Coming Out

Chapter One - A New House

My family waited for a cab to take us to our new house. My mother and father were talking about my orientation, and high school, after awhile I got tired of it and placed my ear buds in blasting my music. It took about thirty minutes, many scolding’s about how loud my music was, and three arguments about school and moving before the cab finally came and saved me. A plane ride from Japan to New York was enough, and then waiting for a cab was absolute torture. Don’t get me wrong, I love my parents. They just… don’t understand me.

           

I threw my luggage in the back of the cab, taking my carry on and hopping into shot gun. I don’t care if it was a cab. I was not going to be squished in between my parents. The driver didn’t seem to care, nor  notice so I belted myself in, and waited for my still arguing parents to get in, while waiting I got lost in my thoughts.

 

“Where do you want to go?”

 

The rough voice of the driver jolted me out of my thoughts, and I looked back to my dad, as he read off the address. The driver entered the address into a GPS and I looked at the time to get there.

 

Forty-five minutes. Great. I once again took out my iPod and turned it up enough to where I could tune out my parents, getting lost in the scenery of New York.

 

We were moving to a small town called Ballston Spa, it is about thirty minutes away from my dad’s job, and the house fit my moms preferences. I didn’t know how I felt about moving to a small town always used to the hustle and bustle of the big city, but maybe this would be my time to be someone new, and actually create friends for once.

 

 I eventually drifted off to sleep, getting sleepy in every car ride I go on. When my parents woke me up, I looked out the window to see a modest house, not big but not small. It was two stories but practically empty. I remember my parents mentioning we would have to furnish it, probably because they wanted Japanese styled furniture and decorations.

 

I got out of the cab and stretched, getting my stuff out of the back, and walking into the house. It was completely empty, except for the kitchen of course, and bathroom. I sighed and looked over to my parents.

 

“Which room is mine?” I looked up the stairs, then back up them.

 

“Up the stairs, down the hallway and to the left.” My dad responded.

 

“Arigatou.” I started walking up the stairs, lugging my suitcases up the stairs. I opened the door to my room, it wasn’t small, it was just big enough for me and my needs. It had wooden floors, and beige walls and ceilings, not an ugly color it was ok I suppose. I lay down my suitcases walked downstairs and back outside surprised to see another family talking to my parents.

 

It didn’t really seem like a family, just a man and a woman. I looked over trying to figure out which house they came from, when a boy my age walked out saw me, and started heading over.

 

“Well… Time to see how well I studied my English. This should be interesting.” I sighed and met him halfway, giving a shy smile and a wave.

 

“Hey. I’m assuming you just moved in?” He said as he got closer.

 

“Hai. I mean… yes. I moved here from Japan.” I did a small bow, not knowing the customs here in America, “Nice to meet you.”

 

He chuckled, “Here in America, we don’t bow. We do handshakes.” He held out his hand. “I’m Alex.”

 

I nodded sheepishly, and took his hand shaking it gently. “Right… I’m Kuyumi.”

 

He smiled. “Kuyumi, unique name very pretty as well. What High School are you going to?”

 

I thought for a moment. “The local one. I think. Ballston Spa High.”

 

He nodded. “I go there as well.” He wrapped his arm around my shoulders, making me jump in surprise. “Consider me Alex you’re local guide!”

 

I sighed, ‘Or, Alex the personal space invader. This should be interesting year.’