Beyond the Ordinary

Chapter 2

KATE

I woke up to my father's voice and rubbed my eyes tiredly before getting out of bed. Putting up my hair, I headed downstairs to see what he'd brought home from the grocery store. My father is engrossed in a conversation on the phone so it took a few moments before he even noticed my presence, and he gestured towards the bags of groceries on the kitchen table. I glanced outside in surprise since I hadn't even noticed it was still light out, then I remembered that we were in a different timezone than I was used to.

I put away several boxes of my favorite brand of macaroni and cheese as well as everything else my father bought before settling onto the couch and turning on the television. I surfed through the channels and noticed how they are mostly the same as the ones we'd had back in New York.

My father got off the phone and sat onto the couch beside me, letting out a tired sigh.

"That was the principal of the school you'll be attending on Monday," he said as if I'd asked.

I didn't say anything, instead I just quietly nodded. Monday was only two days away and I began to feel nervous. I still needed to go shopping and I didn't even bring any of my school supplies.

"Don't worry," my father said, sensing my nerves, "I'll take you out shopping tomorrow."

I nodded again, the nerves still fluttering uneasily in my stomach.

I've never been good with change. I always felt shy when I met new people and I was never good at making friends. At my school back home, I never fit in. I couldn't help but think it would be the same way here too.

My father gently placed his hand on my knee, his presence comforting for the first time since we've arrived here. I smiled at him lightly before getting up to make a bowl of macaroni and cheese.

"If you want, you can unpack while I make dinner," I offered.

He nodded and got up with a sigh. I watched his retreating figure as he disappeared up the stairs.

I dug around in random drawers until I finally came across the one where the pans were.

Thank goodness this house came fully furnished, I thought.

I turned on the stove and filled a pan with tap water before placing it onto the stove. I spotted a large spiral notebook set down onto the counter and opened it up to the first page that said:

Greetings, the wi-fi is:

UN: SANTAMONICA1029

PASS: CALI4NIA

I turned to the next page to find it empty and tore it out, quickly writing out a list of everything that I'd need for school on Monday while I waited for the water to boil.

I've always been the type that used lists because it helped me to remember everything so I never left anything out. It's been proven by science that writing helped you to remember things easier. It's called muscle memory.

The water finally started to boil and I poured two boxes of macaroni and cheese into the pan, careful not to splash the hot water everywhere.

✡ ✡ ✡

"Mm, Kate, this macaroni and cheese is amazing," my father praised, with his mouthful.

When he swallowed the food, I asked him something I'd been wondering since we'd stepped into this new house.

"Dad, why is there a third bedroom?"

My father put his spoon down, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "Well, it's in case you ever have a friend sleep over."

I nodded in response and we continued to eat dinner in comfortable silence.

My father had always encouraged me to invite friends over. He knew that I was shy and that I never had many close friends that I ever felt comfortable inviting over. My mother hadn't minded this, but it annoyed my father because he'd felt that I needed to have friends in order to be happy.

I knew that he'd only wanted what was best for me, but it just wasn't natural for me to befriend someone. I wasn't ever the type that opened up about anything and I never had a strong sense of humor that drew people in. I always preferred to be alone rather than to be in someone else's company. But now that I no longer have my mother by my side, I realized that my father was right. It was time I made a new friend.