Outcasts [boyxboy]

                “Jules?”

                My bedroom door opened and my mom let herself into the room. She looked around at the mess laid out across my floor.

                “How’s the unpacking going?” she asked.

                “It’s okay,” I said, looking up from the box I had been digging in. “I’m just trying to find all of my clothes right now. I think some got mixed in with my books.”

                “Do you know what you want to wear to school tomorrow?” She picked up a shirt off the floor and folded it, setting it on the end of my bed.

                I shook my head. “Not yet. That’s why I want to put my clothes away tonight. I can decide what I want to wear while I organize my clothes.”

                “Good idea,” she said. She bit her lip and sighed. “Jules, I really am sorry about all the moving around lately. But your father’s company assured him that we’ll be staying here for a while, if not permanently. So hopefully this is the last time you need to unpack all of your stuff in a new house.”

                “It’s not your fault. It’s not dad’s fault, either. It’s just the way things work out with his job. Don’t apologize for it,” I said, offering her a small smile to show her that I was okay.

                “Well, it’s getting late. Try not to stay up much longer. You don’t want to be tired for your first day tomorrow,” she said, returning the smile and leaving my bedroom.

                As soon as my door shut, the small smile slipped off of my face. I looked around at all of the boxes sadly.

                “I hope this is the last time we have to move,” I mumbled. “It would be nice to stay in one place for more than a couple of months.”

                I stood up and gathered my clothes from around my room. I folded them up and put them all away, leaving out only a T-shirt and a pair of jeans.

                I flicked the lights off and crawled into my new bed. I folded my hands behind my head, looking up at the blank ceiling.

                “I really hope that tomorrow goes well,” I said with a sigh. The first day at a new school was always hard, especially this late in the school year.

                I rolled over on my side and wrapped my arms around myself. There was nothing I could do about it now. I would just have to hope for the best tomorrow.

                                                                                                ***

                “Stupid hair,” I groaned, trying to force my comb through the tangled mess sitting on my head.

                “Aha!” I cried triumphantly as my hair finally gave up its defensive attitude. I finished running the comb through it and checked my appearance in the mirror.

                Okay, so I didn’t look bad today. A plain purple T-shirt over jeans, and converse on my feet. My hair was finally neat, and I had some bracelets stacked on my arm.

                Nodding at my reflection, I turned and grabbed my bag. I slung it over my shoulder and left my bedroom, heading out to the kitchen.