The Heart Is A Beautiful Thing

The New Job

Bright light shines through my window, it beats right into my eyes. I turn over in my bed and shove my head into my pillow, it smells freshly washed, and I think to myself, why can't my dad buy me new blinds already, waking up early is getting quite annoying. I slump out of bed and wabble drowsily downstairs to make breakfast.

"Hey honey how did you sleep? Well I hope?"

"Ehhh, ok I guess thanks for asking dad," I say as I begin to scramble some eggs. "Is there something that's bothering you?"

"Well I guess I'm kind of uneasy about us moving all the way to New York.."

"Scarlet, honey it's gonna be ok, you will make new friends, and hey I'm sure you will make basketball team there. You are way too good for them not to take you. Plus with the new job offer I got we will have enough money to get you some new basketball gear!" I roll my eyes at him and finish cooking my eggs, plop them onto a paper plate, grab a fork and sit down at the kitchen table.

I don't understand why dad would want to leave this house. She will come back, she has to. Ever since my mom walked out on us I have always been hopeful that she will one day return to us. That's the real reason I don't want to leave this house. But to avoid the whole speech from my dad about how she will never return to us, I decide to say that I'm afraid that I might not be able to make the basketball team at my new school, which is not entirely a lie it's just not all of the truth.

I finish my eggs and throw the plate in the garbage. "Hey Scarlet, don't forget that we are going to the airport around noonish, make sure you are all packed up."

"Yeah yeah dad, I know," I say as I walk up the stairs looking at the bare walls that used to be covered in family pictures. As I get to the top of the stairs I see the boxes of things we still need to pack into the truck. Then my vision changes and I see the pictures of me and my father, us at b-dubs when we were celebrating my championship win with my basketball team, me and my friends at my 16th birthday party with my dad photo bombing us in the backround, and my dad and I at my 8th grade promotion.

I eventually snapped back into reality, and walked into my room to begin packing. I take absolutely everything I can fit into my suitcases, all of my clothes, my drawing pads and all of my drawing supplies, and everything my mom has ever given me. Especially that dream catcher, it has kept my dreams from turning really depressing.

Except..I can't find my dream catcher, it's not where I left it. I started to go into a state of panic, tearing up my room, looking under my bed, in my dresser, in my closet, under my dresser, everywhere I could possibly think it would be, but no luck it was no where to be found. I freak out and I sprint down the stairs practically running into my dad. "Woah woah, calm down, what are you looking for?"

"Dad, dad my dream catcher has gone missing! We have to find it!"

"Hon you need to calm down because I have it right here," my dad says as he walks over to one of the boxes and pulls out the dream catcher. "I kept your dream catcher in this box because everything in here was given to us by your mother." I raise my eyebrow at him and walk over to the box.

I squat down an begin to dig through the box. I find my dad and moms wedding photos and also their wedding video. I chuckle to myself because their wedding video is a VHS tape. I wish I had a VHS player, I wish I could experience their wedding myself, I suppose I could save up to buy one when we get to New York. I glance over at the electronic clock that's built into the stove and it reads, 11:45. Crap, we need to leave for the airport at noon, I better get a move on.

I snatch the dreamcatcher out of my dads hands and race up the stairs, slipping on the hardwood floors when I reach the top. Damn these stupid floors, I told dad that it wasn't a good idea, now I have the bruises to prove it. I rub my leg, seeing all of the black and blue marks that cover my knee. I regain my balance from the fall and walk into my bedroom. Bare purple walls with white trim and inspirational messages scattering the wall; Be Your Own Kind of Beautiful, Love Yourself, etc.

I lay my dreamcatcher safely into my suitcase and begin my check to make sure I have everything I need. Toothbrush? Check. Hairbrush? Check. All of the clothing that I could fit? Check. Shoes? Check. Bathing suit? Check. Basketball gear? Check. My drawing supplies? Check. My laptop? Check. My phone? Check. Phone charger? Check. Ear buds? Check. Pillow? Check. My dreamcatcher? Check. Well I think that's everything, better go downstairs and check on my dad.

I arrive downstairs to see my dad moving the final boxes outside to put into the moving van that's parked in the driveway. "Hey dad? Do you want me to start putting my stuff in the car?"

"Yes please, that would be so much help," my dad says as the front door slams behind him. I go back upstairs to get my stuff, and me being me I have to carry everything in one trip, so I shove my pillow under one arm, my laptop case under the other arm and grab my suitcases in both my hands.

Oh boy going down these stairs is gonna be a problem, I think to myself as I stare down the flight of stairs. My imagination turns on and the stairs begin to look like a snowy mountain I have to concur. I am determined to get down them so I take a deep breath and dive right in. The snow is building around me and the wind pricking my face like a million tiny needles, but I push through. I eventually make it to the bottom, the crowd is cheering and confetti is filling the sky. A small buzz coming from my pant pocket takes me back to reality. I quickly rush into the garage and pack my things into the trunk of the car, all the while wondering who could have texted me.

I slam the trunk door closed, and pull my phone out of my pocket. I turn it on and it says one new message. I unlock my phone and go into the messaging app, it's from a number I don't recognize. I click on it and it turns out to be just a stupid advertisment for a new video game. I sigh, relock my phone and slide it into my pocket. I climb in the car and wait for my dad.