My whole life has been full of fantasies.

When I was a little girl my fantasy was about my father. I would dream of him rushing into the house and wrapping me in his arms. That he would save me from the revolving door that was my mom's boyfriends. That he would want to spend time with me.

And as time continued, so did my fantasies. Changing with the moments and events that shaped my life.

As a young woman, my life has consisted of one thing: getting the hell out of my single-stop sign town.

Kilgore, Kentucky is a town where if you blink as you drive on the highway you'd miss it. My school consisted of the same twenty-six kids since kindergarten, and my teachers all knew exactly what we were all capable of the second we walked into the classroom. Everything in that town is predetermined based on who you were as a child when everyone met you for the first time.

It truly was suffocating.

"That's the thing though," Stephanie So, the host of Rotten Mango, says over the speakers of our car. My mom and I have always listened to true crime podcasts. On road trips, we don't do music. We just listen to crime. "Victoria Caldwell was revered by everyone. That's why everyone is so obsessed with this case."

My mom clicks her tongue and presses pauses on her iPhone. "I can't listen to that anymore," she says. "Not as I bring you to Riveroak."

Victoria Caldwell has become almost as big as JonBenet Ramsey was back when her case broke in the 90s. An oil heiress and the queen bee of Riveroak Prep mysteriously disappeared one evening at the prestigious and elite school. It was bound to get attention. Everywhere people have been obsessed with the theories. Some think she may be on the run. Some think her father might have pissed off a rival businessman which led to her kidnapping.

Others think she's dead.

I just know that one day no one heard of this tiny school in the woods for the elite and prestigious, and then the next day it's all anyone can talk about. The Caldwell family spokesperson has been on the news constantly giving surface-level updates from the family.

I don't know what I believe on the matter. The police have been quiet about the details of the case. There has been no breaking news since the statement from the school about her going missing. A part of me wonders if they have found anything regarding her disappearance and that's why it's been radio silent since being in the news.

The real surprise came from her family when they announced that they will be hiring their own private investigator. Apparently, they aren't happy with the way the investigation was being conducted.

"Are you sure you want to do this, baby?" asks my mom.

"Mom, you know I can't stay there," I respond. "I feel-"

"Suffocated," she cuts me off. Her nostrils flare, and I can see the frustration building up in her body as her shoulders tense and she white knuckles the steering wheel. "Yes, I know, but Elena, that girl just went missing last semester. You're essentially taking her spot-"

"In one of the most elite schools in the country that can help guarantee that I'll get into a good school and help me get scholarships." It was my turn to cut her off. My mother has made her opinions known since I told her I was awarded the scholarship. "It's dangerous! There's a possibility what happened to that girl could happen to you too! " she shouted at me.

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But there's nothing that can stop me when my mind is made up. Riveroak was a dream. Something that I never imagined could happen to someone like me. I remember looking into the school after Victoria had gone missing. I'd never heard of it before, but something about it called to me on the website. There was a page on the website that offered an opportunity for scholarship kids. I wrote an essay about how I wanted to leave Kilgore and make something of my life and them being my only chance out of my small town.

I sent it in not thinking much of anything, and three weeks later they called me and offered me enrollment into the Spring Semester. My future was once going to be community college and working at a dive bar in hopes that I can earn enough money to transfer to a real university. Suddenly it was like the golden gates of paradise opened before my eyes and I was awarded something that I never expected.

Something I'm still not sure I deserve.

"I know you're scared, Mom," I tell her. "But, disappearances happen every day. Kids from Kilgore don't get chances like this. This is my one shot. I can actually be something."

My mom's face softens and she gives me a light smile. "I know what this means to you, Elena," she says. "It's the only reason that I'm allowing you to go to this school."

We drive in silence as the green forest passes along outside our car window. A soft drizzle starts to fall as we get deeper and deeper into Riveroak Woods. The very center of the forest will be my home for the next semester. Riveroak Prep.

"I know this is hard for you," I finally say breaking the uncomfortable silence. "Thank you for letting me chase my dream."

"Just promise me you'll be safe."

"Of course."

"In two miles, turn left onto Riveroak Village Dr." the GPS announces over the speakers.

A shudder of excitement fluttered into my stomach. We left our small two-room home yesterday at five in the morning and drove for twelve hours until we reached the motel that was a little over the halfway point between Kilgore and Riveroak. We have been back in the car for 5 hours, and we are officially so close to being there.

Close to my new life beginning.

My stomach does a backflip as we make the turn onto Riveroak Village Dr. My mom sucks a gasp in as the school grounds officially come into view. Green hills line the area with beautiful wildflowers growing. A giant lake sits on the outskirts of the grounds, almost like a moat. The boys are sitting on camping chairs and fishing.

I wonder if they're in my grade. I think to myself as Mom drives to the gate and turns into the grounds.

"This is like a college," my mom says.

Large grey stone buildings that look like castles are scattered around the grounds. Each of the buildings has different signs that are plastered in large white letters above the entrances. STEM LABS, ATHLETIC CENTER, LITERATURE AND LANGUAGE STUDIES, GIRLS' DORMITORY. BOYS' DORMITORY, and FINE ARTS CENTER, are just some of the buildings that are labeled on the grounds.

My mother drives down the long paved road and pulls up to the large building labeled FACULTY CENTER. A cheerful man with a round belly and red face smiles and waves at our car as we put it in the park and get out. I stretch my arms and legs as far as they'll go when I get out. A blissful feeling erupts in my body as the man walks over to my mom and shakes her hand.

"Welcome to Riveroak Prep, Ms. Ramos!" the man says. "Elena, welcome! My name is Dean Withers, I'm the Dean of Student Enrollment. We are so pleased to have you here at our facility. We just know that you're going to find our school as charming as we found your application!"

I smile at Mom as she walks to the trunk and pops it. "Mind if we drop her stuff off at the dorms?"

"Absolutely!" says Dean Withers. "Oh before I forget!" He walks into the building and begins to pull out a large baggage cart. "We figured you would need this to help take your things to the dorm."

"Thank God!" Mom jokes as he begins to unload all of the things I'll need for the rest of this year. It takes about ten minutes to load up before we begin the long trek to the girl's dormitory room. When we arrive at the door Mom looks at me and smiles.

"You ready?"

More than you could possibly know.