Delivering Damon

jedan

j e d a n - o n e

I jinxed it.

  The school day went exactly as I thought it would. I was ignored, Jessie was loud, and Rowan laughed with his friends as they sat at the table they unofficially claimed when they all became jocks and cheerleaders, the one smack dab in the center of the cafeteria. The ride home consisted of singing along to 90's hits and occasional teasing. Everything was exactly as it should've been... Until we got home.

Our parents both work long hours. Being the children of a lawyer and a doctor isn't exactly easy, especially when we don't see either parent for days at a time. I guess the fact that both our mom and dad's cars were in the driveway when we arrived should've been the biggest giveaway.

When we walked in, the tension was palpable. There was a vase on the floor in the hallway, obliterated into a million little pieces. Suitcases were thrown haphazardly at the foot of the staircase. Stepping further into the house, we found our parents in the kitchen, red faced and panting as if they'd just ended a shouting match. They stood across from each other, mom's arms folded and dad's curled into tight fists. Tear streaks marred both of their faces, drying ever so slowly.

Something bad was happening. I shared a look with Rowan, his eyes held sadness. We knew there was no bouncing back from this one. We knew that whatever was about to happen would change our lives forever. Then, mom said the three words that changed it all, the three words that landed us where we are now. "Kids, we're leaving."

  Oh yeah, this year is definitely going to be interesting.

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That's how we ended up here, in a town two hours away from all our friends and childhood memories. Rowan's still mad at mom for basically uprooting our entire lives. I, however, don't mind as much. I didn't have very many friends, I didn't play a sport, and I didn't have a boyfriend, so I wasn't too upset about the move. The only reason I'm kinda bummed is because I had to leave behind the most important person (aside from my family) in my entire life, my best (and only) friend. Jessie promised that we'd call and FaceTime every day, but I know it won't be the same. I won't be able to sit with her at lunch, or call her over to my house whenever I'm bored. We promised that as soon as we were settled into the new house, she'd come and visit. Mom already gave the okay, and Jessie's parents see me as a second daughter, so they won't mind.

"Dyl? Mom wants us to help unpack the kitchen. You almost done in here?" Rowan leans against my doorframe. His face is blank, but his eyes still hold the same sadness from when he watched our childhood disappear behind us through the rear view mirror.

I pull myself out of my thoughts. Standing up, I pin the picture of me, Jess, and Rowan on my cork board. The picture is the last memory I have in our old house, Jess with tears in her eyes and watery smiles on all of our faces. My cheeks were flushed, probably from the crying I'd done, and Rowan had his arms around our shoulders, hugging us tightly. Heaving a sigh, I turn and start for the door. "It's okay, Dyl, it won't be too bad. Now c'mon, the kitchen isn't going to unpack itself," Row says, a tight smile on his face. We go downstairs and unpack the kitchen in silence, the both of us thinking about just how bad this situation truly is.

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Beep. Beep. Beep.