August 29, 2013
I struggle carrying two boxes full of half my collection of novels to the moving van, plopping the boxes down I rub my sore arms in an attempt to restore the circulation in them. Just one more box to go and I'll be able to feel my arms again, I think to myself. But then there's also the sixteen-hour drive to California, which I'm less likely to get any sleep considering I'm a restless sleeper in any place but my bed,
"Ronnie if you're just about done day dreaming could you give me a hand with these boxes!" my mother calls.
I sigh; I'd say a majority of those boxes would just be from her overflowing closet, "I'll be right there mom." heading back into the house taking a moment to glance at for what has been my home for seventeen years or my whole life.
Reminiscing on everything that has happened in this house from my first steps to mom and dad's divorce, my parents Simon and Kate Burch divorced when I was about five. They met at a young age and became pregnant with me not soon after which led them to marrying way too young; soon after the just spark faded they just weren't happy. Soon after my dad accepted a job in Nevada and remarried to Maria a single mother of twins Leslie and Luke.
I spend my whole summer with my dad in Vegas he and I get along great, as I do with Maria, Leslie not so much. Luke and I are practically best friends. He often drives up to Tacoma just to see me, Leslie on the other hand would never jump at the opportunity and would just turn her nose up in her typical snobby manner, or what my best friend Daisy likes to call her Miss Up-her-own-ass having a few run ins with her as well.
I know Luke and I will become closer once I make the move to Los Angeles since he lives in Nevada it was one of the pros on my list for moving to California, I was very hesitant about moving evidently my mother found life in Tacoma Washington rather dull and 'wanted to live somewhere exhilarating and colourful.' So when the opportunity presented itself when she found out that Ciders Sinai Medical centre were in need of an obstetrician/gynaecologist she transferred.
Part of the reason my mother wants to move probably contributes the fact that she wants to stay youthful and frankly hip, or she's seeking for new love being the hopeless romantic she is of course. It took me about two months to finally accept after my mom's constant pleading and bribing given that a new car was almost promised, also taking time in between sorting out a pros and cons list, I'll be closer to my dad and Luke…pro, there's always something to do in LA unlike Tacoma…pro, I'll miss my friends like crazy…con, there's enough snotty, overindulged, over privileged kids to last a lifetime…con (whether it's true or just a stereotype I have no idea), great beaches and the too good weather…pro, and the list goes on.
Leaving my friends is probably one of my biggest regrets about leaving Tacoma, although I have never been considered popular nor have no desire to be I still have a decent and respected group of my friends the four of us have been joined at the hip ever since middle school.
My friend Celia whom I met on my first day of middle school after passing out in bio whilst dissecting a sheep's brain Celia offered to take me to the sick bay and we have been friends ever since, she's the smart one out of all of us and could be the first female president of the United States, she could also charm anyone with her big hazel eyes, long brown hair, and tall physique.
My other friend Lily who I met through Celia is the girly one out of all of us, the daughter of a congressman whom she has wrapped around her finger, and former model/Miss America finalist turned fashion designer. Lily is always telling us about her amazing adventures that her parents take her on whether it's The White house correspondents ball, fashion week in Milan, Paris, New York and Sydney, or the Annual Met Gala which takes place in new York where her mother gets an exclusive invitation each year and brings Lily with her, along with a custom gown her mother designs especially for her daughter. I normally just nod along with enthusiasm when she tells us, I have never been one for fashion or even makeup I am a simple jeans and sneakers type of girl since I'd look super awkward in skirts and dresses with my legs for days. I don't like to wear makeup as it feels odd on my face, and frankly I'm quite content with my overlong hair in a single braid.
I've known my best friend Daisy my whole life since our mom's have been friends since high school; Daisy is outgoing, mischievous, and downright crazy. When daisy and I are together we cant help but mess around as you can imagine we got in trouble a lot as kids. We can also relate to each other a lot since she's been raised by a single mother she's never met her dad, he left Daisy's mom when she was about seven and a half months pregnant. Ever since then her mother remarried and had three sons, we often confide with each other the most when we have problems and have never fought to this day. Daisy was outraged when I gave her the news that I was moving…
"Are you serious!" a shocked Daisy shouts at me,
"Yes, I'm sorry Daisy but this is a great opportunity for my mom and I," I mumble apologetically.
"Yes! But what about graduating together, going to college together, sharing an apartment together," she states.
