Playing For Keeps (Harry Styles)

"Asdghjg!"

"Arg!"

"Unf!"

*ziiiiiiiiiiiiiiiip*

"Yes!"

Thud.

"Damnit!"

"Iz?!" I hear my mom call my name, her footsteps quickening a bit when she hears my hysterical laughter. "IZ!"

"Mom! In here!" I yell back, hoping my voice would direct her to my bedroom. Moments later I see her appear in my doorway, looking confused. "What the hell is going on in here?" she laughs, taking in the sight of my rolling around on the floor in fits of giggles. She smiles, crosses her arms over her chest, leans against the doorframe, and taps her toe to feign impatience for my explanation.

I push myself up against my the base of my bed in a seated position, wiping a lone tear from the corner of my eye. "I- I-" I have to take a deep inhale before I can shake the giggles from my voice. "Phew. Okay." I manage, bringing my gaze back up to my mother's before I have to bite down on my lip to stifle more giggles. "I was packing the last suitcase, see, and it was too full," I gesture to the suitcase perched above me on my bed. "And you know, I had to weigh it down somehow, so naturally I sat on it." My mom nods along, amusement growing in her small grin.

"So, I struggle with the beast- it put up a hell of a fight. But not to worry! I won." I put a triumphant fist in the air with a laugh. "I just didnt expect this crash landing is all." I gesture around me with a shrug of my shoulders, feeling the grin on my face grow bigger again at the recent memory.

My mom shakes her head, laughing with me, before taking small strides toward me and extending a hand in my direction to help me back up. "Are you sure you're about to go to college? You sound like a three year old," she smiles. She pulls my hand in her grasp, but is unable to lift my weight. "Nevermind, you sure weigh as much a seventeen year old," she grumbles lightly, dropping me back down to the floor while laughing.

I let out an oomph upon my landing, continuing to glare playfully at the woman who raised me. I push myself  back up into a standing postion befor striking a flexing pose. "It's all muscle," I joke, waggling my eyebrows while blowing a kiss. "You can thank hockey for these guns." 

She rolls her eyes and lightly shoves my shoulder, and I oblige by falling backwards onto my bed next to the evil suitcase. "That's the last one, right?" she asks, the humor in her voice fading a little. "Yup," I nod, noticing how her features had lost some of their earlier brightness too. I stand back up and take a step toward her to envelop her a hug. "Awwwww, is mommy wommy sad that her baby is leaving today? You should really be throwing a party now that you've got me out of your hair for  a while," I attempt to lighten the mood with my joking tone. I earn a chuckle as well as a yank on my long, chestnut ponytail. "Just wait till you have your own kids," she wagged her finger at me. "Then you can come and tell me that a mom will ever be happy to see her kid go." She sidestepped from my arms to heave my suitcase to the floor. As an afterthought, she added, "When did you get so tall, anyway?"

I giggle while replying with the usual, "You're just getting shorter, old lady." Imitating hurt, she hunched her back and placed a hand on it. "Fine, sprite young one. You get to carry that Goliath thing to the car. An old woman like me couldn't possibly!" she finished with a pout and a wink. "Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine,' I grumble, following her as she claps out the door in excitement. 

Upon reaching the doorway to my room  I can't help but turn and take one last look at everything, quickly reflecting on my journey to this day. As I turn out the light, I whisper a "goodbye room" and close the door. I hear my mom honking the car horn and screaming, "COME ONE IZ WE'RE GONNA BE LAAAATE!"

I laugh to myself, knowing how much I'll miss her too.

I sprint out my front door a final time before throwing open the back door of my Jeep and chucking in the case and hopping into the passenger seat. "LET'S GET THIS SHOW ON THE ROAD!" I yell. "We can once you put your seatbelt on," my mom said with a serious tone that contradicted the wide smirk on her face. She threw the car into gear while I rolled my eyes, fumbling for the belt and buckle. Once everything was straightened out, the gas pedal was floored and we were out of my driveway in a flash. "Wow, mom, in a rush to get rid of me, aren't you?" I laugh as we continued down the street. "You know it!" She's about to laugh when her face freezes in worry. "IZ!" she turns to me. "MOM," I yell back to her. "Did you grab your hockey stick?!" she asks frantically. 

I widen my eyes and make my mouth into an "o". "Umm...." I begin.

"We have to turn back, oh my god, IZ!"

"Mom, chill it's right hear," I flash a wicked grin and pull my stick from betweent the stick and door. "YOU KNOW I'D NEVER LEAVE MY BABY!"

She glares at me first, but succumbs to the laughter and joins me. "This is going to be one hell of a trip," she mumbles, turning her attention back out the windshield. The smile lingers on my face as I nod, repeating, "This is gonna be one hell of a trip."