Impress

Chapter 5: Arrival

I got home at about 5 AM. My parents had already seen my empty room by that point, so when I arrived, they were waiting in my room. They let me off the hook a bit because they understood that I just wanted to be with my friends. They said they would come up with a punishment when we were in Virginia.

Most of our things had already left for Virginia in a moving truck. The only things we took with us in the car were things to entertain us for the ride. The house was extremely empty. My family was packing into the car, but I stayed behind a bit. I took a look at every room. I lied on the floor of my room, where my bed was for a bit, just thinking. It was weird. It was like I wanted to be sad about leaving, but I had already used up all my tears the past few night. Eventually, you run out of sad.

The car horn honked and I ran downstairs and outside. I hopped in the car. We drove away from the place I grew up in. It was nothing like the movies. I didn't cry while looking out of the window, with all of my friends running after the car and waving. None of my friends were there, actually. I don't blame them. It was 6:30 on a Saturday morning. I was tired from the last night, so I went to sleep in the back seat.

When I woke up, I wanted to talk to my friends so I texted my birthday party group chat.

Me: Hey dweebs

Rose: shhhh, im trying to sleep

Heather: yo, did u leave yet?

Me: I'm in the car

Heather: That sucks

Me: I just wish I could jump out now and run back home

Aiden: Nothing is stopping you

Me: I'd get hurt

Heather: NOT IF YOU TUCK AND ROLL

Aiden: TUCK AND ROLL

Me: But I don't know where I am. How would I get back

Kade: You have a gps on your phone, right?

Me: Well, I mean yeah, but

Asher: But what?

Me: How would I survive? I don't have any money or a house.

Asher: live in the woods behind the school

Me: still, what about money

Heather: Kidnap the elementary school kids and sell them as slaves

Me: Not a bad idea...

Kade: Yeah but who would buy the slaves?

Asher: Russia

Me: How do I get the kids to Russia

Kayla: I know a guy...

Me: Hey guys...

Me: Great plan, but no

Heather: Dang it

Asher: fine

Aiden: wimp

Kade: you could have done it

I turned off my phone. I was smiling. I looked back down at my phone. This could work... I was miles away from my friends and I was still smiling because of them. I turned on my 3DS and entertained myself that way for a while.

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We had arrived. The moving truck wasn't there yet. We were going to stay in a hotel, but first, my parents wanted us to try out the pool. We went inside to use the bathrooms to change. When I came back outside in a swimsuit, I saw it. The pool was there as promised. It looked smaller in person than in pictures. This is what I traded my friends for?

My brother and sister came outside shortly after. My brother ran towards the pool.

"Geronimo!" he yelled as he cannonballed into the pool. I smiled. I spotted a rock ledge on the other side of the pool. I ran over and used it as a diving board.

"Kawabunga!" I shouted as I jumped into the pool. Muy dad followed. My mom and sister both took the stairs. We played around for a while. The old owners of the house left behind a pool basketball hoop and ball, so we had some fun with that. As much as I hated being away from my friends, I had to admit, the pool was pretty awesome.

When we got out of the pool, we changed into our clothes and piled back into the car. We drove to the hotel. When we arrived, we still hadn't eaten dinner. My brother, sister, and mom were too tired to go out, so they ordered room service. My dad and I went out to dinner at a place nearby with Jackson, our dog.

It was nice to just spend some alone time with my dad. We chatted for a while and ate our food. My first impression of Virginia food was pretty good. When my dad and I went back to the hotel room, the rest of the family was watching a movie. We joined them and eventually went to sleep.

1 day in Virginia down: 1 million to go.