I, for the last time, breath in the cool honeysuckle filled air of Georgia. My head tilting back to feel the warm sun caress my lightly tanned skin, my brown/ombre blonde hair tickling my neck when it blows back with the warm breeze. In exactly five minutes I am leaving the town I've lived in all my life with my mom for Beacon Hills, California. A place I don't really want to go back to. I was nine when my mom divorced Jason, my dad, and since then I've had to go up there to see him every summer. Now at seventeen, my senior year in school, mom wants me to live with him. She thinks that it won't only be good for me, but also for him, she says he's lonely. So, without much of a fight I said goodbye to all my friends, packed all my clothes, photo albums, and whatever else I needed, then officially said goodbye to this part of my life.
"Are you almost ready?" Charlotte, my mom, asks from behind me her usually steady and firm voice cracking from crying. Last night she finally broke down when she saw me packing, I held her until she stopped.
"Yeah." I breathe staring over the creek I played in during summer, and the honeysuckle vines I would always sit by when reading.
The drive to the airport was silent neither of us knowing what to say. Like mom, I'm not good at goodbyes. I don't like them. I fiddle with the buttons on my chiffon top my bright hazel eyes focusing on the Georgia scenery instead, afraid I might never see it again. Once we reach the airport my mom unbuckle her seat belt pulling me into the tightest hug I think she's ever given me, and I hug back just as tightly, the tears I've held in threatening to spill over. I have a feeling that you're thinking that Jason might not have been the best dad or husband, but I didn't mean to make it sound that way. He's actually the exact opposite. He's fun, charming, and to most women handsome. I just got the personality of my mother. Quiet, thoughtful, and shy.
"Call me whenever you get the chance and text me when after you wake up and before you go to bed. No matter the time." She whispers in my ear her arms beginning to shake.
"Okay," I whisper in reply pulling away before I do start crying. There is nothing I hate more than crying in public, it unnerves me.
I get out of the car to grab my suitcase knowing if I don't move now, I never will. How can she expect me to leave all of this behind for a place I don't even like, with a cop for a dad. Getting the picture now? He was always at work, my parents distanced, and just had nothing in common anymore except for loving me. In the end dad agreed to let mom have me during the school year so he could have me during the summer, he works less that time of year so we can have beach trips. I sigh in relief finally out of the security line, having exactly ten minutes to spare before my plane is ready to take off. After setting my bags down in a corner with an elderly couple, I walk over to a snack machine to have a butter finger for breakfast. Yeah, yeah, totally unhealthy, I know. But chocolate and peanut butter are my two addictions, and I will be damned if I can't have both on the saddest day of my life!
The plane ride, though excruciatingly long, gave me time to think out my frustration, and piece together everything I can do to make this new adventure less… Awkward. I mean come on. What happens when you place two completely different personalities into one house? I grab my luggage off the baggage claim and walk outside, sighing when I see dad has brought his police cruiser. One other thing I forgot to mention about him, he loves being in law enforcement, and shows it off every chance he gets.
"Ramona!" I cringe at the sound of him yelling my full name, blushing deeply when a few people look over at me. I'm dressed way differently in my plaid button up shirt and white shorts.
"Hey dad," I mutter walking over to him. He grabs my bags for me and loads them into the cruisers trunk along with some guns.
"How was the flight?" He asks once he gets in beside me.
"Fine, long." I answer buckling up.
Dad smiles over at me and I can't help but smile back. His smile is one of my favorite things about him, that's why I am glad I got my looks from him. Maybe a few traits of his personality could get handed down to me too. He's in his mid thirties, dark brown hair, hazel eyes, and light skin. The only physical gene I got from mom was the ability to tan.
"So, since its August, I've already enrolled you into school." I groan and he laughs lightly hitting my knee. "Don't sound so upset about it. You're a senior. Top of the food chain." I laugh shaking my head.
"Dad high school isn't the Discovery channel, I'm not on a food chain." I state still chuckling. "I don't think I'm even discovered yet." Dad laughs shaking his head.
"Maybe that's a good thing. You're unique." Or weird. I think but don't dare say it aloud.
The three-hour ride to Beacon Hills is filled with fast food, a few jokes, and silence. Once we reach the house, the facts I've been thinking about start sinking in. I'm here in Beacon Hills. Not only for summer, for the year. My stomach twists into knots as I follow dad and my bags inside.
"I've added a small desk to your room, it's not much but it will work. You have your own laptop correct?" I nod. "Good, I put the desk right next to an outlet." I walk into my bedroom unable to hold back a smile.
He never changes anything, I've never asked him too.
Pastel blue walls.
White carpet.
White curtains covering the sliding door that leads to a small porch.
"Can I, uh, unpack alone?" I didn't want to hurt dads feelings but he didn't seem to mind when I dismissed him.
"Yeah, I'll order a pizza."
I smile as he leaves shutting the door behind him. The first thing I do is light a candy apple candle and set it on my desk, then I begin the frustrating tack of unpacking. For an hour strait I take my time going through my clothes, I put my summer stuff in the dresser since I will not be needing them until next May, then I hang my winter clothes neatly in the organizing my shoes, summer to winter, I walk downstairs my mouth-watering from the pizza smell. Dad already sits at the table with a few pieces, a large two liter of Dr. Pepper in the middle of the table.
"You start at Beacon Hills Monday. Which means you are getting your birthday present a couple of months early." I raise my brows in curiosity as he hands me a small box, maybe a bracelet. I smile opening it, my eyes widening when i pull out a necklace chain, a silver key on the end of it.
"You didn't!" I state excitedly bouncing in my seat.
"Oh, but I did." Dad states leading me to the garage behind the house. I bite my lower lip as he opens the door revealing my car. I bite back a squeal my eyes taking in the Honda model. "A 2010 Honda accord in sassy red." Dad pats the hood and without thinking I wrap my arms around his neck. He laughs hugging back.
"Thank you! How much did this cost you?" He rolls his eyes.
"Don't worry about that, just enjoy." He gently nudges my shoulder with his elbow and I grin opening the door and getting int.
"What's this?" I ask looking at the stereo in confusion.
"Whenever you're over here you're always listening to the music on your phone. So I installed a stereo you can plug up too. And it didn't cost me anything. I used to be quite the mechanic."
I get out hugging him again and a laugh rumbles in his chest.
"I should by you cars more often." I playfully punch him and he laughs ruffling my hair. "C'mon. The pizza is probably getting cold."
Thanks for reading the first chapter! If you liked it you know what to do :)) Reviews (good or bad) is appreciated!