Tiny teenage heartaches

chapter six

"That's the last box Mack" Lewis says with a sigh.

After talking with the Andersons and my brother, we all concluded that me living with them would be for the best and that it would only be until Lewis got a degree and moved back closer to where I go to school. 

The next day was spent packing my stuff and moving it from my grandmas house to the newly refurbished guest bedroom, now to be my room. It consisted of a bed with purple sheets and a white dresser and desk. 

Lewis sits the box on the floor and plops down on the edge of the bed next to me. 

"Look I know this isn't easy but it's gonna be great. School is starting next week which will give you a distraction, but the Andersons are great people and you'll feel at home in no time."

"It doesn't matter to me where or even who I live with. The thing that bugs me the most is that you're not going to be here too." I close my eyes as some stray tears fall, but continue talking anyway, "You're the only person I have left, you're my best friend. I don't want you to leave" I say  as the tears fall faster. Lewis pulls me into a hug and I think I got some tears on his shirt.

"Mack, I love you so much. You mean the world to me and if anything ever happened to you my life itself would end, but this is how it has to be for a little while. I know you hate because frankly, I do too, but we can do it. Mack we have to do it. We don't have any other choice." His voice cracks at the end. We both stay silent and cling to each other. We've both been each others anchors for so long. Being there for each other through all the crap life has thrown at us. 

He lets go and we both dry our tears. He looks down at his watch and frowns. I give him a questioning look.

"I've got to be at work in an hour" he says solemnly. We both stand up and I walk him out of the house and to his car where we give each other one last hug and say our goodbyes. I wave as he drives away.

I walk back into the house and straight to my new room to finish all of my unpacking and organizing. Not that there's much to unpack and organize. The last thing left in a box is a picture. A picture a mom, dad, and two toddlers. My family. Or should I say, my fake family. My ditching mom and my deadbeat dad. The only family I have is Lewis. He's the only family I've ever had. He's he only family I'll ever need. Seeing my parents fake smile faces makes me mad. It makes me more that mad. It makes me furious. I throw the picture back in the box and shove it in my closet. I want absolutely nothing to do with that anymore. 

I spend the rest of the afternoon with my nose stuck in my book. Even though I've read it a couple times, it still captivates me. A Series of Unfortunate Events, ironic, I know. It's just captivating to read about people who go through sucky things and how they deal with it. That's probably how life feels when they see me. Not that my life is completely terrible, it could be so much worse. It just feels horrible sometimes because I just can't catch a break. You'd think life would feel bad for me by now. I know I feel bad. 

I finish the book and roll over and see that it's five o'clock. I step out of my room and into the kitchen to find Mrs. Anderson cooking dinner. She sees me enter and gives me a hug.

"Hey sweetie, you hungry for pasta?" she says as she stirs various pots on the stove.

"Starved, is there anything I can do to help?" 

"I'm actually almost done, but could you go up to Danny's room and wake him up. Tell him it's time for dinner."

"Yeah of course."