**Chapter 2: The Unexpected Upgrade**

As we arrived at the airport, a flurry of excitement and chatter filled the air as my family and I prepared for our journey to school. My mom, Jyneshie, was busy helping my siblings and me get our bags and boarding passes in order. My brothers, Keontay and Darnell, were arguing over who got to control the music on their phones, while my sister, Kyah, was busy chatting with my oldest brother, Beyoncé Ariana, and his kids, my niece Kataya and nephew KJ. As we made our way to the gate, I couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation. I loved traveling with my family, and this trip was going to be especially fun since we were all going to school together. My mom's parents had come to see us off, but as we were about to leave, disaster struck. My mom's parents' clothes ripped, causing a commotion. To my surprise, the airline representative approached us and offered my mom an upgrade. I wasn't sure what this meant, but my mom seemed thrilled. She would be able to return home the next day, which was a bit strange, but we were all happy for her. "What's going on, Mom?" I asked, curiosity getting the better of me. "I've been upgraded to first class," she explained, "and I'll be able to return home tomorrow. It looks like I'll be missing out on the school trip, but I'll be safe at home." We all hugged her tightly, excited for her but also a little sad that she wouldn't be able to spend the day with us. My mom gave us all hugs and kisses before taking her seat in first class. The rest of us were in economy, but we didn't mind. We were just excited to be together and have some fun at school. As the plane took off, I gazed out the window, watching the world below. The flight was smooth, and before we knew it, we were landing. As we exited the plane, I could see that school was in full swing. There were colorful banners and balloons everywhere, and the sound of music and chatter filled the air. My siblings and I exchanged excited glances. This was going to be a great day. But little did we know, it was about to take a dramatic turn. As we made our way to the school entrance, I could see that something was off. There was a crowd of people gathered outside, and they all seemed to be staring at something. As we got closer, I saw that one half of the school was on fire. Flames were licking at the windows, and smoke was billowing into the air. Pandemonium erupted as people rushed to get away from the fire. My family and I were caught up in the chaos, trying to make sense of what was happening. "Let's go!" my brother Beyoncé Ariana yelled, grabbing his kids and taking off towards the other half of the school. We followed close behind, our hearts racing with fear. But as we approached the entrance, I saw that it was blocked by a ticket counter. We needed tickets to get into the half of the school that wasn't on fire. My mom, who had been quietly observing the scene, stepped forward. She tried to give her ticket to one of the ticket takers, but they shook their head. "I'm sorry, ma'am," they said. "We can't take this ticket. You're being sent back home." My mom looked confused, but also relieved. She hugged us all tightly before turning and walking away. I watched as she disappeared into the crowd, feeling a pang of sadness. But I didn't have time to dwell on it. The rest of us needed to get into the school. We scrambled to get tickets, and eventually, we made it into the safe half of the building. As we caught our breath and tried to process what had just happened, two of my cousins, Jamar and Miss Jamia, came running up to us. They were accompanied by their mom, who looked relieved to see us safe. "Hey, guys!" Jamar exclaimed, his eyes shining with excitement. "We were so worried about you! We saw the fire and thought the worst." My cousin Miss Jamia nodded in agreement. "We were trying to find you, but it was chaos. Are you okay?" I nodded, still trying to wrap my head around the events that had just transpired. "Yeah, we're fine. But Mom had to go back home." Jamar's eyes widened in surprise. "What? Why?" I explained the situation, and my cousins listened intently. As we talked, I noticed that Jamar was trying to wake up his little sister, who was sleeping peacefully on the floor. "Hey, wake up, sis!" Jamar said, gently shaking her. "We're safe. The fire didn't get us." His sister stirred, rubbing her eyes. "What happened?" she asked, her voice groggy. As my cousins and I filled her in on the details, I realized that this was just the beginning of a long and unpredictable day.