When I got home after school I totally blew off my parents, who were waiting for me in our living room. I knew by their facial expressions that we were going to have a big talk. Whoop-de-doo. Throw my bag down onto my bed room floor quite dramatically and sigh a great big sigh of annoyance. I head back into the living room acting annoyed and pissed off. Hey I am actually kind of good at being an angsty 15 year old. “Opal Rose we need to talk to you about something really important. As you know your father has been struggling here ever since he found out that drop foot is hereditary and now has no other projects to work on.” My mother says dramatically. They look at me expectantly, like they want me to say something.
“Yes I know I haven’t been able to buy any new books in months.” I sound like I’m asking a question.
“Well you won’t have to worry about that anymore. Oxford University is paying your father $500,000.00 per year to work on a new government experiment on viruses.” They’re still looking at me weird, almost like they expect me to run around and yell woooooo in my underwear. As I sit there and let this information settle around me I start to realize that oxford is in in England. As in the place across the big ocean and that my dad was going over there. “Wait so we are going to have to live in England, in rolling countryside with like sheep as my dad looks at mold and stuff trying to make sense of genes and crap. This is crazy. And what about mom she won’t be able to leave she’s a teacher.”
“Darling,” my mom coos, “we are going to stay here and then move into London with your father in May, we won’t be living in the countryside, we’ll be living in London near the extension of Oxford University. This is such a good thing for us. I hope you can understand.”
“Yes I can, I get it and yay I’m excited. I have some homework so, ok.” I am trying to hold back my tears. I have had such a shitty day. My best friend can’t talk to me because his girlfriend is stupid and now I’m moving to a different country in May. This is just the best isn’t it, oh goody. I walk onto my bedroom grab a pillow and lock myself in my closet. This is where I dissect all the information and cry. I cry all night and only stop so I can eat dinner. I have no idea how I’m going to tell Peter.
