Unsteady

-one-

Now--

I pressed my ear against my mother's bedroom door, trying to pick up every word that was being said. My mother's fiancé , Carlos, had said he had a huge surprise for her. They had only been engaged for six months, but he spent every minute of his life living off of us. He wasn't the provider of our family. Not even close to it. He ate our food, used our money and didn't have a job. He claimed he was an author but a man like Carlos had the vocabulary of a fifteen year old boy who was around his friends. You couldn't write a noble peace prize worthy novel using slang and cuss words.

The bedroom door had swung open, smashing into my face and putting my thoughts to a halt.

I swore I saw Carlos snicker at the sight of my smashed face. It was as if he was a child.

"Valia, you'll never believe it! Carlos just told me the most wonderful news!"

My mom twirled around, her hair flying with her. She looks so radiant and so happy, I almost felt the urge to jump up and down with her and share her excitement.
Until I remembered who the provider of this "wonderful news" was.

"He's moving us all to California. He found a job, and bought us a house. We're getting married in California as well!"

My heart stopped.

My jaw dropped

Tear of shock quickly formed into my eyes and threatened to spill over at any second.

No one ever sees me cry.

So I walked out of the room without saying a word.

--

"I don't understand why Valia's not happy about this." I heard my mother say, almost sadly.

I pressed my ear closer to the door once again. This was now becoming a usual occurrence.

"The kid's ungrateful. Something goes right for you and she can't handle it."
Carlos sneered back.

I wanted to break down the bedroom door and slap him. Of course I was happy for my mother, but ever since Carlos came into her life, our mother-daughter relationship wasn't the same. She became a different person almost, barley having time for our old traditions, which we had many of.

"She's not. She's-I mean, we've been through a lot. First David's passing, then Rachael leaving...I don't know, Carlos."

"You've been through a lot, Cindy. She was barely old enough to remember any of it."

I took in his words slowly. They echoed over and over in my head.

I felt my face burning. Every inch of my body was filled with fury and hatred. I didn't want anyone who would ever dare say such a thing to be my step father. He'd grown up rich, with two loving parents and everything he could ever imagine, and he had the audacity to say that I had been through nothing? I hated him. Even more than I hated Rachael when she'd left. I needed a way out. I wasn't leaving my cozy house in the suburbs of New York behind for some fancy house  in California with a man that hated me as much as I hated him. I just didn't know how I'd get out of moving yet.

--

I raced down the sidewalk with my bike, coming to a halt at my best friend, Kennedy's  house. We lived on the suburbs of New York, in a tiny city far away from the actual city of New York. She was only a couple houses down on our street away from me. Another main reason I couldn't move.

"Hey, Val." She called after I'd burst through the front door. She'd given me the spare key so I could come in whenever I wanted, but her door was usually unlocked anyways.

"How'd you know it was me?"

"Everyone else knocks."

I flung my shoes off and climbed up the stairs leading to her living room. She was sprawled out on her couch in an old Girl Scouts shirt and sweats.

"Ha. Ha."

"So what's the news?"

"They're moving. To California." I told her what Carlos said earlier to my mom. She fumed just like I did.

She went on a seemingly endless rant using a lot of swear words about how awful my future step father was. I just sat back and ate the half empty bag of chips I'd found on her floor.

"You're moving in with me." was what she ended off her rant with.

Even though we both knew this was close to impossible, I felt a hint of satisfaction that I was wanted. It felt good to know someone would miss you.

"Ken? You have three siblings and two bedrooms. There's no room for me. Plus your mom would never agree to having a stranger live in the house."

"Oh, shut up Val. You and I both know that you are not a stranger." She said, eyeing me stretched on her living room floor.

"Okay, so what do I do? I want to spend summer here! We were going to go to Kings Cove and get jobs at the Shack and learn how to drive! I don't want to miss that."

"When do you leave?" Kennedy asks.

"As soon as school lets out." Which was only in a week and a half. I had nine days to figure out where I would spend my summer and possibly the rest of my life.

Kennedy looks like she's contemplating this information. I wait for her to beg me to stay. She'd offer me tons of solutions that I would've never thought of, and everything would be okay. But then she opens her mouth.

"Honestly, Valia. You know I'll miss you. The summer will suck without you, but I mean, it's California! And it's your Mom. Your best friend. How could you let her move across the country without you?"

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. My own best friend basically said she wanted me to move. Without even offering any possible solution to getting out of it. I'd pictured her bawling, begging me to stay at her home. She'd offer me her bed, even. But no. I couldn't believe it.

"Wow, Kennedy. Whatever. I'll ask someone else, then." I said bitterly, sitting up and grabbing my bike lock and phone from the coffee table.

"Val!"

"See you."

"Valia!"

I walked out the door, letting it slam shut.

And I'd thought she needed me.

--

Authors note-
Don't ask why I'm uploading this at 2 in the morning..lol :)