When Crossing The Tracks-Sweet Pea

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    "Would it kill you to smile a little?" my mom said as she continued driving through the rain "I'm going to assume that was a rhetorical question" I said, leaning my head against the car window, gazing into the distance "Riverdale is where I grew up, it's a nice little town" she said "Yeah, maybe. But that was the 80's and you were a kid. Once you grew up you had to get out cause there were no real opportunities for you here so therefore I do not understand why you're dragging me here, now, when my life is about to start" I said and my mom sighed "What was I supposed to do? Your father is never home, you can't live on your own just like that" she said and I rolled my eyes "I wonder why dad's never home" I mumble under my nose "What was that?" she asked "Nothing" I said. About 30 minutes later, mom parked the car in front of a pretty big house. By now, the rain was barely noticeable "What do you think?" mom smiled as she exited the car "Yeah, fits with the vibe" I said and grabbed my backpack, slamming the door to the 69' Monte Carlo and heading to unlock the front door of the house. As I stepped inside, I was overwhelmed by all the boxes "I guess we've got the whole weekend to unpack, right" mom said as she walked in, kicking her shoes off. A loud thunder made me jump and I turned around, looking out the open door, the rain started pouring again "Great" I said and shut the door. I kicked off my shoes and walked around to get a feel of the house. "I mean it's not California but....it's a pretty cool house huh" mom said and I cringed at her words "Yeah. I'm hungry" I said "Right....well....oh, there's that diner we used to go to as kids, I think it's still open, let's go there" mom said "I'd rather not step out of the house in that storm" I said "Okay then I'll go get us some burgers" she said "Kay" I said and walked upstairs to get a view. I looked for the room with the bathroom my mom told me was mine and after opening the second door, I found it. It was pretty cool. I walked downstairs and looked for the boxes with my name on it. I brought them upstairs one by one and by the time I was done, mom was back "Hey, I'm back" she smiled and put everything down in the kitchen "Burgers, fries and milkshakes" she said "Thanks" I said and sat down on one of the bar chairs "I took all my boxes upstairs" I said as I dipped one of the fries into my strawberry milkshake and eating it "Good. Don't stay up too late tho, I'm going to need help early tomorrow morning" she said and I nodded "Pop's looks just the same as it did back in the day. And as I was driving around, I felt a sense of...I don't know nostalgia I guess. I think I missed this town more then I would've ever thought" she smiled "Do I start school on Monday?" I asked "Yes" she said "Great" I sighed and took a bite of my burger "Did you talk to your father?" she asked "No, why?" I asked "He called me, he said you didn't answer your phone" she said "Oh yeah, I had it on silent. What did he say?" I asked "He just wanted to know if we got here safely" she said and I nodded "I remember going to high school here, hanging out with all my friends, going to the drive in, listening to music on a boombox" she said and I smiled "I wish I lived in the 80's" I said "Why? They were so cruel to so many people" she laughed "3 words: rock n' roll" I said "Alright, I'll go take a shower and hit the hay" she said and I nodded. I finished up eating my food and mom's leftover fries and went upstairs too. I looked through one of the boxes, finding some pajamas and jumping into the shower.


I woke up the next morning cause my mom was knocking on the door "Okay!" I yelled out and the knocking stopped. I crawled out of bed and walked into the bathroom, lighting a cigarette before brushing my teeth and face. I changed from my pajamas, putting on some leggings and an over sized hoodie, my big brother's old hoodie "We have any breakfast?" I asked as I walked downstairs, pulling my hair into a ponytail "Yes, I went out to the grocery store" mom said. Getting the house settled took all weekend, tho I shouldn't complain cause most of the luxuries were already done by the time we moved in.