Dedication goes to crazyfruitcake5 for being one of the first people to read my story!
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With the last book in place, Eleanor stepped back satisfactorily. Now there were only five more boxes to go. ‘Down from seven,’ she thought grumpily. She had been at it since they got here that morning. Her arms feet and neck ached so badly she could barely stand. And she was hungry. Tomorrow was her first day at school and she was already as tired as hell. She really wasn’t feeling like going.
There was a knock on her door, it opened and Jack came in. He had a smile on his face, as always. ‘Hey, little sis, need help?’ he asked lightly.
‘What do you think?’ she asked sullenly.
‘I think you shouldn’t read so many books,’ he joked. ‘And all these other boxes are filled with books, aren’t they?’
She pouted. ‘I wish I could make you read some.’
He laughed. ‘Yeah, right,’ he muttered. ‘By the way, I’m leaving tomorrow.’
Her eyes widened. She had been dreading this day for a very long time. The last thing she wanted was for her brother to leave for college. ‘Seriously?’ she asked knowing the answer already, still dreading it. ‘I can’t believe you’re already leaving. It’s unbelievable.’
‘Come now, you said no tears, remember?’ he said, making her sit beside him. ‘Besides, I’ll be back in the winter vacation to babysit you.’
That brought a momentary smile on her face. But it vanished again. ‘Now who am I supposed to fight with?’
He chuckled. ‘Don’t you think we’re both a little too old for pillow fights?’
‘Oh, you’re just acting like that, all grown up and off to college. I know you’re just pretending.’
‘Hey, you sound like I’m going overseas! It’s only a few hour drives away, you know. You can visit me on weekdays, if I’m home.’
‘Yeah, if you’re home,’ she said, rolling her eyes. ‘For all I know, being out of mom and dad’s sight you’ll be partying even more and banging more chi….’ She stopped herself, blushing hard. He raised an amused brow, waiting for her to finish her sentence. ‘Sorry, I meant girls,’ she muttered.
He laughed so hard after that she wanted to just hide away. ‘Oh, El, you’re such a kid. I’m going to miss you, little sis. Okay here’s how about I promise you something. I’ll be the perfect athlete and I won’t drink. And I’ll get myself a good permanent girlfriend. And I’ll always be home when you come to meet me. Deal?’
She thought about it a while and figured that was the best she would be getting at the moment. ‘Deal,’ she said with a bright smile, for Jack’s sake.
‘Now let’s go down and put some food in our stomachs. I’m starving.’
‘So am I,’ she said, taking off after him.
Excited for school?’ her mom asked.
She crunched up her nose. ‘Not really,’ she replied. ‘I’m nervous, actually. I don’t know anybody, nobody knows me. It’ll be real awkward.’
‘Only when you think like that, sweetheart,’ her father said. ‘Look at your brother. He fits in like a hand in a glove in his college.’
‘That’s because he’s Jack,’ she replied, not faltered from her ideas. ‘The school football captain; the most popular hot ass in high school.’
‘Language, Eleanor,’ her mother cried.
‘Sorry mom,’ she said sighing. The only reason no one ever picked on her school because she was Jack’s ‘litter sister’. And he broke someone’s back-literally-if they dared lay an evil eye on his sister. Sure she felt pretty good with him sticking up for her-safe even. But to think that the only attention anyone ever gave her was for her brother. If one of the popular people her talked to her -the agenda was crystal clear-buttering Eleanor to get to Jack. She felt she had no personality at all. And maybe she didn’t.
She was the nerd who sat at a corner in the library and read all the books available. She walked timidly, barely laughed out loud, and had almost no friends-almost. And when people called her it was for tutoring or help with some schoolwork. Because, let’s face it, she knew better than most teachers and taught better than all of them. Though Eleanor was supposed to be happy with all of this-this was all she aimed for-good grades and a good college. Inside still she was sad and lonely. Friendless. Unless you counted books- and her paintings. They called her a walking encyclopedia, a dictionary, the smartest person alive-but never a friend. The only friend she had was Jack. And he too in school was too busy for her. She never held it against him though. She was desperate for change-maybe this school.
Partly it was her fault. She was too stuck up and secretly even a snob. She always found something to criticize in someone. No one was perfect, no was moderate, no was too good either. No one was Jack. She had a so called friend- Allie. But she was always too busy for her- painting, tutoring, studying herself. Until Allie put her foot down and said that Eleanor was the worst friend that existed. She didn’t care about what was happening with Allie’s life- that she had had a breakup with her boyfriend- or quarreled with her parents. Honestly, Eleanor didn’t care about anyone’s life-nor hers even. She couldn’t help Allie. And she had no interest in shopping or clothes or the same shit about who was dating who. Maybe she was different and she was glad she was different- for a long time- until now.
‘Why did we have to move?’ she grumbled for the umpteenth time. But she was a little glad inside. She couldn’t be set in one place- she hated that. She was a bird.
Her father sighed. ‘Darling, I know change now is going to be hard for you but I really needed this job,’ he said, apologetically.
‘Yeah, yeah, I know,’ she mumbled, sighing and returned to her food. ‘School sucks left and right everywhere, anyway.’
‘Oh, honey, it is school you’re worried about?’ her mom asked sympathetically. ‘You know what I’ll drive you tomorrow.’
‘Yeah, little sis, let mom drop you off. Just like in kindergarten,’ Jack joked.
‘Geez, mom, no,’ she cried. ‘You want me to look loser first day of school. And I’m not in kindergarten anymore. I can handle this myself.’ Jack, she whimpered mentally, I already miss you!
