couldn’t believe it, but I’d really, really enjoyed myself—and for some reason, I wanted the memory of it to last.
The next morning it was announced over breakfast that instead of moving into the new house later that day with my family, I was going over to Kylie’s. Her mom had called while we were four-wheeling to say she’d be away on a business trip for a couple of weeks and didn’t want Kylie to stay alone. Ms. Russell had arranged with my stepmom for me to go there this afternoon.
I was just about to protest, knowing full well Kylie would enjoy the house to herself, but Sydney spoke up right then.
“Good. We definitely don’t need your whining attitude around at the new house. I hope you stay all summer with Kylie!”
My whining attitude? What is she talking about? I glanced over at my parents to see if I was going to get any help in the defense department, but Veronica was scrolling through text messages on her cell phone, and my dad was engrossed in his laptop. Looking back over at Sydney, I watched her choke down a Slim-Fast. Even with her face all puckered and free of makeup, she still looked beautiful. It never failed to amaze me how attractive my family could look first thing in the morning.
Just looking at them made my toast stale as I realized how much I didn’t fit in. After another attempt to eat, I gave up and swallowed my orange juice before heading over to the sink. I quickly loaded the dishwasher and then ran up to my room.
My full beauty regimen took approximately four and a half minutes, including washing my face, brushing my teeth, pulling my hair into a ponytail, slapping on some mascara, and putting pink-lemonade-flavored Smackers on my lips.
After getting ready, I opened my packed luggage and transferred some clothes into a smaller suitcase to live out of for two weeks. Kylie’s family had a washer and dryer, of course, so I didn’t need to bring much. I spent the rest of the morning doing last-minute packing and cleaning in my room.
When I finished, the weight of the move finally hit me. It was hard to realize I would never see my bedroom again, and I found I didn’t want to go to the new house just yet. I wasn’t ready for my life to change. For the first time since that morning, I felt thankful Ms. Russell had asked me to stay with Kylie. Even if it was for just a couple of weeks—at least I didn’t have to face reality until then.
I got a text message from Kylie, saying she would be there around noon to get me. By 11:00 I was ready to go. I slowly wandered through the rooms of the house and silently said goodbye to each one. By Monday morning, all of this will belong to Gregory’s family , I thought with a sigh.
Because of my family’s financial situation, I was relieved that we were moving into a smaller place. Still, I was surprised at how painful it was to leave my childhood home. It really was a disgustingly large house for any average family’s standards, but it was all I had ever known.
My final tour of the backyard brought me up to my mother’s coveted koi pond. I missed her. No, not her, exactly. I missed the fun we could’ve had together had she chosen to stay with us. But she hadn’t. I shrugged my shoulders in pretended nonchalance and tried not to think of her boyfriend and their beach house in Hawaii. She had met him on one of our annual Hawaiian trips during Christmas break. The next year when she saw him again, she didn’t come back. I was eight.
It’s her loss, right? I took a deep breath and headed back into the house. Kylie was waiting for me.
When we got in her car, she said, “I’m soooo glad you’re coming to stay with me. I’ve thought of the best idea ever. I mean, the best.”
“What?” I chuckled, grateful to have something to snap me out of my mood.
“You can help me get Gregory.”
“Me?” I am supposed to help her get Gregory? My Greg?
“Yeah! It’s perfect. I’ve thought it all out.”
“You have?” My hands
The next morning it was announced over breakfast that instead of moving into the new house later that day with my family, I was going over to Kylie’s. Her mom had called while we were four-wheeling to say she’d be away on a business trip for a couple of weeks and didn’t want Kylie to stay alone. Ms. Russell had arranged with my stepmom for me to go there this afternoon.
I was just about to protest, knowing full well Kylie would enjoy the house to herself, but Sydney spoke up right then.
“Good. We definitely don’t need your whining attitude around at the new house. I hope you stay all summer with Kylie!”
My whining attitude? What is she talking about? I glanced over at my parents to see if I was going to get any help in the defense department, but Veronica was scrolling through text messages on her cell phone, and my dad was engrossed in his laptop. Looking back over at Sydney, I watched her choke down a Slim-Fast. Even with her face all puckered and free of makeup, she still looked beautiful. It never failed to amaze me how attractive my family could look first thing in the morning.
Just looking at them made my toast stale as I realized how much I didn’t fit in. After another attempt to eat, I gave up and swallowed my orange juice before heading over to the sink. I quickly loaded the dishwasher and then ran up to my room.
My full beauty regimen took approximately four and a half minutes, including washing my face, brushing my teeth, pulling my hair into a ponytail, slapping on some mascara, and putting pink-lemonade-flavored Smackers on my lips.
After getting ready, I opened my packed luggage and transferred some clothes into a smaller suitcase to live out of for two weeks. Kylie’s family had a washer and dryer, of course, so I didn’t need to bring much. I spent the rest of the morning doing last-minute packing and cleaning in my room.
When I finished, the weight of the move finally hit me. It was hard to realize I would never see my bedroom again, and I found I didn’t want to go to the new house just yet. I wasn’t ready for my life to change. For the first time since that morning, I felt thankful Ms. Russell had asked me to stay with Kylie. Even if it was for just a couple of weeks—at least I didn’t have to face reality until then.
I got a text message from Kylie, saying she would be there around noon to get me. By 11:00 I was ready to go. I slowly wandered through the rooms of the house and silently said goodbye to each one. By Monday morning, all of this will belong to Gregory’s family , I thought with a sigh.
Because of my family’s financial situation, I was relieved that we were moving into a smaller place. Still, I was surprised at how painful it was to leave my childhood home. It really was a disgustingly large house for any average family’s standards, but it was all I had ever known.
My final tour of the backyard brought me up to my mother’s coveted koi pond. I missed her. No, not her, exactly. I missed the fun we could’ve had together had she chosen to stay with us. But she hadn’t. I shrugged my shoulders in pretended nonchalance and tried not to think of her boyfriend and their beach house in Hawaii. She had met him on one of our annual Hawaiian trips during Christmas break. The next year when she saw him again, she didn’t come back. I was eight.
It’s her loss, right? I took a deep breath and headed back into the house. Kylie was waiting for me.
When we got in her car, she said, “I’m soooo glad you’re coming to stay with me. I’ve thought of the best idea ever. I mean, the best.”
“What?” I chuckled, grateful to have something to snap me out of my mood.
“You can help me get Gregory.”
“Me?” I am supposed to help her get Gregory? My Greg?
“Yeah! It’s perfect. I’ve thought it all out.”
“You have?” My hands
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