On The Road; Joani's Perspective

Chapter 1, Heartsick

I looked out the window at the passing buildings. Of all the places we've been to, Riverdale has made the most impact on me. It's a small, friendly town where everybody knows everybody, and they all get along. The school there was positively magical. There was no bullying problem of any sort. The restaurants there were delicious. Everyone lived near each other. There were some wonderful nature landmarks. The parks all had awesome stories behind them. Oh, and one other thing that Riverdale had? Well, his name was Forsythe Pendleton Jones III. He was smart, witty, funny, kind, caring, and unique. I cried rivers as I saw him practically chasing our car as it drove away. My brother told me there were other fish in the sea. I told him this was a man, not a fish.

As I saw the "You are now leaving Riverdale" sign I felt a tug at my heart. I'd gone back, only to leave again. That was cruel!
"Is your seat-belt on?" Dad asked.
"Yeah." I answered glumly. I was starting to feel nauseous. I'd think it was carsickness, but I wasn't the type of person to get carsickness.
"Can we go back?" I asked hopefully.
"Look, we're leaving because I was offered another job. I'm really sorry. But we've been on the go all our lives. Some people would kill to travel as much as we do."
"Right." I wouldn't care if I never left Riverdale ever again, as long as I could go back. But I couldn't. I had never ever felt as frustrated as I did right then.

"Haven't you ever been in love?" I asked him.
"By Gosh, I have. It was wonderful."
"Have you ever had your love torn away from you?"
"Melinda was my true love. That kid isn't yours."
"His is, Dad! He is! What's wrong with you all? I'll never meet another man like that! I mean, he liked guacamole pizza! Who else besides us can you think of liked guacamole pizza? Dad, really!" I started sobbing. His voice got soft.
"Look, life is full of hardships. We've got to prove ourselves by getting past them, and being okay. There's nothing saying you won't ever see him again. Who says we'll never move back to Riverdale? But what if there's somebody even better than him that you wouldn't even hsave imagined out there?"
"If we move back, we won't stay! I hate how as soon as I get attached to a town you move away! Usually, I actually don't care. But I loved Riverdale! It was the town people dream of! And we left voluntarily! "
"Our house will be so much better..."
"I don't care if you're offering me Bill Gates' mansion! I don't care if I have to life in a one room house with only a single bathroom and a loud dripping faucet in Riverdale! I want to go back!" I slouched down in my seat and took out my tissue box.
"I'm sorry."
"Me too." my brother Roger agreed.

OTHER CHAPTERS WILL PROBABLY BE LONGER.

SERIOUSLY, THOUGH, HOW MANY BOOKS ON WATTPAD SAY THAT AFTER A SHORT FIRST CHAPTER? A LOT, REALLY.