We soon came to the conclusion promising that I would either come back for college and we'd go somewhere in Washington, or she'd come to California and study at University of California, University of Southern California, or something. We also promised each other multiple visits; we don't want to be one of those friends that slowly drift apart.
My mom clicks her fingers trying to get me out of my revere,
"Earth to Ronnie!" She mumbles in a mocking voice,
"Oh, right the boxes," I mutter.
Just as I suspected a majority of the boxes are from the clothes from her usually overflowing closet filled up to the brink of the cardboard box, it's probably best for my arms and spine if I take this one box at a time I think to myself. It's crazy how life can change in heartbeat, it's not as if my appearance is going to change, or I'm going to change, but we'll be living in a new city, new house, and a new school. I haven't even thought about what my school or the kids if they are any different, I don't really want to think about if I'll make new friends or even if I can relate to them not.
These thoughts get me through about three boxes as well as mom describing how she thinks she might decorate the house; I do believe the words 'boho chic' were used yikes… at this rate it'll look like a Gypsy is living there. It'll probably be like that for two months…tops then she'll do everything black and white themed or even animal print themed, my mum is very indecisive with everything she can never stick to one god damn hobby one week it's candle making, the next it's pottery, and we don't even want to go there with finger painting… I am again brought out of thoughts by the sound of someone knocking on the door making my way over to the door but before it's even fully opened I am suffocating because of Daisy's overbearing hugs.
"Veronica Kate Burch! Did you honestly think you could skip town on me without saying goodbye?" She states letting me go giving the chance the restore my airways, she jokingly glares at me with her overly large blue eyes quite similar to my own as she chews on her normally strawberry blonde now yellow blonde hair tied into a high ponytail.
"Well you guys did throw me a very much extravagant going away party, and I was gonna see if I could swing by your house," I state whilst thinking about the very extravagant going away party the girls planned and thrown at Lily's much envious house. I was presented with gifts I was very unworthy of including a very much overpriced Chanel purse which I'm unlikely to ever use, though the Chanel backpack was much more practical I roll my eyes at the thought of my over privileged friend buying a purse that valuable for a person much like myself.
"Well you deserve it, without you our group wont be the same it's our way we're gonna miss you here's a party to remember us by!" "Even if we let Lily put in her very much overly extravagant touches," she adds.
"Likewise…a simple good luck card would have been enough, not a god damn Chanel purse!" I mutter giggling, Daisy laughs.
"She is absolutely and completely over the top, but that's why we love her," I nod in agreement as Daisy proceeds to raid my refrigerator I roll my eyes typical Daisy I think to myself. Then it hits me…
"Do you realise in the seventeen years that we have known each other you have not once asked if you can have food, but you simply just help yourself every time." I state, Daisy chuckles,
"You know your food is just to good to ask for considering my mother cannot cook to save her life, and I only eat it just to be nice since it's so bad that even giving it to the dog failed." We both laugh you can always count on daisy to sweeten my mood we're like two peas in a pod we share all the same likes and interests although we still do bicker from time to time arguing whether Fitzgerald is a better writer than king.
Soon after Daisy phones Lily and Celia to come over in order to share our last meal together for the time being, it isn't long before we hear a knock on the door I hurriedly go over to answer the door surely enough it is Celia and Lily pizza box in hand.
"One family sized cheese pizza from Rita's family-style pizzas," Celia chimes.
Following behind is the usually impeccably dressed Lily carrying three large bottles of sprite, Daisy rubs her hands together excitedly anticipating the large cheese pizza undoubtedly one of her favourite foods of all time. I make my way over to one of the many boxes still in the kitchen attempting to find any type of plates and cups, when I find what I'm looking for I make my way over to the others who have already situated themselves in a circle on the floor as we don't have any furniture.
Throughout our meal the conversation is light and it's mostly them quizzing me about the move, my new home, my new school, and what I thing the people will be like. In between Daisy's many jokes about snobby kids from Beverly Hills, and the amount of nose jobs they'll have had by age eighteen. It's so weird to think that this will be our last gathering for a while at least; it just seems like a normal afternoon filled with fun, food, and gossip.
"Did you guys hear about James Mathers?" Lily asks, throwing crust back into the grease stained pizza box. We all shake our heads looking at Lily quizzically,
"He got caught selling drugs," "someone's been watching too much Breaking Bad if you ask me," she adds shaking her head in exasperation.
