Grease Monkey | shawnmendes

one

"There's no way they'll make me go with them. It's all the way in Arkansas - the middle of nowhere! C'mon Tess, my parents are cooler than that." I laughed as my best friend, Tessa, and I walked down New York's busy streets. My dad was an architect and had just taken a big job half way across the country. He and my mom were getting ready for the move, but I had a little over a month before I began my senior year of high school here in New York, so Tess and I were already busy shopping for back to school clothes. We made a quick stop into Starbucks and continued our conversation.

"I don't know. It's far away, Ken. What are they going to do? Just let you keep the flat here? Doesn't sound like something even the coolest parents I know would do. But then again, they are the coolest parents I know. They may let you." Tessa took her coffee from the barista and we headed for home.

"It's my senior year with all of my childhood friends and Kyle. I've been with Kyle for almost three years. Plus, college is so soon and I've been accepted to NYU. They wouldn't take me away from my life. That'd be cruel." I sipped my coffee as we made our way down the busy street.

++

"Kenna, is that you?" I heard my mom call out as I closed the door to our apartment.

"Yeah!" I called out, removing my jacket and leaving my shopping bags at the door.

"Come here! I need to talk to you about something." I heard her call out again.

"Wait, where are you?" I laughed, not finding her in the living room or kitchen.

"Studio!" She chirped. My mom was an artist and my dad had furnished her an in-home workplace. She'd sold many pieces and was featured in several big art shows here in New York. I was proud to be her daughter. "Hey!" She stood in front of her work table, grouping things into piles to eventually pack them into boxes for the move.

"Hey!" I gave her a small wave. "Can I go out with Kyle for dinner tonight?"

"Sure, but can you sit?" She motioned to where a chair used to be, but it had already been packed. She shook her head and laughed. I plopped down on the floor and she followed suit. "How was your shopping trip?" She sat criss-cross-applesauce and rested her head on her elbows, which sat in her lap. My mom and I were more like sisters - she acted my age. I loved it. I was close to both of my parents. Being an only child, I was showered with tons of attention, and they pretty much let me have my way.

"Good, but I still couldn't find that pair of brown boots I've been looking for." I frowned.

"Ah, you'll find them. You still have a while until school starts." She shrugged.

"Only a month!" I argued.

"Two." She spoke in a small voice.

"No, mom. We start in August - one month." I was getting frustrated. She knew this, so why was I having to remind her?

"Actually, in Arkansas they start in September." She didn't make eye contact with me. I laughed out loud, finding her joke funny. "Kenn, I'm serious."

She interrupted my laughter and her eyes met mine. There was no humor in her expression.

"Mom." I started, but she cut me off.

"Kenna you're not staying here. There's no one to look after you and we'd be ten hours away. Don't protest." Her voice was stern.

"Oh so you're just ripping my life away from me? Just like that? What about my friends, mom? What about Kyle? I'm not leaving! You and dad can go ruin your lives and live in the middle of nowhere, but you won't drag me with you!" I was on my feet and yelling. My mom remained silent. "What about my future? What about NYU?" I turned and ran to my room, slamming the door behind me, tears spilling down my cheeks.

++

"K-Kyle I can't. I've already tried a million times. I leave in two weeks - on our - our - our anniversary." I sobbed into the phone to my boyfriend. He wanted me to try to convince my parents to let me stay, but it was no use. I'd tried numerous times within the last two days. They were dead set on me going to Arkansas. The name of the state was even ugly. I wanted to vomit. I'd been locked in my room ever since I heard the news and this was my first time telling anyone about it. Tessa didn't even know yet.

Kyle tried to comfort me, telling me he'd be there for me no matter what and that we could handle long distance. He told me he loved me and he'd drive all the way to Arkansas if he had to. He made me feel better. We set up our last date the night before our anniversary - that day before I was supposed to leave. As long as I could celebrate our three year anniversary, I could try to pack my things so I hung up the phone and pulled out a box.

++

"I'm so glad I get this night with you baby. I'm going to miss you terribly." I frowned as I sipped on my water at a local restaurant.

"I know." Kyle wouldn't look at me. "Uh, what time do you leave tomorrow?" I'd told him fifty times already.

"10am." I huffed. "You're supposed to be at my house at 9 to say goodbye." I swallowed the sobs I could feel coming. This was our last date for a while so I wanted it to be perfect - no tears.

"Oh yeah." He picked at his steak.

"Are you okay babe?" He'd been nothing but supportive the last two weeks, but tonight Kyle was acting really weird.

"I - I - uh - I don't know how we're going to make this work." He stuttered.

"What?" I couldn't breathe.

"Ken, you're going to be half way across the country. How is that fair to ask me to stay with you?" He looked at me as if I was supposed to understand.

"After three years, this is what I get?" I spoke, barely audible. My world was falling down around me and there was absolutely nothing I could do about it.

"When you come back for NYU, we can get back together. But now, it'll just be way too hard." He explained.

"To be faithful?" I slammed my napkin down on the table and left the restaurant.

++

I hurried out of the airport terminal and turned my phone on. Surely Kyle had called, wanting to get back together. And Tessa had probably tried to call too to see how the trip went. I hadn't talked to either of them since last night - Kyle at the restaurant and Tessa afterwards, telling her about the breakup. To my utter disappointment, I had no missed calls or texts. I checked my signal, figuring that was the problem, but no - I had full service. My stomach churned. I followed my parents to grab our bags and then out to the car that was waiting for us.

++

After a two hour drive from the airport, my dad shrieked out, waking me from my slumber. "We're home!" He and my mom cheered, excited about this move.

I sat up to look out the window. We weren't really at the new residence, we'd only come into the city limits of the new town. We passed a city hall, a grocery store, a gas station, a thrift store, and a barber shop. That was literally all that was on the main street of this "town." As we turned off of the main street we passed an old automobile shop. It was the only other thing that seemed to be in the little town. As we drove past, a tall guy with dark hair leaned up from an old muscle car. He threw his hand up to wave, but jerked his arm down quickly. He stared at our car, as if he was trying to figure out who we were. It was odd - as if he expected to know every person that drove past him.

I sighed and propped my feet on the seat in front of me and stuck my headphones in my ears. Make it through senior year - that's all I have to do. Then I can be back in New York with Tess and Kyle. I took a deep breath and leaned back into the seat.