hanks children had learned what it was to have, they only had little want. They didn’t want anything. They didn’t ask for things anymore. The only thing they would have asked for, if they could, was for their parents to be home.
Sebastian sucked in the chilly December air and looked at his watch. It was half past four already, and everyone would be expecting him home soon. He stood up to go, feeling a snowflake fall on his nose as he rose. Oh, well, he thought, at the very least we’ll have snow for Christmas.
Sebastian walked a little farther down the commons before turning right towards Giles Street, dreading his arrival home.