When We Were Young

New Beginnings?

'I don't want to be here, it's just for the summer I hope' I thought to myself as I was throwing hay bails in the blistering South Carolina heat. Pushing small strings of brown hair that had fallen out of my braid out from my face, my music blasted in my ears when a painful sensation rushed up my spine. Turning around and ripping my headphones out I was met by the snickering face of my shithead of a cousin. "Emma what the hell?" I nearly screamed as I saw the rock she had thrown at me. "Memaw wants you in the house for lunch." Her voice was laced with venom. "Okay, but did you have to throw a rock at me?" I questioned as I brushed myself off and started walking behind her. "Well yeah, I'm not going to touch a city slicker like you, thank go you leave in a few days." I nodded at her words and flipped her off once her back was turned.

As we walked into the house I immediately went for the sink to wash my hands. "What's for lunch memaw?" I asked as I dried my hands off and turned to face my sweet grandmother who was placing a plate with a sandwich down in my spot. "Just peanut butter and jelly, your favorite raspberry, and make sure you grab some fruit." I just nodded and grabbed an apple and started to cut it because I hate the core. "Thank you memaw, and thank you for letting me come down here for a summer, I'm going to miss you when I leave." That's when her face fell from the sweet smile she always wore. Before she could get a word out my papa came in and was looking worse for wear and his face held low. "There you are, Emma go eat outside we need to speak to Alex alone." I watched as Emma grabbed her plate and huffed as she walked out the back door. Taking my apple slices to my plate I sat down and look at my grandparents sitting down in front of me. "What's wrong did I mess up the chores, I'm sorry I got distracted and-" I was cut off. "Alex you did nothing wrong in our eyes but this summer was about getting you away from your parents, and unfortunately they have decided to let you stay down here. But don't worry dear we want you here, we've always wanted you here." I felt something lump in my throat. "Did my dad get arrested again?" My voice was wavy and the silence was deafening. "What happened papa?" I tried to ask again before Memaw spoke up. "Even though your father is our son I do not condone anything he's done. Your father is gone Alex and your mother called us this morning, He overdosed, and she has filed to relinquish her parental right permanently." I was shocked at the words floating around me. "So they sent me here to shoot up days before I was supposed to come home.." I couldn't finish my sentence.

"Darling, can you tell us the last thing they told you before you were sent here?" I just nodded and tried to eat a slice of my apple. "I got in a fight with my mom and she told me I was coming here to fix my attitude, I remember packing and catching the cab to get to the airport and I was told on the phone if I didn't fix my attitude don't come home at all. Because the only person that wanted me was my dad." The look on my grandparent's faces said it all, my mom let me go because the only person that wanted me back home was gone and Washington was no longer my home. "So what's the plan then?" I asked and they said they'd talk about it and I should go to my room. I just nodded, finished eating, and put my plate up before going to my room.

Opening the door to my room I was greeted where I'd be spending the rest of my high school life. The room was a decent size, with baby pink walls that were bare, similar to the walls of my parent's home. A small window that overlooks the farm and the fields surrounding us is accompanied by a window seat. A twin-size bed cradled by a brass frame with gold-like details on the head and footboards, wrapped in black sheets and patchwork quilt. My clothes sprawled

over the floor and packed haphazardly into the suitcase on the floor. I couldn't think anymore my mind was a mess of thoughts and I didn't want to think anymore. Collapsing onto my bed I reached over to the floor and grabbed my laptop. "I guess I can check Facebook for the first time all summer," I mumbled to myself as I opened the web browser, I clicked on Youtube first and plugged my headphones in. Clicking on Knives and Pens by Black Veil Brides before opening a new tab. Scrolling for a bit and seeing nothing worth wasting my time on I decided to make a post.