Chapter 1
This is it. We're here. Here goes.
The moving truck pulled up in front of a red-brick two-story house. My house. My dad and I pulled up in my dad's dingy rust-red Ford '42 pickup.
My family had decided to move from our cozy home in Arrowhead, New Mexico to Oakland Hills, Washington. My dad told me that we were making a little move. I guess across the country is little. I think my dad mentioned a promotion, but I didn't hear much after "moving to Washington."
"We're here. I know it must be terrible for me to interrupt your oh, so important job of staring out the window, but some of us need your grace's help in unpacking." My dad's playful voice broke my trance, and I heard the tuck let out a thankful moan as he cut the engine. I opened the door and breathed in the Washington air. Wasn't so special. Just cold.
I wrapped my light jacket around myself, forgetting for a moment that it zipped shut. I started up what seemed like a long walkway towards the door. "Hey, Dad, where's the key?" I called over my shoulder, turning my head slightly.
"Under the mat!" My dad called back. I checked under the mat and sure enough my hands wrapped around rough edged, freezing cold metal, a single key on a key ring. I looked at the ring for a moment, hesitating to open the door. When I open this, I thought, I begin my new life. New friends. New people. I can't, I thought. I'm not ready for this.
I took a deep breath and slowly slid the key into the key hole, and my hand turned it in the lock. It seemed like I could hear every tumbler opening, like time stood still. Once the door was unlocked, the door swung open.
I stood, awestruck, in the doorway, looking in on my new palace.
The carpets were colored maroon, and the walls were a pale shade of gold, accented with a navy blue. I immediately ran to the stairs, taking them two at a time. Dad had snuck me out to go to the house early so I could pick a room before the dweebs. I knew I liked my dad better.
I looked at every room. When you got to the top of the stairs, there's pretty much a second living room, with a hall branching off of it leading to the rooms. I left the extra big room for my parents, and chose the one across from it. It was almost as big, with a window the led outside just free of the backyard fence. And it had a perfect view of the sunset. But I could easily sneak out of it. If I wanted.
"I found my room, Dad!" I called from the room, smiling at the empty space.
"That's great, honey! Mind helping me with some of the boxes?" His voice sounded strained, so I rushed down the stairs to help him, only to find him carrying a flower pot.
"Dad!" I rolled my eyes at him.
"What? This flower pot weighs a whole quarter of a pound!" He chuckled and nodded towards the truck. "Go get your stuff."
"'Kay!" I ran out into the crisp air and grabbed a box labeled 'Jana's Clothes'. It wasn't all that heavy, but there were 5 of them. Dad says I have too many clothes. As if such a thing was possible.
I watched around the box as I climbed step after step to my room until my room was completely filled with brown boxes. "Hey, Dad, come help me set up my bed and dresser?" I called, sticking my head out the door into the hallway.
"Sure." My dad popped into the hall and came into my room to set up my bed frame. We set that up, along with my plain white dresser and nightstand that I 'accidentally' splattered with paint. When we were done, we stepped back to admire our work. I leaned to the side and gave my dad a hug. "Thanks, Dad. You made this move easier on me."
"No problem, kiddo. Now get your stuff put away." He gave me a quick squeeze before disappearing into his room to set up his own bed. I opened box after box, stuffing the empty ones into the hall, until there were no more boxes. I had set up all my stuff where it had been in my old room, and for a minute, I felt like I was back in New Mexico. But only for a minute.
After I was proud of my work (dusting off things and rearranging them slightly), I went down to the kitchen. Apparently, my dad had the same thought, because he was waiting for me.
"We need food." He stated plainly as soon as I rounded the corner.
"Really? The previous owners didn't leave it full? Maybe they need to look at the House Sellers' Rulebook." I said with a smile, making fun of his obviousness.
"Ha ha." He said. "Come on. We gon' get some!"
"Sweet! Let's stock it up!" I said, turning and heading for the door. I was stopped by my dad's worn but gentle hand on my shoulder. I heard him jangle the keys.
"You drive." He said, giving me a warm smile.
"Okay." I took the keys with a smile and headed for the door. "You got a map?" I heard him rustle some paper and we got into the truck, me coaxing it along the whole way.
