It's not where you come from

Part One

"If you're brave enough to say goodbye, life will reward you with a new hello."

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3/14/14

Moving was never easy. Not the first time or even the 6th. You have to make a bedroom bare. You have to strip away a house full of memories. Good and bad. Sometimes you get the idea, that maybe this time, you'll stay. That you'll make amazing friends. Go through all of high school together. Some people are lucky enough for that. I wasn't. There's really no explanation, when an adult tells you that you're moving, you move. So that's what I've done. For 3 years I learned to not get attached. When I first moved, it was terrible, I never wanted to feel the pain of losing someone again. So I stopped finding people to lose.

At school, I sit in a classroom, when a teacher calls on me I answer, I do my best to get good grades and then I leave. No point to it.

My family loves me. I have 2 great parents and my amazing little sister. That's the one thing I can't afford. Losing them.

That's why it shocked me so much When my mom sat me down and told me, "Soul, your father and I have decided to finally find a house, and stay in it," she paused, "stay in it permanently."

My dad looked at me with this huge grin, and my mom was twiddling her fingers, nervous about what I would say.

"Guys, that's amazing," looking around the one bedroom apartment I asked, "Is this where we're staying?"

"Oh God no." My mother said quickly

"No darling, we'll have to move one last time," My dad started "We're going to North Carolina!"

My heart stopped. We had lived there for 6 months back in 2012. It was the only house that we stayed in for so long. I was hoping that we were staying here, in Idaho. I had just started getting used to my school, and I guess it seemed to be fun here. I guess that's why it sucks to move. You have to learn to stop getting used to things.

3/17/14

"Soul," My sister whispered, "Soul, are we going to finally be happy?"

I looked at her shocked about the words that came out of her mouth.

"Annabelle, what's not to be happy about now?"

"I don't have friends sissy. No one likes to talk to me at school. People are mean. "

"Anna, why didn't you tell me this before? Or to mom or dad?"

"What could you have done? Made us move again?" She was starting to get frustrated, "That's all we ever do Soul! We move, and move, and move. Why doesn't anyone think about how that makes me feel?!"

I wasn't sure what I was supposed to say. I couldn't pretend like that wasn't true, because it was, and she knew that. Sometimes I forget that she's in 4th grade. I forget she's old enough to realize what's going on.

"This is the last time Anna. Mom and Dad promised. We'll pack tonight, leave tomorrow, and we're going to make it. One last time.