An Untold Secret

Chapter 1

   I'm packing my bags for yet another move. Mother can never seem to keep a job for very long. I feel she has done every job in every little town we go to, but they never stay. I've tried to get a job but it's hard with school and mother won't let me. She says it's her responsibility to care for us. Plus, it's difficult to get a job for me even being seventeen. I'm hoping that this will be our last move, but I remind myself not to get my hopes anymore.

   Its just mom and I, and I know she does everything she can for me. I've never had a father figure in my life. I have never even seen my father, or even know his name. Heck, I'm not sure if my last name is really mom's or my father's. Mother doesn't like to talk about him...at all. When life starts getting tough with money or keeping a job she drinks a bit, and I believe those are days when she thinks about him. Even when she's had a few she won't spill anything about him. All she says is that she loved him.

   I grab the rest of my clothes out of the closet and chuck them on the bed. So far I have this gigantic pile of clothes on top of my bed and nothing in my suitcases. 45 minutes later and I have all the clothes folded and packed. I take all my drawing paper and color pencils and pack them with the clothes. Art is the only thing I'm good at. I basically have no friends, but the moving every year doesn't help. If I'm lucky we would stay at least 2 years.

   I look in my cracked mirror and braid my dirty blonde hair into two dutch braids. I add some pink lip gloss that I got as a free sample at a store. My outfit isn't much. Grey leggings with a lime green long sleeve.

   I find myself staring down at my necklace my mother got me for my 10th birthday. It had a silver chain (it was fake because there is no way mother could afford real silver) and a silver wolf hanging down in the middle. I had asked her why a wolf, and she told me when I was younger we had a husky and I always called him Wolfy. Apparently, I loved the thing.

   I pick up the necklace and put it around my neck. With everything packed I pick up my suitcases and head out to the car. There is not much room in our old Volkswagen Bug, therefore, we have to travel light. Mom already has her suitcases in the trunk, so I shove mine in the back seat. Mom starts the car, and after a few huffs it turns on. Mother pushes the gas and we are on our way.

   "You ready?" Mom asks with a smile.

    I look towards her, "I think I'm just going to keep everything in the suitcases, so I don't have to pack again for our next move."

   "Look, I know we're moving-"

   "Again" I interject.

   "I know we're moving, again," she added, giving me a look that tells me 'shut up and listen'. "We've been through this. We are going to keep our head up and stay strong."

   Haven't heard this before... It's the same speech every time. I more keep my head down and stay low. Then, when I leave no one really knows I'm gone except maybe a few friends.

   "This town is a little bigger so there is a better chance we can finally stay. I've already called your school and enrolled you. They said that your credits will be transferred. You need to be nice and do your work and listen-"

   I lean my head up against the window and close my eyes. I drift off imagining what my life could be here. I'm a senior, so I might as well make it a good one.

   "Are you even listening?"

   "Huh," I say without opening my eyes.

   "Will you sit up, open your eyes, and look at me?" She says sternly. Mom just has this tone that makes you want to listen even if you don't want to do it. I pop one eye open and then the other. The sun is gone and I'm met with a dark sky. There is no one on the road except us. I must have been asleep for a couple hours.