Beside You - Ashton Irwin

2

The bright morning light shined through the massive glass windows of the multi-million dollar penthouse. Many would wonder how a senator could afford that, but with my grandfather's trust fund and all his wealth going straight to my father after his death, we had had a lease on the penthouse for a few years. Sometimes I do get ashamed of the life I live, knowing how privileged and fortunate I am, when others don't even live half the life I live. 

Many times after a fight with my mother, I've threatened to move to Africa to become a Humanitarian worker and then adopt 12 orphaned children. She's scoffed at my idea multiple times, but she doesn't know I've actually considered bringing back a bunch of African children that I adopt then take care of. Helping those less fortunate than me has always seemed to be my calling in life, not law, not politics.

I open my eyes and almost fall off the couch. A blanket covers my legs as I sit up. I must have not made it back to my room last night. Suddenly, all my memories from last night come rushing back. The FBI, my dad getting arrested... the only thing I can think of is to text my friends about the situation if they haven't already seen it all over the news.

Me: Hey guys, my dad got arrested last night...

Dee: yeah I saw last nite. Crazy... sorry about what happened. Must suck.

Em: oh yeah. Sorry

Karls: damn andy. Sorry, about what happened.

Dee: GUYS I STILL HAVEN'T GOT MY PROM DRESS

Em: OMGOMGOMG??!!

Em: r we doin matching styles or colour?

Karls: guyssss my dress is gold. So let's match styles.

And just like that, I was disposed of. I had predicted this would happen, It still hurt like shit though. My dad just got arrested and is on national, and possibly international news and they're discussing prom? I roll my eyes and switch off my phone. Who else could possibly want to talk to me? My phone dinged as an unknown number texted me.

Unknown: hey andy, it's your long lost cousin, Edina. I saw what happened on the TV. I know we haven't chatted in years, but I'm here if you need me!

My own cousin had more to say to me, offering me support, being more there for me than me 'three best friends' have ever been.

Me: Hey Eddie! It has been years since we spoke. I'm doing ok. I just feel a bit numb. I'm sure I'll feel different in a few hours. Not sure about mom tho. She's probably crying upstairs. Thanks for being here. Ily xx.

I rolled off the couch and walked over to the stairs. I peered into the kitchen to see Siala cooking eggs and bacon for me and a vegan pie thing for my mom. "Morning Mi Hija, how would you like your eggs?" She smiled softly at me. Siala had basically raised me since I was a toddler. She was like a second mom to me. "Scrambled por favor." Since Siala had raised me, she had taught me small sentences in Spanish, I knew her origins were in Puerto Rico but not specifically. 

I had always been interested in history and geography so I would like to get around to asking Siala more about her childhood in Puerto Rico. I smiled at her and walked upstairs towards my parents' room. I knew they didn't share a room anymore, it had been this way for a few years, just pretending they were a happy couple for the media, if a divorce scandal came out, it would ruin our happy family reputation and ruin my dad's campaign, well... ex-campaign.

I knocked on the door of my mother's room. When I opened the door, she was sitting on the bed, on the phone. She looked up at me, tried to smile, but it looked like it was too painful since her whole face was red from crying. "I'll call you back soon Laura.... Yes of course. I love you too." She set the phone down on the bedside table and patted a spot on the bed next to her. "Andrea... I'll get straight to the point. The FBI is doing more investigations into the family. I want to keep you safe... protect you from what is going on. I think you should go stay with my sister in Australia... Finish the school year off there, then come back for Harvard in a few months. I'll stay here with Siala. I'm sorry. 

"I want you to be safe. I need to keep you away from all of this. I'm so sorry baby. Go pack a suitcase... ok?" I nodded slowly. The information from last night still hadn't been processed in my brain, now this new information about going to Australia? I could understand where my mother was coming from. It still annoyed me that I would have to miss my LA summer vacation with my 'friends' before college. I would miss graduation. I would miss my valedictorian speech. 

Half of me was relieved that I didn't have to speak in front of nearly five hundred people, plus parents and staff. The other half was upset that I had been top of all my classes, already had a secure place in college, was going to be recognised for all of my academic achievements and commemorate high school with one of the most important speeches a student could write and present.

I stumble into my darkened room, blinds still closed. I switched on my overhead light as I walked towards my cupboard. I start pulling out my favourite outfits instead of individual clothes. I had learned this trick a long time ago, so I would have outfits instead of miss-matched clothing items that I would struggle to put together since I have no expertise in fashion or 'creating' outfits. I knew Australia was hot. That was it. I had been there once when I was 13. 

And I don't remember anything since that was 4 years ago. Eddie and her family (my other cousin Landon and my uncle and aunt.) had lived in the US (specifically in Washington D.C where my whole family was from.) They had moved when Eddie was 10 because of my uncle's job. I'm still not sure what he does. We all used to go back to D.C at Christmas and Thanksgiving, but those traditions stopped when Eddie and Landon left. They were the glue keeping our half conservative, half liberal family together. I honestly do miss seeing my grandparents and extended family, but C'est La Vie. We can't have everything in life. 

As I finished putting the last pair of pants in my suitcase my mom walked into the room. "Your father's trail starts in two days. I want you out of the country before then." It's obvious she's under a lot of pressure but she doesn't need to speak so rudely to me. She seems to notice her tone, and her face softens. "I'm sorry baby. Je t'aime toujours, Andy. Tu es ma fille. Tu es toujours mon bébé." Speaking soft, calming words to me in french was like her other way of apologising to me. I understood what message she was trying to give to me. "Je connais maman. Je connais. Je t'aime aussi"

*Translations*

C'est La Vie: That's life!

Je t'aime toujours, Andy. Tu es ma fille. Tu es toujours mon bébé: I still love you, Andy. You're my daughter. You're still my baby.

Je connais maman. Je connais. Je t'aime aussi: I know mama, I know. I love you too.