I removed the final photograph off the wall. It was taken a few years back but had only earned a spot on my wall recently, due to the fact nobody looked very nice. I was halfway between smiling and making a kissy face, which by the way isn't a nice mix. Natasha, though she was incredibly tanned from the never ending sunshine that summer, looked hideous with her eyes shut and her mouth indicating that she was either going throw up or spit, I don't know which one would have been worse. Abi's, who was usually very photogenic, smile was far too cheesy and looked like she was trying to creep someone out. Despite all the obvious flaws, I loved the photo. At first it was one of those photos that would stay in the bottom of the drawer never to be looked at, but somehow it ended up in a sparkly pink "BFF" frame on the centre of my wall and to be honest it grew on me. It was one of the few items that I chose to bring in my own bag rather than go in the removal truck that had come earlier last week.
I groaned. I was trying to avoid thinking about it. But every time I lingered off the topic I ended up back on the topic. It wasn't easy as in less than an hour I'd be stuck in a car driving to my new home. I sighed. Why did we have to move? I know it's because of some new job opportunity and shit, but really. My social life only started boosting recently, loads of friends, a boyfriend. Then some dumb job upgrade has to ruin everything. And to make things worse, if that's possible, the job is in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh. Of all places. I have to move from California to Pittsburgh. Fun. Why couldn't it be somewhere like New York or Los Angeles. But of course not. My dads bloody new job has to be in the place where nothing happens. Great.
"Paigey," my mom, Kelly yelled up the stairs. "Natasha, Abi and Harry are here."
"Coming." I picked up my bag and slung it over my shoulder, gave my room one final glance and hopped down the stairs.
I had barely even entered the hall when I was suddenly attacked with hugs. I tried to smile but I couldn't, it's hard when these are the friends that you're moving away from.
"I'm gonna miss you guys so much," I told them, giving Harry, my boyfriend, a light kiss on the cheek as Abi and Natasha didn't exactly give anyone else any room to come near me.
"I'm gonna miss you even more Mack," Abi replied, hugging me yet again.
"You'll miss me the most though," Natasha said, her personality letting the situation become less serious.
"Uh...no. Paige is gonna miss me the most, bitch," Abi snapped back, continuing the joke.
"Let's be real here," said Harry, his voice lighthearted "obviously she's going to miss me the most."
I laughed, "I'll miss you all the same, kay?"
They nodded and Abi began to break down into tears.
The next ten minutes or so consisted of mainly more hugs, some tears, old memories and the odd joke. That was when everything began to settle into my head. My dad entered the hall and told me to go outside, that we were locking up. Then he said to get into the car. This is when I started having a mental breakdown. I couldn't leave. I started crying a lot more and Josh (my brother) literally had to drag me into the car.
I sat in silence the entire way to the airport. Then sat in silence during the plane ride. Then in the taxi. Then when we reached the house I went to bed.
×××××
I stifled a yawn and reluctantly crawled out of bed. The sun was blazing through the window, brightening my new room. It was bigger than my old room, there was two doors, I presumed one of them was an en suite. The walls were painted a minty shade of blue. My favourite colour. There was stacks of box's containing all the smaller items but my bed, wardrobe and sets of drawers had already been put in place. There was a large window that looked out over the garden. It was enormous and had a large pool, and what looked like the beginnings of a forest.
