Beauty of Blue Hills [SAMPLE]

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“What about this one?” Marianne suggested for the hundredth time.

For her mother’s sake, Anna looked at the screen. The picture showed yet another dorm room in Blue Hills with one roommate, who had no doubt put the ad up. The cost was a very mediocre 1200 dollars per month, a price Anna found too little for rent and a sign that the place was a waste.

“No,” she said again.

They’d been at it for almost an hour. There weren’t any apartments available in Blue Hills, according to the internet, so Marianne had switched to suitable dorm rooms. This was the sixth she showed Anna.

“What’s wrong with it?” she protested.

Anna gave her mother a meaningful look. “Mom, come on; 1200 for a room? That’s like going to a cheap motel.”

From the seat on the left, Richard gave a deep chuckle. Marianne was looking pretty amused herself and was trying to contain laughter. While it satisfied Anna that she almost got them laughing together, it bothered her why they would be.

“What?” she demanded.

Richard turned to smile at her. “Honey, motels cost in the hundreds, not the thousands.”

Anna hadn’t known this. “Oh. Then a hotel, I guess.”

Richard lifted a finger. “That would be even more than the 1200, depending on where you’re thinking of staying,” he let her know.

An idea occurred to her then. “Hey! Why don’t I stay at a hotel?”

“Two reasons,” Marianne answered quickly, as if they had thought about this a million times before. “For starters, there doesn’t seem to be any in Blue Hills.”

That could be fixed easily. “Then search in close towns. You said it was a very small town, anyway. It shouldn’t take too long to get a ride from a hotel to school, everyday.”

Marianne was about to say something when Richard stopped her. “We’ll tell her that later, Marianne. Give her reason number 2 first.”

Sighing, she nodded. Anna frowned, wondering what they were talking about.

“Right, well,” her mother was saying in the meantime, “the other reason is that it wouldn’t conform to the normal life experience we’re going at, Anna. Not everybody can afford to go to a hotel.”

Anna of course knew that but she was hoping it wouldn’t cross their minds. Apparently, it was an issue. Huffing out a relented sigh, Anna laid her head back against her seat, bringing the back down so she could catch up on her sleep.

They had to take a few days off before leaving California so Anna’s parents could sort things out with their respective managers, and cancel any project they had within the next few months. Also, they had to take care of Anna’s registration in Blue Hills High School, deciding to choose her courses once they got there and met a few people who she could take classes with.

During that time, Anna had done nothing but pack her bags, initially having 4 in total, until Richard told her she was only allowed one which carried no more than 50lbs. Anna had to cut back on coats, hats, hair and makeup kits, shoes, and pretty much everything else. She took it silently without complaining once, afraid to start even the tiniest argument.

As to be expected, Marianne had left the online search for a place until the very last minute, and she had to do it on the jet on their way to Chicago, where they were going to land before driving over to Blue Hills since the town didn't have an airport.