"We're moving."
Just what every girl wants to hear two months into the school year.
We'd moved around a lot when I was younger, but I'd been living in Seattle for the past seven months and getting this far into my sophomore year, I'd foolishly thought this would finally be my home until I went off for college.
I was wrong.
My parents called me home while I was at the archery range after school. I was blowing off some steam after a big math test when my phone lit up with my dad's ringtone. He said it was urgent so I hurriedly packed my stuff up and drove home. I parked in the driveway and jogged through the usual raining weather to reach my house. I burst through the door, wiped my feet and called out to my parents, making my presence known.
"Cassidy. In the living room." He didn't use any of my nicknames. This was serious.
I walked cautiously into the room, set my stuff down gently, and looked at the scene before me. They had that face on. That face they always had when they had bad news. I knew immediately what they were going to tell me, but silently prayed I was wrong.
"Cassidy," My mother smiled encouragingly, beckoning me, "Why don't you sit down." It wasn't a request.
I took a seat in the soft, leathery recliner and waited. My parents were sitting close and holding hands. They had that determined look on their faces like something needed to be done. Something serious (other than giving me the news I hated hearing the most).
"I got a call from your Uncle Chris today," My father started. My Uncle Chris and my father were twins. They both had electrifyingly blue eyes that knew immediately when you had done something wrong or lied. They had salt-and-pepper colored hair, were exactly the same height, and always held the same stern look that sometimes, even got me confused on who I was really looking at.
But I hadn't seen my Uncle Chris, Aunt Victoria, and Allison for a few years now so this piqued my interest.
"He needs some help with his business down in Beacon Hills," He went on, "There's been developments and new additions that he needs my expertise on and we," He pointed to himself and my mother. "Thought that it would be good for all of us if we lived near some family so—"
"So, we're moving again?" I couldn't help sounding dejected.
"Yes, sweetheart," My mother nodded, smiling motherly at me, "It'll be a good change for you to be with Allison again. You guys used to be so close."
"It's for the best, Cassie." My father smiled too, wrapping his arm around his wife. Sometimes I got the feeling that they weren't always be truthful when they told me the reason we had to move. I wondered whether they were con-men or bank robbers, but that was preposterous.
Agreeing with them was the only way to keep the peace. What other choice did I have other than fighting with them about it? But I didn't fight with my parents or anyone else for that matter. If there was one thing in this world I hated more than Algebra, it was conflict.
"Yeah dad, you're right. It would be nice to be near family again." I smiled meekly, lifting myself off the chair.
"Pack for a couple weeks. We'll hire someone to get the rest of it when we leave." My father told me.
"When are we leaving, exactly?" I asked quietly.
"Tomorrow morning." My mother answered.
"Have I already been transferred to a school there?"
"We'll work out the details tonight. Don't you worry your pretty head about it." My father tapped my nose softly and pulled me into a hug.
When he released me, they dismissed me to pack what I couldn't live two weeks without. I obliged without another word and fell right back into that familiar routine that I'd hoped I'd never have to go through again.