Do I Belong Here?

chapter 4

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~Caligirl18 :)

Chapter 4

I woke up as usual and was reading my book for school, To Kill a Mockingbird. I heard a distant knock at the door and looked over at the clock and it was only ten. Lauren wouldn’t be two hours early. Hannah looked over at me and then back down at her book. My mom came into our room dresses and ready for the day with a sharpie and masking tape. Packing.

“Alexis, Somebody is at the door for you.”

“I can’t go to the door like this.” I complained.

“I don’t think you want to keep them waiting.” My mom replied. I pulled on my robe and shuffled to the door. At first I didn’t recognize who it was but then it came to me. Brett. He looked way different than I remember him. He was my best, and my only friend until 6th grade, when Lauren moved in. After that, I didn’t really see him. He became friends with this other kid, Alex.

“Alexis?” He asked. Wow his voice had changed.

“Yup. It’s me. You look very different then from 6th grade.” I said.

Brett smiled and said, “So have you.”

“What’s up?” I asked trying to act cool but I didn’t think it was working. “Oh let’s go outside,” I said.

“Look, yesterday I walked by on my way to Alex’s house and I saw you and Hannah bringing boxes into the house. Is everything okay?” He seemed concerned which was very sweet.

I should have thought about telling him but I kind of forgot about it. “Um well it’s kind of a long story.”

“I have time,” he said with a grin.

“Well you know about my dad and my mom has been kind of depressed and to make matters worse, her dad, my grandpa got sick recently. He has Alzheimer’s and my grandma is having trouble taking care of him and the puppy and the big house.” I took a breath but Brett started talking.

“Alexis, I am so sorry,” Brett said sounding sincere.

“Thanks but that’s not all. So, my mom thought that it would be nice to move down to Texas to help out my grandma.” I looked back at the house seeing all the memories with Brett that I would leave behind. When I was looking back, I saw Hannah looking out our window crying. Great now she was going to make me cry. Now I had two people who I was going to miss way more than I thought. 

“Wait so you’re leaving?” Brett seemed shocked. 

“Yeah, one week after we’re back at school.”

“For-for ever,” it seemed like he was going to cry.

“Well if you put it like that, yeah for as long as we know we will be down there in Texas. But u can definitely visit…Oh and I’m sorry I kind of ditched you after sixth grade. I wish we were still friends.” Woops that was a little random and hopefully didn’t make me sound desperate.

“Me too.” That was not the answer I was expecting from him.

“Well I better get ready but I know you didn’t come on your way to Alex’s, you just missed me.”

“You got me. I will miss you,” He said smiling.

“Me too,” Brett held out his arms and I wrapped mine around his waist and he hugged me close. I didn’t want to let go.

“Well, I have to go.” He said after releasing from the hug.

“Yeah.  I need to get out of my PJ’s, ” I said “Oh and Brett?”

“Yeah?”

“The day I move I would like it if you came by to say good-bye.”

“I wouldn’t miss it,” He smiled.

“Thanks for stopping by,” I said

“Yup.” He squeezed my hand before walking back onto the sidewalk.

I walked back inside and saw him walking away. I felt like I was going to cry. Again. I had been doing that a lot lately and I didn’t really like it.

~~~~~~

A few minutes later I heard another knock on the door. It was Lauren. My mom was already at the door and dressed, ready to go to work for the afternoon shift. Hannah wanted to stay home since all of her friends were on vacation so it was just Lauren, mom, and me.

“Come here I need a hug,” Lauren said holding out her arms.

“Okay girls, let’s move it. I don’t want to be late!”

“Okay mom!” I said.

~~~~~~

When mom dropped us off at the mall, Lauren asked a question that I wasn’t expecting.

“I saw Brett walking away from your house when I was on my way. Were you talking to him?” Lauren asked.

“Um. Yeah. I was. I haven’t seen him since 6th grade so it was good to catch up. I told him I was moving and invited him over the day I’m leaving.”

“Why would you do that?” she asked.

“Lauren, I don’t know if you knew this but before you moved here from New Hampshire, we were best friends. I can’t really just leave him without saying one final good-bye.”

“What else did you tell him?”

“Nothing that was it.”

“Okay. Sorry if I sounded a little bratty but I didn’t know you guys were that close. Well, let’s get to American Eagle!”

“Okay! I don’t need to go to the Gap today.” I said. I didn’t want to be shopping until it got dark.

“That’s fine. Wait, we will need to walk home right?”

“Yup. If not, we will have to wait here until 5:30.” I said nudging her.

“No thank you!” Lauren replied smiling.

Lauren grabbed my wrist and we ran to American Eagle probably looking like complete idiots but that’s what friends are for right? I thought that this would be the last time at the mall with Lauren. Why did I have to ruin every happy moment with a depressing thought?

~~~~~~

Lauren and I were remembering happy moments on our way home, dodging all of the snowballs we were throwing at each other. At American Eagle I had only gotten two pairs of shorts and a pair of sunglasses that both me and Lauren bought.

When we got home, I unlocked the door and walked into my room to see boxes labeled all over Hannah’s side of the room. She obviously got something done when we were gone. Lauren and I got down on the floor and started packing boxes with books and magazines. This was only the beginning of a long journey ahead.