Jasmin's POV
"Good news. Joan and her daughter are going to be living with us!" My mom says gleefully.
WHAT?! "What?!!" "Isn't this so exciting?!" "Uh, NO!" "Come on, Jasmin. Please lighten up." She says in a desperate tone with a pleading face.
"Where is her daughter gonna sleep? I refuse to share a room with her." I say with crossed arms over my chest.
"Oh, we're moving to a new house. Get to packin'." She nonchalantly mentions.
I look at her with horror, my mouth dropped open. She walks away without a care.
FIRST, she brings up marriage between her and Joan Chi, and now I have to move in with them? What the fuck, bro?
This fuckin' sucks.
I chase Ma down. "Ma, how could you do this to me? How could you move without coming to me and asking me about it? And how could you not tell me?"
She turns around to face me, an annoyed expression on her face. "Because, Jasmin, I'm tired of you making all the decisions for me. If it were up to you, I'd never be happy. I'd be single and lonely. I know you don't approve of our marriage, so we're postponing that, but we ARE moving in together, whether you like it or not. It's happening. Our minds are made up. The decision is made. And if you don't like it, you can move out on your own. You're old enough to."
I look at her with sad eyes. "Look, I know you love me, Jasmin, but you have to think about me sometimes. You're going to go off and be on your own someday, and if I did things your way, I would have no one. There would be no one to be with me and make me happy."
"Am I not enough? Don't I make you happy?" "Of course you do, my little baby, but sometimes I want more. I want a different kind of happiness, and that's what Joan Chi gives me. We're taking the next step in our relationship, and that's what we both want."
"But I don't want a step sibling." "Joan's daughter probably isn't even that bad. Who knows? Maybe you two will actually get along and like each other."
I highly doubt that. I don't say anything else. "Now start packing. The U-Haul will be here soon."
She walks away, and I go back to my room. I just stand and let out a sigh. Goodbye, old room. Goodbye, memories. Goodbye, happiness.
I'm happy in this house. I don't see why we have to move.
.....
My mom and I are now riding in the U-Haul. I look at her. "Ma, I loved our old house. I don't see why we had to get a new one."
She doesn't look at me and focuses on the road as she speaks in a casual tone, nothing like the tone she used at the old house. "Because we have to make room for Joan's daughter."
That could have two meanings, both literal and figurative.
I sigh and look out of the window. "Look, I know you're not happy about this, but try to be positive and find a bright side to things."
I say nothing more and rest my head on the window. I wish I could bang my head against it.
