What's Normal?

Chapter 5

Sam and Claire were finally discharged from the hospital. Claire was escorted home to collect her bags and be taken to rehab. Unnerved but excited for a fresh start, Claire gave Sam the tightest hug she's ever given and was driven off. Feeling neutral, Sam walks into her fairly middle-class suburban house to pack her bags and stay at her aunts'. Patiently waiting, as Sam walks into her room, her friends all cheer and celebrate that she's back home. Party poppers were popping, balloons were floating around, music started playing and everybody was smiling.

"Aww guys, this is amazing thank you all so much but I'm moving to my aunts for the next three months so I might not see you all that much," Sam said, her smile fading.

"Agh man, that sucks but hey, makes seeing us worth-while when you're back," James said, trying to find the positives in every bad situation.

Sam packed her bags, thanked them all for coming and left to drive to her aunts. Just before she and everybody left, James pulled Sam to the side and gave her a mixtape he made. A mixtape of all the songs that were played that night at the cabin.

1.      Sunday Kind of Love by Etta James

2.      Wanna Be Yours by Arctic Monkeys

3.      Heroes by David Bowie

4.      505 by Arctic Monkeys

5.      Ms Jackson by OutKast

6.      B-A-B-Y by Carla Thomas

7.      Mr Saxobeat by Alexandra Stan

8.      Just Dance by Lady Gaga

9.      Woman by Harry Styles

10.  Kiwi by Harry Styles

11.  She Moves In Her Own Way by The Kooks

12.  Asleep by The Smiths

She said goodbye to James and set off, her aunt lived an hour away. Listening to each song reminded Sam of every dance move that Aimee, herself, James and Harry broke out, two weeks ago. Defeated by driving, she pulled over to a gas station to re-energise herself by buying some sugary snacks and a bottle of mountain dew. She rushed out after buying her supplies as she was being eyed by the man at the till.

Finally, Sam arrived at her auntie's house – it was three stories tall, has two grey front doors, a super green front lawn made of astro turf, and in the back garden she has a huge pool. It was a dream house. Sam rang the bell, and her cousin answered the door,

"MOOOOOMMMM, Cousin Sam is here!!" Oliver screamed the house down trying to get his mom's attention,

"Darling you're here! Goodness, we haven't seen you in ages. Come in, come in." Aunt Sue insists,

Sam walked through the double doors and saw the most beautiful house she had ever seen. Crystal chandeliers were on every ceiling light, a ten-foot Christmas tree was in the room to her right as it was December 2nd now, ahead of her was her marble stairs with a red carpet on them but only central of the staircase. Aunt Sue walked Sam to her temporary room and talked her through the schedule of how routines work around here. Sam's room had soft, white carpet, a queen-sized bed with a Christmas duvet and a six-foot-tall tree in the corner of her room, next to her bed was a white bedside table, at the bottom of her bed was a chest of drawers and next to her bed was a window so big it felt like it could show the whole city, of course, it couldn't but it did show a fair amount.

Sam unpacked and dressed into her comfy clothes, walked down two flights of stairs and finally reached the bottom to talk to Aunt Sue in the kitchen about routines that will be followed over the next three months. Aunt Sue asked for my health log, I said that mum threw it away, so she rang my doctor to have it printed. Sam hasn't been on her medication for over a year, but I can't remember taking medication. At first, staying at Aunt Sue's sounded nice but after finding out how strict and particular the routines are, Sam doesn't seem so keen.