A Hero's Journey

Chapter 9

        The next week went by pretty fast. I was at Makaylah's most of the time. We both went back to school two days ago and my dad returns tonight. I still had no idea what he wanted to talk about. It was killing me not knowing. As if someone was reading my mind the front door opened reveling my dad. I got up from the couch where I was sitting to go help him with his bags. 

“Thanks, let's go talk in the Livingroom.” My dad says as we set down his luggage. 

We walk into the Livingroom. He takes a set on a chair and I take a set on another chair across from the Livingroom table. 

“Okay, look Aren, I love you and I trust you, so this is the only reason I'm letting you do this,” my dad says seriously. 

I look at him “Dad what are you talking about?” He looks back at me “From now till you graduate you will still be taking the photos at the crime scenes but once you graduate this summer you have an internship at the New York precinct, then you will start your training.” 

I just looked at him. It took me a minute before I realize what he's talking about. But once I got it, I look at him in disbelief. I got up and ran to him and gave him the biggest hug ever. I kept saying thank you over and over again. 

After what my dad told me I ran upstairs to call Makaylah and tell her. She has been finding herself more lately. When we got back to school, we saw Trent making out with one of the fakest classic mean girls Vanessa. I knew she was going to break up with him, but I still saw the hurt in her eyes. She got over it the next day and when she saw him, she dumped her smooth all over him. It was awesome honestly. I mean Trent was one of my best friends, we knew each other when we were in diapers, and I was still going to be friends with him after Makaylah dumped him, but no after I saw him cheating, he lost my friendship and trust.  

Once I told her she was so happy for me, then she told me that she just finished applying to law schools. We talked for celebrating both of are great/awesome news. That night I went to bed with a big smile. As I woke up the next day and went downstairs everyone was putting on their shoes. 

“Where are you all going?” I ask looking at them 

“Go get ready we have to go to a town event.” Jennifer answers 

“Okay,” I say going back upstairs to get ready. 

Once I came back down everyone was going out to the car, so I ran and joined them. I look around and noticed that dad wasn’t there. I just figured that he would meet us there later. We drove for a bit then we got to the town hall. Outside was so many people, there was like nowhere to walk. We got out and I followed everyone. Next thing I know after walking through crowds of hundreds of people we were at the side of the stage that had the podium and microphone. 

Soon my dad walked out and approached the podium, as soon as he started talking everyone got quiet, 

“Everyone, we are here to recognize a hero, someone who saved the lives of one in danger by putting herself in danger. That someone is my daughter Aren Rose Caudento. Come up here Aren.” 

I just stand there shocked, I didn’t know what to do. Before I knew it, Aaron and Jennifer are pushing me on stage. I looked up at my dad and then I looked at the crowd, they were all shouting speech. My dad moved from the podium and nodded his head from me to the podium. I look at him as I approach it and he gave me a small nod. I step up and looked out at everyone. 

“I was not prepared to be here and giving a speech today. I don’t see that I'm a hero, but I appreciate that you all do.” I look over at my dad not knowing what to say, but then out of nowhere I knew what to say “People like James Red are still out there, no matter what they will still be out there in less we do something about that and I plan to.” I take a deep breath listening to the cheers before I continued. 

“You got this,” my dad whispered to me. 

“When this happens to people everyone thinks that they will go through it to get over it and return to their lives, but no, that’s not what we are going to do. We are not going to go back to our old lives we are going to create better ones.” 

As I finish everyone is cheering. I look at my dad and tell him that yesterday I was actually going to tell him that I always wanted to become an officer before he told me I would go and train at NYPD.