Switched

Chapter 4- Lindsay

Lindsay sat on her bed, her legs pulled up against her chest. She peeled off the nail polish on her toes without a second thought, something she only did "when the world ended." Four separate stacks of pink and brown Louis Vuitton suitcases were laid out in front of her. The closet door was open, but while it was usually filled to the brim with cheery fashion choices, today it was empty except for a few neon hangers and shoeboxes with tissue paper spilling out. The chaise lounge was moved outside, the sheen curtains had been stripped down from their positions, and the selfies of her smiling besties in photobooths and parties were covering the carpeted floor.

Lindsay picked up the nearest picture, which was instantly recognizable. It was her favorite. Cindy, Melissa and her were doubled over in laughter, and they were stuffing bubblegum pink cotton candy in their mouths. A Ferris Wheel was set in the background. But, as if it was a sign, the image had been ripped in two. Because now, Lindsay was leaving her hometown, everything she'd known, to go to a school that was probably filled with annoying rich snobs. A single tear dropped on the picture and Lindsay crumpled it up and tossed it away. There was nothing else she could do. She was leaving- forever. It was time to embrace it. 

Lindsay's phone buzzed and she picked it up. It was a text from them.

CINDY: We have to plan our back-to-school outfits together. Get to my house stat.

A second later, my phone chirped again. It was from Melissa. She wasn't usually on her phone (one that Cindy and her bought for her birthday in secret because her annoyingly overprotective parents won't let her have one). I scrolled down to see her reply.

MELISSA: I can't leave. Parents :(

CINDY: Make up an excuse. Get out of ur house now!

Lindsay started to type that she would be there, but erased her message. 

LINDSAY: Can't come

CINDY: Y not??

Lindsay hesitated. She couldn't tell them the truth. But she'd have to! What would they think? Luckily she was saved by the sound of Melissa's incoming message.

MELISSA: Got it. On my way

LINDSAY: Sorry, guys can't go.

CINDY: Since when can't u come to my house whenever you want?

Someone knocked on the door, and then her mother came in. "It's time to go. The movers are outside." Lindsay nodded slowly and got up, walking towards the door. Then she turned and looked at the room. The sun broke through the cloudy sky and light flooded the room in an instant. Suddenly, Lindsay could see all of her childhood memories in this room- her first sleepover, the time when she brought freshly buttered popcorn and soda to watch Mean Girls and accidentally spilled it, and the day when she decided that her bedroom needed a whole new renovation and spent weeks choosing out new furniture and decorations to buy. Then the light dulled and turned to gray as another dark cloud shielded the blinding sun. "It's time to go." 

Lindsay shoved her phone inside her Prada tote bag and followed her mother outside to the balcony. Men with matching green shirts were covered in dripping sweat as they pushed a large sofa up the ramp and into the moving truck. 

A maid that had been hired- Anna- pulled suitcases out the door and furiously shoved them into the minivan in which Lindsay's dad was honking furiously for everyone to speed up. Lindsay ran the rest of the way to the car, and shut herself inside. Then her mom stepped into the car, her black and white stilettos making their way up first. Then, she nodded towards the steering wheel, and her husband took off.

Down the winding road they went, Lindsay tried to keep her eyes on the vivid green trees outside, but quickly lost interest and went back to fiercely trying to stop from breaking down in tears. She was leaving without even a goodbye to her friends! What would they think? She couldn't just text them. 

Oh, um guess what guys? I'm leaving to some snobby school!  And I'm halfway across the country and we'll never see each other again! Bye! BTW, watch this Vine of these cats attacking their own reflection. Adorbs! 

She couldn't just do that. They would be so mad. Or sad. Sad/mad. Smad. At her! The car rumbled over a bump then came to a screeching halt. Lindsay looked up, alarmed. She'd been to the airport before on a hundred summer trips to Spain. And she knew that it took around 40 minutes just to get to the main building. Maybe she'd lost track of time. But she knew that wasn't the case because just then, her dad looked back from the front seat and smiled. Or at least tried to smile. As he always said, "Businessmen don't smile." 

Lindsay leaned forward from the middle leather seat and raised a questioning eyebrow. She adjusted the pink straps on her Alice + Olivia top and pulled up her low-rise skinny jeans and looked out the window. She gasped. Cindy's baby-blue house was in front of her, perched on a small hill. As usual, it's front yard was covered with fresh, sun-baked grass and tall shady trees that provided a perfect spot for reading or just listening to music. From somewhere deep inside the house, Olivia, Cindy's golden retriever barked twice, as if it could sense Lindsay was near.

With a gasp, Lindsay let herself out of the car and raced towards the white front door, leaving her handbag inside the minivan. Olivia ran to Lindsay as soon as she stepped inside and Lindsay dropped down and patted her golden head. "Where's Cindy, huh girl?" Olivia directed her head down the hallway, where Melissa and Cindy's voices drifted out. A second later, Melissa poked her head out of Cindy's bedroom and laughed. 

"Cindy! Lindsay's here!" Cindy walked out of the door, quickly embracing Lindsay. Then she pulled away. 

"What's wrong?" she asked upon seeing Lindsay's tear-stricken face. 

"Um... can I tell you in there?" She inclined her head to Cindy's room. Her best friend nodded and led her inside. They sat down on the furry purple carpet and crossed their legs.

"We know something's wrong," Melissa said unsure. She wasn't used to seeing Lindsay broken like this. 

"I," Lindsay's chin quivered and her brown eyes glistened. "Um..." She took a deep breath and said quickly, "I'm moving." It took a while for her friends to react. Cindy let out a small laugh, unable to process it.

"Wait, what?" she scoffed. Melissa smiled too, as if she had just seen a Cheerleading Fails Vine. 

"That's hilarious, Lindsay. Anyways," continued Melissa as if nothing had happened. "Brady is just so-"

"I'm serious, okay?" Lindsay said again, her voice stronger this time.

"About moving? Why would you move? I mean, sue me if I'm wrong, but is there literally any better-paying job than the one your dad has now?" 

"Yes!" Melissa shook her head and leaned closer.

"Your life here is literally perfect. Why would you move?"

"Well it's not MY choice!" From across Lindsay, Cindy stopped and turned to her, her face dead serious.

"You're not kidding, are you?" The message was finally sinking in. Melissa turned to Cindy.

"This is impossible. She can't move. She can't. This year is going to be torture without her." 

"Well I am. So sorry everyone." Lindsay stood up. She was battling all these crazy emotions inside her. "Bye, okay? BYE." She turned around and walked out the door, running the rest of the way until she got to the car, tears slipping down her face. "Step on it," she told her dad. And they sped off.