Joel's POV
Summer. My summers in New York City are usually the best times of my life. 3 whole months of no ugly maroon uniforms and short tempered teachers breathing down my neck. Instead of reports and projects and detention slips that needed to be signed, there was a world of fun awaiting me. Summer to me is about throwing wild late night parties in the penthouse that my dad and I lived in. It was about ordering take out every night and leaving big tips and charging it to my dad's credit cards. It was about playing war video games with my cousins Brayden and Bradley until our eyes were bloodshot. Even, playing basketball at the park with my friends and playing little gigs around the city to earn some pocket change. I was looking forward to all of this. It was going to be the best time of my life, like it always was. But, of course when you make ledgendary plans someone always has to mess it up. And this time, that someone happened to be Daniel Chambers. Yes, my father.
On the last day of school I burst through the door of the penthouse and threw my bookbag down at the door. I ripped open my academy cardigan and threw that on the floor too. My dog, Dylan, came rushing to greet me. I rubbed his head. He ran off. Probably to go back to sleep or something. Then I headed into the kitchen and grabbed my favorite snack in the world, spicy cheetos and a ginger beer.As I turned around my dad was coming from the bathroom. He was drying his hands with a paper towel. This was a weird sight to see. My dad was never home. I basically lived by myself because of his busy schedule. He was never there to see me leave for school or to get home. By the time he got home every night all he did was turn off the TV in my room, turn off the lava lamp, and threw a blanket on top of my unconcious body before he passed out in his own bed from working too much.
"Hey Joel," he said as he threw the paper towel into the garbage can.
"Umm. Hey Dad," I said with a skeptical glance in his direction. "What are you doing here?" I asked.
"What? A father cant be home to see his only son come home from school?" he playfully punched my shoulder.
"Well, you arent ever home anyway." I said slowly. "Alright Dad, whats going on?"
"I was going to wait to tell you over dinner tonight, but I guess I could tell you now." he started.
"Oh God," I groaned. I set my ginger beer on the marble counter and looked him in his brown eyes.
"We are moving to Pennsylvania," he said with an over enthusiastic smile. As the words left his mouth, my heart dropped to my stomach. I suddenly felt nauseous. This could not be happening. He was not taking me out of New York.
"What for like vacation or something? Just for the summer?" I asked. My face was getting hotter by the second.
"No Joel. To live there. I found a really nice two story house in the suburbs that we could live in. The schools there are outstanding and there are even a couple of studios to play your guitar in." I closed my eyes to process all of this information.
"Who is she Dad?" I asked. There had to be some kind of woman involved. The last time my dad was this nice he bought me a new amplifier for my guitar because he wanted me to meet his new girlfriend.
"Ugh, you got me." he chucked, "Her name is Melanie. She lives in Bethlehem but she came up to the city a couple of times. We had lunch a few times and we have been dating for a while. I want to go down to Bethlehem because she does not like the city and her kids-"
"Kids?" I asked.
"Yes, Alex and Andrea. They are both seven."
"You basically miss my birthday every year, I bet you dont even know how old I am. So whats up with this Dad?"
"I think I want to propose to her and have her move in with us."
"WHAT THE HELL!?" I yelled at him. " You can barely take care of me. Your only kid, what makes you think you can take care of two more!? And be married at that?! Dad, did you even think about telling me? Or did you think I would be happy-go-lucky and go along with everything you said?"
My dad probably should have expected this kind of outburst from me. I was very opinionated and if something wasnt to me expectations or likings, I made sure that everybody knew. And this moving thing? I was not happy with it. I was not about to spend the rest of my life in the suburbs with some lady that I didnt even know, expecting me to call her mom and calling her kids my brother and sister. Yeah right. Someone has been drinking lately. Because last time I checked, my life was perfectly fine here in the city, raising myself, and staying with all of my friends and family.
"Joel, watch your language," he scolded me. "I will not have you talk to me in anyway that you feel is right. I am your father-"
"Barely," I sneered. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Look, I already took a look at the house and Melanie has been decorating for us. We leave tomorrow and I expect you to have a decent additude about it,"
"Hah, very funny." I laughed.
"Joel, I am serious."
I didnt talk to him for the rest of the night. I packed up my room and stayed in there playing my guitar. The only time I came out was to pay for the Chinese food that I ordered. The next day I reluctantly shoved my boxes into the moving van out front. I put Dylan on his leash and shoved my headphones into my ears so that I wouldnt have to hear anything out of my father's mouth. We were in his black Italian sports car. It was a long ride.
When we pulled up into the driveway a car was already there. Movers were rushing in and out of the house pushing heavy boxes and bookshevles throught the entrance of the front door.
