The Next Door Neighbor [Aaron Carpenter] (editing)

O n e

O n e
[ Apsyn ]

"Aspyn, come down here for a second!" I heard my dads muffled yell from downstairs.

I groaned into my pillow and got up from my bed, I walked out of my room and down the carpeted stairs. As I reach the bottom I saw my mom and dad with sympathetic looks on their face. Here we go again, another "family meeting" where they tell me how they have to leave for a business trip and how my grandma is going to be coming here to watch me.

"Take a seat, sweetheart," my mom said as she guided me to the living room with her hands on my shoulder. I can't stand when she calls me that, and she knows it.

I sighed and leaned back waiting for them to continue.

"What did you guys want to tell me?" I asked looking at them confused.

"Well... uhm," my mom started, but my dad quickly cut her off.

"We are moving to Shreveport, Louisiana," he stated with no emotion. That's just how he was, no emotion at all, he's always been that way and I just had to learn to adjust.

Wait... did he just say we are moving?

Am I hearing things right?

"Wait, say that again, I must be hearing things. It sounded like you said we were moving to Louisiana," I ask with a small laugh.

"It's true... we leave in a week, so we have to start packing tomorrow," my dad replied walking towards the sink.

"Mom! You can't let him do this!" I said, my voice becoming louder with every word that came out of my mouth and my vision becoming blurrier by the second.

"Sweatheart, calm down," my mother stated calmly.

"Ugh, just stop... Stop calling me that and stop acting like this isn't a big deal!" I semi-yell to them.

"Go to your room and start packing," my dad said bluntly, pointing to the stairs.

I stood up and push past them running up the stairs to the end of the hallway where my room was.

To Scarlett: call me as soon as you can

I immediately felt my phone buzz and picked it up.

From Scarlett: everything okay?

I sighed and clicked the call button next to her name and waited for her to pick up.

"Hello" I said, my voice sounding dry and hoarse.

"Aspyn, what's going on?"

I stood quiet and debated on whether to tell her or not, "...Uh, we're moving."

"Wait, is this some kind of joke or?"

"Would I joke about something like this?" I gave a small laugh after I replied.

I heard her shuffling on the other end of the phone.

"When do you leave?" she asked in a quiet voice.

"I-in a... I'm not sure."

"I-Have to, my moms calling me. I'll call you later A."

"Yeah, okay... Bye S."

"Bye."

I threw my phone on my bed and went into my bathroom, locking the door behind me. Starting the water I kept my hand in the water and waited until it got warm until I stepped in.