The Secret of St. Lelia's- part I

    “Juliette Myrna Collins! You get down here and eat your breakfast!” Mary Collins called from her kitchen.
    “Coming, Mom!” Juliette yelled as she put on her glasses. She grabbed a pair of Capri jeans and pulled them on. After a little contemplation, she threw on a purple tank top, yanked her favorite lavender sweater over her head, and stepped into her amethyst ballet flats. Juliette ran down the stairs of her converted attic loft-style bedroom and into the kitchen.
    “Alec,” she asked her third-grade brother, “did you eat all the Cheerios?”
    “No! You know I hate Cheerios! It was Stefanie and Hayden,” he replied.
    “Oh, really? Last time I checked, Hayden and Stefanie wouldn’t touch Cheerios for a gallon of apple juice - and they really like apple juice. But you, on the other hand, have a large bowl of Cheerios sitting right in front of you!” Juliette pointed out.
    “Okay, Miss Lawyer Girl, you got me. But last time, you ate all the-“ Alec was cut off by his mother, the ultimate fight stopper.
    “Kids! Settle down. Eat your breakfast, Alec. And Juliette, there are cornflakes in the pantry.” Juliette rolled her eyes, but disappeared into the pantry. She emerged a moment later holding the box of cornflakes and Stefanie, her two-year-old sister. Juliette sat Stefanie in her seat at the small table and scooped up Hayden, Stefanie’s twin brother.
    “Upsie-daisy, Hayden,” she cooed as she tickled her youngest brother’s belly.
    “Upsie-daisy, Jooly!” Hayden giggled. Juliette plopped him down in the seat across from Stefanie and poured each twin a tiny bowl of cornflakes, without milk, and sat down at the miniature table.
    “Juliette, why aren’t you eating? You need your strength,” Mrs. Collins inquired.
    “I’m not hungry. And why do I need so much strength? Won’t it just be a normal summer day?” Juliette pressed.
    “Actually, you will be interviewing at Saint Lelia’s Pre-Confirmational Seminary for Young Catholics. It’s a great honor, so try to make a good impression,” Mrs. Collins urged, “There are five applicants to every spot.”
    Just another private school, Juliette thought at first, it’s no big deal. But judging by the manner with which her mother preached about it, she suspected this school to be different.
    “We need to get going soon,” Mrs. Collins continued. “Our interviews are at noon and 1 pm.” This made no sense to Juliette.
    “But Mom, it’s only 9 in the morning! It can’t take that long to get there; it’s close by! Isn’t it?” Juliette protested. Her mother’s answer turned the life of Juliette Collins upside down.
    “Why, no, honey. It’s a boarding school.”