Revisited

Chapter 1

I stare down at my packed suitcase. My old bedroom could only be described as 'bear' now. I don't understand why we have to move.
"Kit-Kat, are you nearly ready darling?" My dad calls up the stairs as I wince at the childhood nickname. I turn towards the door to shout back when I spot something out of the corner of my eye. The morning light shining through my window reflects against something tucked under my bed, almost out of view. Almost. I climb onto my hands and knees and pull it out. I gasp, taken off guard as I gently wipe dust off of the old photo frame. A wave of emotions crash over me. "Why did you have to go?" At first it's a gentle sob but my feelings suddenly turn to anger as I throw the photograph across the room. I wish I hadn't done it, now the picture of my mother and sister stare at me through the broken glass. I hear a beep which distracts me from my thoughts, I don't realise I'm shaking until I hold up my phone to see who the text is from.
Natasha: omg you're leaving today??? It's come too soon, come to mine in 10?? Xxx-N
I smile slightly at the message, I'm really going to miss Nat, she's always been there for me through thick and thin and I honestly don't know what I'm going to do without her.
I lean over to zip up my suitcase and head towards the door. Glancing one more time at my empty bedroom and the broken picture of my mom and sister. I head down stairs and see dad leaning on the breakfast bar and looking down at this mornings newspaper, when I walk into the room he looks up and smiles.
"Alright Katie?" He says, his features look gentle, as if he's scared I'm going to break.
"Yeh, um.. Can I go see Nat before we go?" He looks concerned.
"I wish you could but we've got to be heading to the airport soon."
"Dad please! I'm leaving my home because of you, the least you could do is let me see my best friend one last time before I never see her again!" I snap at him and instantly regret it because he looks so hurt. I don't apologise because what I said is true so I just storm out the front door, grabbing my coat on the way.
"I'll be at Nat's" I call over my shoulder.
***
"It's not fair!" I moan into my best friends shoulder.
"Sweetie, life's not fair." She says pushing me back from the shoulders and looking me dead in the eye. I take in her features, trying to remember her as best as I can. Her tanned skin (so unusual as we rarely get super hot days here in Canada, even in the summer it's nothing compared to LA or Florida) her brown eyes bore into me and her plump lips are set in a straight line. Nat is beautiful, all the boys love her. She grabs a hair band off of the dresser in her room and pulled her long, wavy, dark brown hair up into a messy bun on top of her head.
"Promise to FaceTime me every night?" I say and pull a sulky face.
"Whenever the time zones overlap, promise"
"I'm gunna miss you soooooo much Natasha!" I say pulling her into another hug.
"Aww me too!" She says pouting, then she brightens up and adds "hey I know someone else who will miss you! Nathan!" She says with a exaggerated wink. I can't help myself but laugh. Nathan Williams has been the schools heartthrob since kindergarten, every girl we know swoons over him except me and Nat (much to his frustration). He'd spend all our school years giving us attention that the other girls would kill for, and the best thing was, Nat and I found it hilarious!
We hear a long car horn from outside. I rolled my eyes but also tried to fight back the tears.
"Well..that's my que!" I say giving Nat a small smile as I walk towards her door.
"Oh Katie! I almost forgot!" She turned and dug through a messy draw and pulled out a friendship bracelet. "I know it's childish, but who are we to care what others think about us, right?"
"Thanks N," I say brining her into a hug as we walk down the stairs arm in arm.
"Thank you Ms. Cooper!" I say to Nat's mum as I'm leaving the house.
"Bye Katie," she says giving me a sympathetic look before adding, "and how many times! Call me Liz!"
I just smile before beaming at Nat and stepping over the threshold on the doorstep.
"Remember Kate, it's not goodbye!" She calls as I open the passenger side door and climb in.
Dad doesn't say anything as I get in and I suddenly remember the way I snapped at him earlier. I watch Nat's modern house with its balcony and window flower beds disappear through the rear view mirror.
"Dad I-" I started, not being able to take the silence anymore before he cuts in.
"Katie, I'm sorry, I forget how hard it must be for you." I smile slightly and leave it at that because I'm still angry at him for dragging me away from my home.
I pull out my phone and write an update on Twitter.
"Just said my goodbyes, I'm gunna miss all of you (especially @Nat127) but I'm ready to start my new life in England xx"
Not long after I post this I get lots of replied, many consisting of "aww, gunna miss you @Katie.moore" I start just pointlessly reading posts on my Instagram when I get a follow request. It's a name I don't recognise so I click on the account. My heart stops. They've got no followers and I'm the only one that their following but that's not what scares me. The profile picture is a picture of my little sister beaming up at the camera, I recognise it straight away as the picture I took of her when we went to the park. No other copies of this were taken and I never shared it on social media. My vision begins to blur as I stare at her, her hair, the same colour as mine. A sandy blonde and her dark eyes, they stand out against her hair and make her skin look paler. In the photo she was wearing the same striped sweatshirt as....as...the day she she was taken.