See You Soon

Chapter 1

"Do we have everything?" my dad asked me for the hundredth time, putting the last box into the moving truck. I nodded and stared at the crack in our driveway- I mean the driveway- to keep from crying. About a week after... what happened, my parents announced to me they were getting a divorce. They said they've been having problems way before the incident, but it didn't change the fact that ever since that night, my life has completely fallen apart. It takes a lot to not just burst out crying sometimes, and not to mention the nightmares that seem to haunt me every night.

Sandra, the woman who gave birth to me, but whom I refuse to call my mother, has come home late ever since I was little, and it's only gotten worse. These past few months, she's been coming back home at three in the morning, as drunk as a skunk. The most horrible part to me, is that she asked the court to grant my dad full custody because she doesn't want to have to deal with me.

So my dad started looking at houses farther and farther away until he found one two hours and a bit out of Bangor Maine, where we lived. He thought it would be a good idea to get away from all the bad memories and just start over. At first that seemed stupid, why leave everything we've ever known, our friends, family. But now, even at the end of May, I think it's a great idea.

Melissa tried apologizing to me for months, but I shot her down every time, saying it was fine. Eventually she gave up and settled with the occasional smile in the hallways at school. I know she didn't know what was going on, and I'm not mad at her for anything. But my old friends are a part of my old life, and as much as I would do anything to get it back, I know it's never going to happen. I've changed, and they would just be a constant reminder of what used to be. I didn't bother telling them good-bye. Some things were better left unsaid.

My dad and I piled in his jeep and waved goodbye to our old house, our old lives. Sandra didn't bother sticking around to see our departure, not that anybody expected her to. I plugged in my headphones and started listening to music, one of my favorite parts of the day, it was my medicine that blocked out the world and whisked me away from this hell.

The city eventually gave way to vast landscapes filled with farms, cows, trees and more trees. Minutes turned to hours and I dozed off a few times, jolted awake by nightmares. My feet were fidgeting and the headache I already had doubled from the many potholes and bumps we were going over now.

"Guess what?" my dad asked, excitement in his voice.

"What?" I croaked, my voice hoarse from sleep. "We're almost there! Just a few more minutes if I can remember correctly..." He checked the directions once more and I looked out the window to find civilization creeping in.

We passed some houses and a convenience store, then schools and markets. Dad had visited here a few times to check on the house, and get it ready for us to move in. He also applied for a job at the local hospital which he got easily considering his experience and the very few doctors they had. My dad said he always loved taking care of people, and before we left Bangor, many people came up to me saying they'd miss my father at the hospital.

A big, old sign said 'Welcome to the town of Caddeton', and also told us we were 30 minutes away from Sanford Maine. We turned right onto the main road passing some cute little shops and kids out riding their bikes in the fresh spring air, not a care in the world. I envied them.

We made a left on Green Street and finally turned into number 37. Our new house was a one story colonial complete with yellow siding, a wrap-around deck and an ocean view. I slowly got out of the jeep taking everything in. It was old, yes you could tell, but it had some charm too. I loved it.

The moving truck was already parked in our driveway, and two men, one in his twenties and the other particularly older, were unloading our stuff. Apparently the house came with all the furniture and appliances- and it's a good thing, because I doubted Sandra would have let us take ours- so we didn't have to unload and set up all of that. Most houses didn't come with all that, I wondered if somebody died. My dad walked over and started chatting with them so I decided to go down and check the beach out instead of standing there awkwardly.