Annie was nervous.

It wasn't the nervous feeling that you get when you're the new person at school, or before you go onstage and perfom, or even when before you go and make a huge speech in front of a room full of strangers.

No, the nervous feeling that Annie currently felt was the I'm-going-to-be-sick-why-did-I-ever-agree-to-this feeling. The reason? She was going to see her best friend for the first time in five years.

Annie had been best friends with Payton ever since they were in nappies. They had met on the playground one day, and completely hit it off. Ever since then, until they were ten, they had done everything together. They had gone through primary school together, being best friends with each other. Sure, they had other friends, but from the moment they met, it had always been the two of them. It was like they were stuck together with glue, and they couldn't be separated.

When they were ten, Annie's dad had gotten transfered to America for his job. And so with many tears they had said goodbye, and stopped writing when their letters became three sentences about their families.

But now Annie was back, and she hoped it would be like she never left.

----

"Now, when you ask for Payton, be very polite," Annie's mother, Danielle Cleaver said as they approached Payton's house.

Annie rolled her eyes. "Mum, I know. Be very polite, say "please" and "thank-you", and never ask for anything unless they offer it to me." She turned to Danielle. "Mum, I'm fine. Mr. and Mrs. Kline know who I am. It's not like I'm a complete stranger. I was over here at least every day for ten years."

Danielle sighed and shook her head, smiling slightly at Annie as she rand the doorbell.

They only had to wait for a few moments before the door was pulled open, and Mr. Kline came into view.

Mr. Kline had always been the person that Annie had come to when she didn't want opinions (and when she couldn't talk to Payton). He was an older man, with salt and pepper hair and black, square glasses that he used for reading. He had a kindly smile and a big heart. When he saw Annie, his entire face lit up.

"Annie? Annie Cleaver, is that you?" he asked. Annie laughed and nodded, stepping into Mr. Cleaver's embrace.

"Hi, Mr. Kline," she answered, her voice muffled against his red button down shirt.

He pulled back and looked at her sternly. "Annie, how many times do I have to tell you to call me Oliver?" Annie laughed and hugged him all the tighter.

"Oliver? Who's at the door?" Mrs. Kline peeked around the door to the kitchen and gave a cry of delight as she saw Annie.

"Oh, Annie! You're back from America!" she said excitedly. "Come here, you silly girl, and give me a hug!" Annie crossed the room and hugged the older woman.

Mrs. Kline (or Jamie) was short and fit, with long honey blonde hair that she constantly wore in a braid. It was, however, getting to be streaked with a liberal amount of gray. She was always there with a pot of tea when Annie was upset with her parents. Her blue eyes, which Annie knew she had given Payton, were brimmed with tears as they hugged.

"Oh, let's have a look at you," Mrs. Kline whispered, pulling back and observing Annie. She smiled. "Just as pretty as you were when you were a little girl. Payton will be so happy to hear that you're back."

Annie felt her breath catch in her throat. "Where is Payton, by the way?" she asked, trying to keep her voice level.

Oliver and Jamie exchanged significant looks before Oliver cleared his throat. "He's away at school, Annie.

"Oh! He goes to a boarding school?" she asked, disappointment sinking in.

"I suppose you could say that," Jamie said, ushering them into the kitchen.

"What sort of boarding school? I suppose it must be a school for smart kids, because Payton always was too smart for his own good," Annie mused, sinking into her old chair in the Kline's kitchen.

"A school up north," Oliver answered, sitting next to her. "It's a school for... well, for people like him.

Annie frowned. "What do you mean, for people like him? There isn't something wrong with him, is there?" She felt panic creep into her voice.

Jamie laughed and set a cup of steaming tea in front of her before sitting next to Danielle. "Oh, no. There's nothing wrong with Payton at all. He just needed to be around his type of people.

"You mean brainiacs who don't have to study and they still get high marks on tests," Annie pointed out, taking a sip of her tea.

"He needed to be challenged," Jamie agreed.

There was a loud tapping at the window, and Annie gasped. At the window, there was a large, tawny owl, staring into the kitchen with round amber eyes.

It was staring directly at Annie.

To be continued...