The four words I never wanted to hear again reached my ears, and I almost felt like dying. This could not be happening. Just when things were good my stupid life had to change on me again. Tables turned. Just great. I felt like crying. I couldn't believe I had to go through this. What would I tell Lexi? How would she react. And then my parents said something else that repulsed me even more.
"While we are gone, we are renting out the house," my dad said.
"Why do we have to move again?" I said, choking on my words.
"It's only for a eight months. We will be coming back," my mom said reassuringly.
"Who is moving in here?" I asked.
"We are going to meet them today," Dad said.
"Where are we moving to?"
"England. Just for eight months."
I sucked in a deep breath and help back the tears that were building up behind my eyes.
"Everything will be the same when we come back," Dad said.
"No. They won't Dad," I said icily.
My mom tried to hug me but I pulled away, backing up towards the stairs. "Don't touch me. I have to get ready for school," I said glaring.
My parents looked at each other, wondering if they made the right decision. As I moved up the stairs I could hear their hushed whispers.
"It's a great opportunity, Bill, don't think too much about it, Anne will grow to accept the fact."
Right then and there I told myself I would never "accept the fact".
I slammed my door shut, waking up Alice, but I didn't care. I threw on a t-shirt and some jean shorts along with mis-matched socks and a pair of sneakers. On my way out I grabbed a Pop Tart and I didn't even bother to say goodbye to my parents. I trudged angrily to the bus stop and steamed as I waited for the bus. I was suddenly hit by the memory of two years ago, when I hadn't wanted to be here, but now I didn't even want to leave.
"Earth to Anne?" Will said, waving his hand in front of my face.
I glared at him, and he backed off. "Boy, some one is in a mood," he grumbled.
"Shut up! You don't know the half of it," I snapped.
He winced and ignored me the rest of the time. When we boarded the bus, I saw Lexi and felt sick to my stomach. What was I going to tell her? How would she take it? When should I tell her? As usual, when I sat down, she asked me, "Like of the day?"
"Umm..." I said, struggling to find something I liked, "I like the feel of the bottom of our neighborhood pool on my feet," I said finally.
"Weirdo," she said, as usual.
I sucked in a deep breath, and pressed the soft part between my rib cage, attempting to get rid of the nauseating feeling in my stomach. I willed myself not to pull out my rubbing stone, knowing that would only make Lexi suspicious. I would wait until recess to tell her, I decided.
The entire day in class, I couldn't concentrate. It was only eight months. I could deal with that. Plus England might be kind of cool. No, I decided. It wouldn't. I would have no friends there whatsoever. And I only had a week of school left. And we were moving on June third. I had nine days left with Lexi. Great.
When lunch came around, I couldn't bring myself to eat anything, despite the worried looks from Luke and Will. I began counting down the minutes until recess when I could reveal my terrible secret. 17.
"Anne? Are you sure you don't want a cookie?" Luke asked, waving it in front of my face.
"I don't want it." 16.
"I'll take it," Will said.
"No way dude! I was only offering it to Anne."
Usually a comment like that from Luke, whom I still liked, would make me blush or get butterflies,. but not today. 14.
I put my head down on the table, blocking out all the noise of the over-crowded cafeteria. Crouched over the table, I didn't even realize that our class had left until Ms. Lenny came and got me.
"Annalise? Is everything alright?" she asked.
I glanced at the clock. 4.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Can I go to the restroom?" I asked, knowing that Lexi's class would pass it when they went to recess.
"Sure, when you are done just come out to the playground," she said. I nodded and made my way to the bathroom where I saw Lexi with her class. She was talking to some girl I had never seen before, and when she saw me, she began waving frantically.
"Anne! Look! New person!" she shouted.
I'd usually be amused by Lexi's personality, but not today. I walked over reluctantly, and didn't speak until she spoke to me.
"This is Abbi. But her real name is Abigail. But she hates that name. Abbi, this is my best friend, Annalise, but she hates that name, so you can call her Anne."
I savored the words best friend, and then gave Abbi a forced smile. "Hi," I managed to say, before I grabbed Lexi's arm and pulled her aside, not able to wait any longer.
"Hey wait!" Abbi shouted.
I turned. "What's your last name?" she asked.
I pointed to myself, and she nodded. "Gallot," I replied.
"Really?!" she said a little too excitedly. I feared what was coming next. "I'm staying in your house while you are in England!" she said.
My stomach dropped, and I smacked my forehead. Lexi whipped around and looked at me. "What's she talking about?"
"We need to talk," I said, breaking down.
"Okay. What is it?"
"Lexi, I am moving," I said, wincing at the almost exact words my parents said to me earlier.
"What?" she asked, tears springing to her eyes.
"We are moving. To England. For eight months," I said, the words barely making it out of my mouth.
Lexi was silent, looking at the ground. I couldn't tell what she was thinking, but I wanted to know so badly.
"But you are coming back, right?" she finally asked.
"Yes. I'm leaving June third and I will be back sometime in January."
"Have you told Will and Luke yet?"
I shook my head. "I'll tell them after this," I said.
"I'll write to you a lot," she said.
"Right. See, we can make it work."
"Can I come to England and see you over the summer?" she asked.
"I'm sure that's fine with my parents. you just have to ask your mom."
She took a deep breath, and I saw a tear streak down her face.
"We can still be friends, right?" Lexi asked. I could tell she was scared, and hurt.
"Of course! I will be back before you know it."
A smile stretched across her face. "Best friends forever?"
"Forever," I said, knowing that word was completely and utterly sincere.
YOU ARE READING
The Cherry Trees
Teen Fiction"It was then that I heard it. The small, quiet, click. I couldn't turn my head fast enough. When I finally saw her, she had the gun to her head. "I'm sorry," she mouthed. And then the whole forest went silent when the sound of her life being taken e...
