I'm With Her (girlxgirl)

New House, Same Life

I sighed as I carried the last box for my room up the stairs of our new house. Veronica, my older sister, was already holed up in her room, doing who knows what, and my parents were too busy yelling at the mover guys about where the furniture should be placed to bother lifting a finger to help with some of the lighter boxes. I insisted on carrying my own stuff and had thanked the guys helping us move in profusely to tell them at least one of us appreciated their help.

The box wasn't too heavy as I trudged it up the stairs but I was determined to not ask for help. The two poor guys didn't need to help with any more than they already did since they already had to carry in everyone else's stuff without my family lifting a finger so it was the least I could do to help. 

Technically, they did not need to be helping us. They were only the company that drove our things here but they weren't obliged to unpack it all but that didn't stop my parents from ordering them around.

I plopped the box down on top of the others and sighed. I felt a few spare pieces of my long hair that had escaped from my ponytail tickle my cheek and reached up to fix it. I glanced around the room at all the boxes and realized I still had to bring up my bed frame, my mirror, and mattress. I groaned under my breath but was still stubbornly resigned in the fact I was not asking anyone for help. 

A knock at my door caused me to yelp and spin around. A tall boy, only a couple years older than me, maybe college age, smiled sheepishly at my shocked expression.

"Sorry about that." He held up my hanging mirror, "Where do you want this?"

I realized he had carried it up despite my urges not to, "Oh, you really didn't have to do that." I hurried over to help him because he looked like he was struggling a bit, "I would have gotten it." I took hold of the other end and saw some the strain lift off his face. I question my earlier words as the weight catches me off guard.

Okay, maybe I wasn't able to pick this up myself.

He laughed, "It's really no big deal. It's the least I could do for you helping me and my dad unload the van. He insisted since we're already here, we can help you."

I rolled my eyes as we swerved around boxes to rest the mirror on the wall, "You guys really didn't need to stick around. I know you're not getting paid more for helping."

He brushed it off, "Don't worry about it. We're almost done anyway, so we might as well help with your stuff." He smiled a dazzling smile and held out his hand, "I'm Dominic, by the way."

 I shook his hand and tried to smile as warmly as I could, "Allison,"

 We made our way back downstairs and joined his father in carrying my mattress up the stairs, despite my protests. I saw my parents curl their lips and shoot me disapproving glances from the living room at seeing me help them but I ignored them.

After about twenty more minutes, Dominic, his father, who introduced himself as Richard, and I finished unloading the truck. I insisted on paying them more for their extra help from my own money that I had from various jobs I've worked over the years.  I waved as they backed out of the drive and they waved back before taking off down the road. I took a deep breath and went back inside to start unpacking.

******************************************************

Three hours later, my room was mostly unpacked with only a few small boxes left. Finally done and thoroughly exhausted, I fell back on to my bed and contemplated taking a nap. After deciding that three o'clock in the afternoon was a reasonable nap time, I heard a yell from the stairs. 

"Allison Clarence, come down here now!" My mother's shrill voice screeched.

As always, mother, your timing is amazing.

 I sighed as I sat back up and headed downstairs. I walked into the living room with them sitting on opposite sides of the couch, still surrounded by the boxes that were brought in which confused me. 

Why hadn't they unpacked anything yet?

 "Yes?" I asked, keeping my irritation from slipping into my voice.

My mother's eyes sparked with anger as she caught sight of me. She asked hotly, "What have you been doing?"

 My brows furrowed, confused, "Unpacking my stuff, "

She gestured to the boxes around her and my father, although he was too interested in his phone to pay attention to what was going on, "When were you planning on unpacking all of these?"

I raised a silent eyebrow as I surveyed the stacks of boxes around the room leading into the dining room, "I thought-" she cut me off before I could finish my sentence.

 "I don't care what you thought was happening." She rose from the couch, glowering down at me, "I'm telling you that you need to unpack these boxes and the ones in the kitchen. Tomorrow you can unpack your father and my's room."

 "I have school tomorrow. " I answered quietly.

She glared down harder at me and I regretted saying anything, "School doesn't excuse you from chores. They'll still be there after."

 Do I have to unpack the whole house? By myself?

 "What about Veronica? Is she helping? " I ventured carefully.

My mother's eyes sparked with anger again, "Don't think you can push your own simple chores off to your sister. She's stressed enough as it is starting senior year at a new school, she doesn't need you adding more stress."

I looked down to the floor, biting my lip to keep the angry retort from springing out. The anger at the unfairness of the situation tried to rise up but I kept it at bay like I had so many times before when it came to my family.

It could be worse. It's not that bad. Just suck it up and deal.

 I counted from ten backward in my head then took a deep breath. Anger gone, I set about opening a nearby box, ignoring my mother and father. My dad continued sitting there without looking up while my mother shot me one more dirty look then stormed out of the room.

Internally, I was a bit disappointed that the move hasn't changed anything at all. 

Veronica would still love it if I dropped off the face of the earth. 

My mother didn't think I was any better than gum on the bottom of her shoe and I'm pretty sure my father forgets I exist a good majority of the time. 

But I don't know what I was expecting. Maybe I was just hoping that living in a new place would change things somehow. 

Jesus, how naive can you be?

I try to think of happier things but I was seriously lacking in that department at the moment. All I really felt inside was...sad. I don't even remember the last time I felt truly happy. I didn't have any friends at my old school which I could partially contribute to my sister spreading nasty rumors about me during my first week of freshman year and essentially made me a social pariah. And I hated being alone with no one to talk to which made me even more depressed than I already was.

I shook my head to clear the thoughts and focused on unpacking the books from the first box.

Maybe this year will be different.