My Best Friend's Brother

Chapter 31

“I’m sorry but did you say we’re moving to Australia?” I inquired, staring at her with wide eyes.

“Y-yes,” mom stuttered nervously.

“But we literally just moved here! We’ve not even been here for an entire year and now, you want to move again?” I asked, trying to keep my tone calm but failing.

“But-but wouldn’t this be good for us? I mean, we finally get to settle down,” she reasoned.

“In Australia,” I said sarcastically.

“It’s a great place! I looked up everything! The living conditions are great and safe, the education there is excellent, you’ll be able to fit in no time!” she started saying everything in one breath.

But I wasn’t listening. I didn’t want to move. How many times would I have to do this? How many times will I have to re-start my life? How many times will I have to be the new girl all over again? For once, I felt like I belonged somewhere and now, she wants to move again? And what’s the confirmation that we won’t move a month after staying in Australia? What if she gets a better job? Will she make me move again?

“No,” I cut her off. I didn’t even know if she heard me or not because I was too soft.

She stopped abruptly.

“No!” I said, louder this time. I looked up to meet her eyes. “I don’t want to move! I don’t!”

Before she could say anything, I swiftly turned on my heels and walked away from her. Frustration was seething through my entire body. Why is everything going wrong all of a sudden?

First, Austin had to meddle and create confusion and drama in my life. Then, Ethan decided to explode like a balloon with too much air. And now, out of the blue, mom wants to move to Australia? I shut my eyes with anger and sat down on my bed.

Okay, okay, I have to relax. I’m going to have to set things straight with Ethan first. I’m going to talk to him tomorrow in school and explain everything.

I glared at the cream colored wall as I tried to calm myself down.

It wasn’t working well.

The fact that my wall was plain and boring annoyed me further. Because we move so much, I never get the opportunity to decorate or personalize my room. As my thoughts wandered off, I felt my phone buzz next to me. I snatched it off angrily and unlocked it.

I felt my anger subside a bit as I read that it was a text from Jared.

We need to talk.

I stared at it for a moment, confused. I never liked such kind of texts. They simply made me nervous.

Okay..? Want me to call you now?

I quickly typed a reply and waited, biting the nail on my pinky finger. After a minute or so, he finally replied.

No. Meet me first thing tomorrow in school. I don’t want to do this over the phone.

I frowned slightly as I replied, agreeing to meet him tomorrow.

I let out a sigh through my nostrils and decided that I needed sleep. Getting of my bed, I shut off my phone and the curtains of the room.

Sleep refused to come easily, of course but I managed to doze off.

*

I took a deep breath before going down the stairs. Mom didn’t bother talking to me yesterday; I knew she wouldn’t. She never tries to talk to me when she knows I’m under the spell of anger. She always waited a day and I know that the minute I go down the steps, she’s going to try and talk to me.