Not too much later, we pulled up to a Target, and the truck sighed thankfully when I cut the engine. "You got a list?" I turned to my dad slightly while getting out of the car.
"Naw. Figured we could just get what we need when we see it." My dad shrugged as we headed for the automatic doors. I grabbed a cart and we went through the aisles, looking for things we needed. We passed the desserts aisle, and my dad went through it. "Be right back." He said, as if he were in a trance. I chuckled and shook my head, and then proceeding to ram my cart into someone's stomach.
"Oh my Goddess, I am so sorry!" I exclaimed, rushing to help the girl I pushed over. "I wasn't looking, I-"
"It's okay." She said through chuckles. She turned to her items that had spilled all over the floor, putting them into her hand basket.
"Here, let me help. It's the least I can do." I started helping her get her things into her basket.
"Do you always babble when you're nervous?" She asked, chuckling at me. I felt my face turn red.
"Kinda." I replied, putting the last item in the basket.
"Hey, it's okay. It's not a bad thing." She said, standing up. She held out her free hand. "I'm Kayla."
"Jana." I said, standing up and putting my hand in hers. This was the first time I really looked at the girl. She had bright green eyes, a face full of freckles, and long red hair that wasn't matted in the slightest. She was wearing a green cami and a black skirt that went down to her knees, showing off her well sculpted calves. All in all, she was beautiful. Not that I notice that sort of thing. "You're Irish?" I guessed.
"Yeah. I was actually born in Ireland, but my parents moved me to America to live with my aunt." Kayla smiled. It showed perfect white teeth. Damn, was there anything that wasn't perfect about this girl? "So, you must be new, or you would have known me already. Where are you from?"
"New Mexico." I said with a shrug. I was a little curious about the whole 'you would have known me already' thing, but I decided not to ask. I already looked like a new kid, but I didn't want to be the Babbling Idiot New Kid.
"Wow. You're definitely not in Kansas anymore, Dorothy." Kayla said with a smile. I couldn't help but smile back at her Wizard of Oz reference (top 5 of my fave movies). I started to push my cart to the frozen foods section, and she followed me.
"Nope. So, what school do you go to?" I asked, trying to be nonchalant. The last thing I wanted to do was dive head-first into a new school without knowing anyone.
"Oakland Hills High School for the Artistically Inclined." She said, making her voice mock a snobby person. "You?"
I chuckled at her voice. "The same. Is it all snobby?"
"Nah. Just the name. It's actually really cool. The teachers are nice, except for Mrs. Hank. She's real strict." Kayla explained. "Don't be worried about starting a new school, 'kay? I'll be there if you have any questions along the way, so no worries."
I was about to thank her when my dad popped out and plopped chocolate cake mix into the basket. "Who's this?" He asked.
"Dad, this is Kayla. Kayla, this is my dad." I said routinely.
"Hi." Kayla said, shaking my dad's had and flashing her perfect smile. She looked at a watch that was on her wrist. "Oh, damn, I got to go. I'll see you at school." She said, rushing off towards the checkout line.
"She seems nice." My dad said, falling into step beside me.
"Yeah, especially since I rammed into her with the cart." I said, putting some veggies into the big plastic melting-pot-on-wheels. For the rest of the food gathering, I couldn't stop thinking about what tomorrow would be like, starting school. The rest of the trip became a blur, and nest thing I knew, my dad was saying, "We're here."
I grabbed a couple brown bags and set them on the island inside. My dad followed suit and put his hand on his back when his arms were free. "I'm gettin' old." He groaned.
"Yup! Now, come on, I'm starving." I whined, and started to put the groceries away.
"You go ahead. I gonna go lie down." He strained, slowly waddling up the stairs to his bed. I chuckled at him and prepared myself a gourmet bowl of cereal. When I hopped down off the counter and put my bowl in the sink, I checked the time and headed to bed myself.
I got settled under my graphic designed comforter, cradling my stuffed bear in my arm. Tomorrow I start school at Oakland Hills High School for the Artistically Inclined.
Hope I don't fuck up.