I groaned and hovered the blanket over me as my mom started her usual morning melodies, intended to wake me up. She drew the blinds, letting the bright light enter the room. She swiftly took the blanket away from me and started her way to the kitchen saying,
‘Rise and shine Evans! It’s time for another new day!’
I smirked to myself. Nothing was new about my life. I was the suitcase kid. Literally. Ever since dad passed away when I was seven, I never had a real home. My mom and I started to travel across different towns and cities as she carried out a number of odd jobs, which never guarenteed a settled living. The longest stay we had ever had at a place was about seven months and thirteen days to be precise. I’ve never had a real life and I doubt I’d ever have one. It was simple. My life was a nightmare.
It was late afternoon by the time school was over. Like usual, school was horrible. Tripped by a freshman in the hallway. Oatmeal thrown at my hair during lunch. Chewed bubblegum on the handle of m ylocker. And those rude comments on the way home.
I clenched my fists in anyger and stormed across the sidewalk. When I came to my house, I took a deep breath and opened the door with full force, to see a sight that was pretty familiar to me by now. My mom turned around quickly and I could see her body stiffen.
“Nicole darling! What are you doing here now?”, she said, looking at me worriedly.
“No afternoon classes today”, I muttered, feeling my body heat up in rage. She noticed my temper and took a step closer. I backed away slightly, tears forming in my eyes. She sighed and gently said, “Look Nicole. I’m sor-“
“Don’t complete the sentence mom. Don’t.”, I said loudly, signalling her to stop with my hand.”I’ve heard it way too many times and I don’t care. Your apologies don’t have any meaning. I’m tired of losing.”, I said, increasing my volume.
I stormed to my room, without looking at her. Before entering my room, I stopped. I turned slightly to my right and looked at her from the corner of my eye. “You don’t know how it feels, do you?”, I hissed.
“Nico - "
And before she could even complete the word, I slammed the door shut and locked it. I turned around to see an empty room infront of me. I ran to the corner of the room, dropped down and started to cry.
I replayed what just had happened. The sight of the suitcases all packed up and buckled…the once furnished home now gone…the fact that we were moving again. The anger inside of me had decreased, but the misery grew. I was tired of moving around like a game piece. Sure, my school was horrible. I got bullied. I had no friends. But I’ve learnt to adapt to it and fight it. I didn’t want to move and experience the whole process, with new people at a new place.
I hugged my knees as I sobbed to myself. After a few minutes, I heard a low knock at the door. I looked up, sighed and went to open the door. Of course, it was my mom.
“Nic-nicole…”, she said gently. I looked up at her to see her crying. Maybe I could yell at my mom, but I could never take her crying.
“Mom. Don’t cry.”, I said, hugging her. She hugged me back and didn’t let go. “I’m sorry honey. I really am. I can’t help it. I’m so sorry”, she breathed out through my hair.
I took a breath. It guess it really wasn’t her fault. She was just trying to support ourselves.
“I…I’m sorry…”, I began, crying into her shoulder.
She held my shoulders and delicately pushed me back. She looked at me and whispered, “Don’t be sorry hon. You haven’t done anything. It’s my fault. It’s all my fault”. She began to break down into tears. I sighed and patted her reassuringly.
“It’s okay mom. We’ll get through it”
---
The next day went by like a flash. We went to school and signed some forms really quick. I could hear people in the hallways whispering to each other.
“I heard her mom got a job as a janitor in the town next door”
"Looks like the baggage is gone”
“Sandra told me she began to fail this semester. That’s why they’re moving town. What a loser.”
I rolled my eyes and walked faster to keep in pace with my mom.
This town had got to get a life.
My hair flew all around as the breze swept across my face. The only sound that had been audible for the past four hours of the travel was the wind. I began to think about how my new school was going to be, my new friends (that is, if I would have any), my new home, the new place… I froze. It hit me.
I turned to my mom and spoke my thought out loud
“Now where exactly are we going?”
I saw my mom shake a little in her seat. She let out a nervous laugh.
“I thought you were asleep”
I raised my eyebrows to say, ‘You didn’t answer me’
She glanced at me and said, “What?”
I sighed. “Where. Are. We. Moving?”
“Oh that. We’re going to the Scripps Town”, she said ever so casually.
I looked at her with awe. “You mean… you don’t mean the one by the beach?”
She laughed. “That was a big brownie point for our moving.”
I laughed too. I loved beaches. Period. Apparently when I was five years old, my dad asked me what I wanted to do when I was 20 and I said, “Marry a nice boy and live in a house by the beach”
Yeah. That’s how much I loved beaches.
We were quiet for a few minutes until I asked again.
“What are you going to work as?”
My mom looked at me and grinned.
“You won’t believe it.”
“What?”, I said excitedly.
“The shopkeeper of a handicraft store!”, she excliamed.
“Oh. That’s great.”, I said half-heartedly. I was hoping she’d say a pizza girl.
My mom drove down a lane, horizontal to the beach. I was amazed by the sight. It was beautiful. I couldn’t believe I was going to live here! I let out a tiny yelp in excitement. My mom turned to the side and rolled her eyes.
I looked at her and frowned. “What? I’m just excited”
She ruffled my hair. “I’m glad you are honey. I’m glad you are”.
