Constellations || On Hold

I

"Allison, are you ready?"

"Yes, mum. Just give me a minute."

"All right, hurry up. I'm loading our baggage into the car."

I quickly rush over to my backpack that had been lying on my bed and start to check;
Hairbrush? Check.
Cellphone? Check.
Earphones? Check.
Books? Check.
Gum? Check.
And last but not least -- perfume, yeah, that's about it. I'm all set.

Okay, looks like I've got everything I need and I'm not forgetting anything important behind.

"I guess this is goodbye." I heave a barely audible sigh. I never thought I would leave the house I've lived in for seventeen years, but it was happening. I take one last look around my room and finally left.

I quickly enter the living room, grab my laptop and dash for the door and quickly sit myself in the back seat of mum's car whilst clicking my seat belt. Safety first, right?
"Are we all set?" She inquired, looking at me through the rear view mirror.
"Yup!" The P was popped.
She gave me a smile, "We're off then."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

It had been two hours since we started driving. Long drives always reminded me of dad, he would keep on commenting about the little places that used to appear in the middle or before we reached our destination... I remember the time I was a whinny little brat.

"Hey, dad. Where are we going today? Is it like one of those surprise trips like the last one we went to?" I squeaked.

"Maybe, maybe not." he suppressed a knowing smile.

"Come on, dad. Tell me. I really wanna know!"

"If I tell you it won't be much of a surprise."

"So I was right! A surprise."

"My little girl is getting smarter day by day just like her dad."

"Sorry to interrupt, Morris, but she's my daughter too, you know?" Mum shot a glare my father's way, but her tone was impish.

"Looks like she hasn't taken any of her traits from you then."

We all burst into laughter, but my giggle had been the most distinct.

A few days ago...

"Kate speaking, who is this?" Mum answered the phone, standing beside me while I watched the television. "Are you serious? I mean... it cant be... yes, but..." Mum started to walk away and then came back once she was done attending the call.

What was that all about?

"Allison, turn on the news." She said impassively, almost as if in shock.

And so I did.

Mr. Morrison had been murdered this afternoon, we have a few suspects and some detectives who've already started working on the case-

"Mum??"

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Allison, wake up, we're here."

So this was it, was it? Edinburgh, Dalry Gait. I must say, it was a tad different from what I had hoped for, but I had to get used to it now. And frankly, it wasn't all bad.

Pearl Apartments – that was our new home. The adjoined buildings were five stories, with red, bricked entrance doors and rectangular window balconies.

"So how does it feel to be here?"

Mum's question had snapped me out of my twisted thoughts, and I was quite annoyed, actually. I hated being interrupted when I was in the middle of some very deep and important thinking.

"Hm? Oh, yeah. It's cool. What are we having for dinner?" I couldn't be any less interested at the time, I was slouching against the table, my chin resting in my palm and my other hand making invisible patterns on the cold, marbled surface.

She hadn't answered, but she didn't need to, since she had already presented my helping of her eminent cheesy pasta in front of me. We both ate our meals quietly and leisurely, and time seemed to have been passing agonizingly slow. Someone needed to start a conversation, and it wasn't me.

"So, Allison,"

Great, she actually had.

"Yeah?"

"Are you excited about school tomorrow?"

"Oh, yeah, mom. Very."

My tone was laced with derision, just like my expression was with apathy.

"Sweetheart, you'll be fine. I promise. It's the school your dad always wanted you to attend."

Now I was just nervous to the point I felt like throwing up my emotions.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX