Bi the Way

Chapter 1: Maybe

Sunburned and sandy, 14-year-old Rodney Thompson trudged up the driveway after a day at the beach with his friends, only to be confronted by an unwelcome sight: a "For Sale" sign planted firmly in their front lawn. Dumbfounded, he burst through the front door and found his mom, Sasha, talking to a sharply dressed realtor in the living room.

"Mom? What's going on?" Rodney stammered, his voice cracking with distress.

Sasha glanced at the realtor before turning to her son. "Rodney, I got a new job in Strathroy. I know this is short notice but the job starts September 1st."

"Strathroy?" Rodney echoed, feeling as if the floor had just dropped out from beneath him. Where the hell was Strathroy, it didn't even sound like a real place.

"Living in the city has become too expensive, and the hospital is demanding I work longer hours without offering overtime" she explained, her voice firm and resolute. "Selling the house will give us a fresh start and a change of pace."

"But... I like things just the way they are." Rodney's sensitive brown eyes brimmed with unshed tears, his voice barely audible.

"Life is full of changes, Rodney," Sasha replied, her tone bordering on harsh. "You'll have to get over it. I have to do what is best for us."

With that, Rodney retreated to his room, slamming the door behind him. He threw himself onto his bed, feeling like a crashed astronaut trapped on an empty asteroid, adrift in an uncaring universe. As he lay there, wallowing in self-pity, he heard his sister Marcy's gentle knock on the door.

"Rod, Mom doesn't want to leave either," Marcy said softly, her voice muffled by the barrier between them. "But this job means she can finally have some time for herself. You know, ever since Dad died last year, she hasn't done anything but work. I don't even think she has really processed it herself."

"Easy for you to say," Rodney muttered under his breath, but the weight of his sister's words hung heavy on his heart. She was right after all, their mom had been working overtime to keep the house and to keep up with their hobbies. Rodney couldn't remember a time he saw his mom shed a tear since the funeral.

"Just give it a try, please for mom," Marcy asked, her tone soft but serious.

Rodney took a breath, "OK, I will give it a shot,"

A week later, Rodney found himself squished into the backseat of their packed car, watching Toronto recede in the rear-view mirror. As the Thompsons hit the road, he couldn't help but worry about starting high school in a small town. He hoped that Strathroy might offer him a clean slate, ever since his dad passed away his only real friend in Toronto was Ally, the rest he felt just kind of tolerated him. He knew he wasn't much fun to be around anymore, but at a new school maybe that could change.

-----

They pulled up to a small white house on an overgrown corner lot. Both Rodney and Marcy were unimpressed, large weeds sprouted out from the cracks in the driveway. The musty scent of old memories greeted them as they stepped out of the car and gazed upon the discoloured siding of the three-bedroom, two-bathroom house. Rodney shuddered at the thought of just how creepy the basement must be – how could he ever bring new friends here?

"Maybe it won't be so bad on the inside," Rodney mused, trying to convince himself more than anyone else. "After all, mom did say it was charming."

"Exactly," Marcy agreed, her freckled face glowing with optimism. "And besides, paint was invented for a reason right?"

Inside his new room, Rodney squinted at the paisley wallpaper that adorned the walls of his room. His imagination twisted it into a mysterious new planet teeming with danger and hidden secrets. He stood there, lost in thought when his phone vibrated in his pocket. Ally's name glowed across the screen.