All I can think about is how I'm going to break the news to Mom. 

Okay, maybe I can just be outright and say that I've been claimed by Veers? Nope, that won't work because Mom will make a scene. What about just avoiding the subject for a bit? Nope that won't work either because Mom will be suspicious when I don't tell her anything. 

I turn around the bend and see my mom. 

She's leaning against the wall, twisting her hair around her finger, a nervous habit I inherited from her. 

I froze in my tracks, the shock just setting that I wouldn't be seeing her for basically half a year. 

Mom glances up. 

She see's me. 

Her facial features erupt in shock, excitement, pride and love. 

Her arms outstretched, she runs towards me. "My baby girl! How was it?! Did you get claimed?" She rushes towards me and clutched me in a tight embrace. 

I wince. 

Her arms tighten around me, pressing my arms to my sides. 

"Uh I need to breath Mom" Her arms quickly fall limp to her sides. 

"Right"

 I swallow tightly. 

"I got claimed" 

Her chin quivers and tears well up in her eyes. "Hey, no need to cry"

 She smiles at my words and it lights up the room. Her tears disappear as she reaches in for another bear hug. 

Her arms captured me again in a firm and loving embrace. The difference was that this time I hugged back. 

My arms reached up gripped her back, my fingers digging in like my life depended on it. For those few precious seconds me and Mom cherished each other and the world seem to fall away. I would miss her deeply. 

Okay now to tell who I got claimed by. 

"Veers claimed me" I muttered in to her shoulder. 

Mom stared at me for a few seconds. All was silent. 

"I'm so, so proud of you!" She said reassuringly. 

My eyes started to well up. 

"I don't want you to leave" 

Mom bit her lip, thinking what to say next. "Look, I would love to be with you every step of this journey you're having but the government won't allow that. So I'm going to need you to be the brave girl I know you are and do this by yourself. Got it?" I sniffled a bit. 

I know you're thinking oh she's acting so immature but I wasn't prepared for this and I have never really been away from my mom for long periods of time. So don't judge me, okay? 

I nodded. Mom smiled again but this time it was more of sad smile. 

She spoke again "And guess what, we still have" She checked her watch "thirty minutes with each other so why don't we make the most of it!" 

I blinked away the tears that had been threatening to come out. "Oh um the man said that we needed t-to talk to Mr. C-colyron" My voice wobbled a bit.

 Mom took my hand like I was a child and guided me to where Mr. Colyron sat. 

"Sir" Mom said. 

Mr. Colyron sat straight up, back taught, like he had been waiting for this moment his whole life. He pushed his black rimmed glasses up his nose. His mouth opened and he mouthed a few unrecognizable words then swept a hand through his sandy hair.

 "Yes um w-what w-would you like m-miss" 

"My daughter just got claimed and the man-" 

"Thaddeus" I jumped in. 

"Yes, Thaddeus said that we should meet you" He swallowed tightly. 

His hands were shaking slightly and his sweat was dripping down the sides of his temples. "Well you see, you must, you-you have" 

Mr. Colyron continued on like this for about ten minutes before my saviour mom interrupted him. 

Just to let you know those ten minutes were absolute torture. I was tormented to watch this guy. The entire time all a wanted to to was just grab those neatly organized papers and threaten to ripe them to pieces unless he told me what we needed to know. 

The only thing that stopped me was Mom. Every time I started to take a step forwards she would give a dirty look that made me know that if I did what I was thinking there would be serious consequences. And the entire time Mom wasn't giving me dirty looks she was giving him comforting looks and nodding along.

 She's obviously the nicest one in the family. 

It was also obviously Mr. Colyron's first day on the job. 

Anyway Mom interrupted him by putting her hand on the desk and asking nicely if "you could please tell us what to do, it would be greatly appreciated" 

Yeah right, I would greatly appreciate if he could shut up. But thankfully he did stop.

 He stood dead silent for a second, staring into space before he started talking again with what would seem renewed confidence. 

"So you should go get your luggage and when you finish that you should go down the hall to the very end. There you will find an elevator. Take it to your floor. Then you can bring it to your current room. I would advise for you to not take out your stuff because you may change rooms after the podding ceremony. After that your mother will have to go and you will make your way to the assembly room for your welcoming ceremony"

 Geez they really have a knack for coming up with random rooms. 

"Oh and before I forget this is your school handbook"

 He pulled out a dark purple book with gold accents dotting the sides. The academy for the chosen was embellished on the spine and cover of the book. 

"This book contains your temporary floor number and room number. It also contains a map of the school, who all the teachers are, your schedule and all the necessary etiquette for this academy." 

He smiled and handed me the book. 

Though when our hands touched I could still feel the slimy feel of his leftover sweat from his nervous breakdown. I shuddered a bit. I pulled my hand away quickly and wiped down my hand on my shirt. 

Then together me and Mom turned and walked out the door to go get our luggage. 

My stuff slammed to the ground as Mom sat down on the edge of one of the beds. She folded her hands in her lap.

 I slowly put my luggage down. I then, sit down beside her.

 Nothing happens for a few minutes. 

You could hear a pin drop. 

I cross my legs. Then I uncross them.

 This is awkward. Even more awkward than when I told Mom that I got my period for the first time.

 You could feel the tension in the air. 

"So . . . I'll probably be going to the assembly soon" I winced. That couldn't have sounded more impersonal.

 Mom turned and smiled at me. "Well bye sweetie, I'll see you at Christmas" I smiled faintly. 

Mom pushed herself up and off the bed and walked to the door. 

At the last second she and gave me a little wave.

 Then she turned around and walked right out the door.

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