Celia and Daisy snort, "typical…" Celia mutters, "I mean you have your whole life ahead of you and you want to waste it and frankly ruin it by doing something as stupid as drugs," she adds.
"You're more than right," I say nodding in agreement, I just don't understand how people would want to poison their bodies like that especially at seventeen.
"What will his consequences be?" Celia asks,
"I'm not to sure about that one but I hope it's juvenile detention and once he turns eighteen he'll probably be sent off to big boy prison," she answers shrugging her shoulders.
As the afternoon proceeds into the evening we manage to say or final goodbyes without it turning into a major sob fest, after all I will be back soon. Once the girls leave mom and I proceed to have one last check of all the rooms making sure we've got everything, it's so weird seeing the place so empty. Not to mention saying goodbye to my whole life here, I know it's a whole new chapter, new town, new home, new school, and a new start I don't understand why it's so hard to let the old one go.
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It's been well over six hours since we started our journey and I am beginning to feel restless, not even the movies I have been watching on my laptop could distract me from the utter exhaustion that I've been accumulating. My mother has finally given in to spending the night in a hotel thank god. Boy it would have been so much easier if we just went by plane, we could have been in LA by now I could've been asleep!
"It wont be much longer til we get to the hotel," my mom mutters yawning making it apparent that rest couldn't have waited much longer for her either.
I nod, "you're very quiet this evening," she states.
"I'm just tired," I mumble,
"How are you feeling about the move? It's a big change, new city, new neighbourhood, new school…" she says eyeing me for a quick second then proceeding to bring her eyes back to the road.
"You're not wrong there it's definitely a huge change…I just hope the people are accepting and that I don't change," I mutter.
"I'm sure they'll all be very accepting, and I doubt you'll change you're still the same Ronnie everyone knows and loves,"
I nod in agreement. I have never really spent any time in LA besides a week long vacation to Disneyland and Universal Studios, it sure looks a whole lot different to Tacoma Washington whether the people are different is a complete mystery to me.
Mom has been going back and forth a little for several work responsibilities and interviews, as well as checking up on the renovations at our new home. From the pictures I've seen our new home is a cosy but modern one-story house located in the heart of Culver City. That's one thing I'm looking forward to a new home with a fair amount of more space, I am also looking forward to decorating my new room.
Another goal on my list upon moving to LA is to find a new job, apart from volunteering at the hospital for several summers I have little to no experience with anything related to the world of part time employment. From what I've heard they look good on college applications and it shows a sense of independence something I've been yearning towards, I am also saving up for an apartment that Daisy and I can share once we finish high school later next year. That is depending on where we end up going to college, given whether Daisy wants to stay in Washington or not.
"We're here," my mother announces as she stifles in a yawn.
"About time!" I mutter exasperated.
….
It's been about seventeen hours since we stopped at a hotel to rest for the night; we have finally made it to California and will be approaching Los Angeles in just a matter of minutes. Only two words can describe my feelings at this very moment nervous and excited, nervous because I know Los Angeles will be a whole different ball game to what I'm used to, and also excited because it'll be a whole new experience and warm weather all year round!
"Not long now," my mother mutters.
I just grin and nod, although I was hesitant about the move at first finally arriving in California made me realise how ecstatic I am about this new chapter. Although I very much loved living in Tacoma and there's no doubt that I'll miss the place, as well as my group of friends.
I guess I'm just an overall indecisive person, just twenty four hours ago I was nothing but hesitant about the move but I guess it just took the drive here to realise what a great opportunity this is for me.
I guess it's that kind of feeling that I'm afraid that I'm going to abandon my old life, or the paranoia that my friends and I will drift apart over time. I felt the same way when my dad moved to Vegas, I smirk to myself maybe I just have separation anxiety.
I am brought out of my revere by my mother announcing that we have finally arrived in Los Angeles, butterflies churn in my stomach as I anxiously play with my hair a habit I picked up at a young age whenever I was feeling nervous or excited.
By my observation only two words could be used to describe Los Angeles so far, sunny and smoggy. The warm whether is something I will very much enjoy getting acquainted to as Washington was anything but dry with it's constant dreary rainfall, also notorious for the dark an gloomy sky. I Know I'll use the beach as my much-needed sanction there aren't many residing in Washington, well nothing compared to Malibu, Venice, or Santa Monica. I grin in anticipation thinking about what's ahead for me.