The New Kid

Chapter 2: A New Future Miles Away

Mom had gone to work following the day of my dad's fucked up decisions. She wore a joyful façade. She is definitely one of the toughest people I've ever known.

I went to school as if nothing happened. Although, most of the time I had just wanted to go home and hide away.

"Hey, are you gonna go to Maddey's party tonight?" my friend Jay asked.

I shook my head, "I don't think so. I had some family shit happen last night and I'm not in the mood for parties."

I figured Jay would have pushed the subject of my family. Surprisingly, he nodded in understanding.

"She'll be mad you didn't come. I'll vouch for you, though," Jay said.

I texted Valerie to come pick me up early. Thankfully Mom had made Val one of my emergency contacts. She greeted me in her Mustang with a determined look on her face.

"What do you say we go shop the sadness away?" Valerie suggested.

"I'd be in debt by the time I wasn't sad anymore," I quipped.

'Shop the sadness away' was one of Valerie's life philosophies. Surprisingly, it helped a little. For the next two hours, Valerie and I spent some quality brother and sister time at Castleton Square. After Castleton Square, we indulged on Cinnabon.

Valerie never took anyone out to eat. I became suspicious when we went.

"You never do this for anyone. What's the occasion?" I asked.

All she said was "Just eat your damn cinnamon roll" with a charitable tone in her voice. I couldn't help but wonder how all of this affected Valerie.

"How've you been feeling Val?" I asked.

She shrugged her shoulders, "We were such a tight-knit family and for this to happen to us...God I can't imagine the pain Mom is going through. I'm also really concerned that you're gonna change because of this. I don't want my fun little bro to go away and get replaced with a depressed shell of Scott Wynter."

I put my hand on top of hers, "Val, I'll manage. This hasn't been the first time the world's fucked me over and it certainly won't be the last."

My outlook on life was that it was all just some fleeting event that pushed you down time and time again and you prayed that if you got up, the world wouldn't push you down even harder.

On the fifth day of us living at Valerie's, my mom called me into the living room. She showed me an apartment complex. It was pretty nice. There was only two problems about this: the rent was $800, and the complex was all the way in Phoenix.

"Mom, I don't want to leave Indianapolis. All my friends are here," I said.

"It'll be a fresh start. We get away from this city, and start anew," Mom said.

I sighed, "I don't have much of a choice, do I?"

Mom shook her head, "Sorry, Scott."

I looked at Valerie. She frowned, "Kid, I would take you in if I could. But Josh and I are strapped on cash. No offense to you, but we can't afford another person."

"I definitely don't want you living with your dad, either," Mom said.

I sighed again. This wasn't fair. I had lived here my whole life. I couldn't just pack up and leave. But if that's what Mom wanted, then I'd have to abide by it. I looked at her again, "Fine."

Mom contacted the landlord about an hour later, and arranged a meeting with the landlord in Phoenix. Two days later, we were packing up all of our stuff. The decision for the apartment was finalized. Mom had quit her job at the Pendleton Correctional Facility and transferred to the Arizona State Prison. I was being transferred to Phoenix High School.

My friends took the news fairly well. Everyone was so supportive.

"We'll miss you," Maddey said. "I'll be thinking about you at the parties I throw."

I smiled at her statement. I knew that it wasn't true. She'd be having too much fun at her parties to think about a friend who left. Nonetheless, I told her "Thank you" and left it at that.

Later that night, I carried all of my belongings teary-eyed. Mom preferred to leave at night so we wouldn't deal with highway traffic as much.

"Don't worry, Scott. We'll come over here and visit," Mom said.

I put my stuff into the Ram; I hugged Valerie for the longest time, "You're gonna make me cry," she said.

Stumpy just stood there. I pat his head, and walked to the car. We got on the highway to Phoenix, the Indianapolis skyline fading away from my eyes. I looked out the window, beginning to think of everyone I grew up with; all the memories I'd made. I was leaving that all behind because of one man's decision.

As we pulled out onto I-70, I began to think if there was a "Fuck You, Dad" card that I could send to Tyler. In my thoughts, I drifted off into sleep at the Missouri state line.