Sunwood Academy was prohibitively expensive, so it would have been of no surprise for it to be located in one of the wealthiest parts of the state. Rumor is they did give out scholarships to some students but that was to be kept quiet and even the students weren't sure who was in on a scholarship so as not to cause friction. Aaron was in the traditional way, wealthy parents. So pulling up to the large house on the cliff overlooking the ocean was no surprise to him. Why should it be a surprise? He grew up here.
"We're home!" His father announced as they stepped in the front door and Aaron's mother shouted back from the kitchen, the smells of cooking wafting towards them. His mother was a good cook, he could remember eating her meals growing up but she rarely did. She was a news anchor and rarely had time to spend in the kitchen, this must be special.
"Oh wow, look at you!" She said as he came into view, and his parents exchanged a look that Aaron would call wonderment and kind of weirded him out a little.
He knew that smell. "Aww yeah, pot roast!" And he scrambled into the kitchen to get a look in the over through the glass door. "My favorite."
"Yes, I know. It's a congratulations on your first day of high school meal." Strangely, his mother seemed to have that same tone of 'it's odd' when she said I know. Some of the weirdness settled down as they tucked in for dinner, and fell into normal family conversation, then Aaron excused himself to his room.
He pulled out Jack's number and shot off a simple greeting. He was staring at the phone, waiting for an answer back when he heard his parents voices from downstairs. That was the one problem with their house, the place echoed a bit due to the size. Still they were talking in hushed tones as if they didn't want him to hear, which just made Aaron want to eaves drop. He headed over to his door and popped it open a crack.
"...knew right when I saw him." His father was saying.
"How could you not? He looks just like you."
"Except around..."
"Yeah, his mouth and eyes. It's the weirdest thing. The memories just popped right in there just like they said they would. My mother even asked about him when I was talking to her on the phone. And then.. the room.. and this.."
"A photo album?" There was quiet for a moment. "I remember all these. That third birthday party was hell to clean up after. This is so strange. But they did say it would be. And he.. he's just him. He's ours, I feel it more and more. Like before was a hazy dream."
"Did we do the right thing? I mean... there was a whole different.." She cut off as his father went in with the sound of a practiced argument.
"We both agreed we regret letting our careers get in the way of having kids and wanted to fix it. The Academy said the people chosen are good people, unhappy with who they were and this gives them a second and better chance. The survey we filled out was matched up to one he did, we should be perfect as a family. And I'd like to know my son as an adult. If we had a baby now... no, this is a better way. Think about it, don't you care about him already?"
"Of course! He's my son."
"Well, there you go. focus on that. They said it'll get easier with time.
Aaron's phone chiming drew his attention away from the door. That conversation made no sense, he just couldn't wrap his head around it. Was he adopted? Fat chance, not with how much he looked like his father. He decided it was probably better not to think about it for now and picked up his phone, Jack had texted back.
'Sorry couldn't get away. Parents acting like they havnt seen me in years.'
'Mine r acting weird 2.'
'Midlife crisis?'
':D'
Aaron flopped back on his bed, texting back and forth with Jack for a bit, comparing interests, talking about what they filled out on the survey. Aaron couldn't tell if Jack wanted to be friends or.. something else. Eventually their conversation petered out with a shared good night, and Aaron lay on his bed starting at his familiar ceiling. Everything in this room was familiar, but, like the house there was something that felt like he was seeing it for the first time.
His trophies from t-ball and little league, he could remember some of the games, not all, but dad had got him involved young. Wrestling he picked up in middle school, so there was less there. Even the picture of his middle school play of the Wizard of Oz, he was the Lion. He knew each face in that picture, some where friends but going to different high schools. He was the only one from his middle school to end up in Sunwood. But they had met up over the summer, too, to do things. He wasn't sure the friendships would last with the different schools, but he hoped.
His videogame consoles, that one was a Christmas present from mom and dad, the other they made him save up money for by doing chores around the house and for his grandparents. There was a knock on his door.
"Yeah?"
The door opened and his dad peeked inside before stepping in. "Just wanted to check on you." He picked up Aaron's catcher's mitt, turning it over in his hands almost wonderingly before setting it back down. "How you doing."
Aaron shrugged. "Fine, I was just thinking."
"I know starting high school can be tough, and I want you to know, no matter what your mother and I support you."
"Thanks." His dad ruffled his hair in passing and headed out of the room with a final, "Don't stay up too late."