When Bright Eyes Turn Blue

"We're moving."

Those words had sent shocked chills down Max's spine. He had lived in the same house, the same room and the same old routine for as long as he could remember, but now all of that was going to change...and that wasn't the half of it.

It was a cheery spring in sunny California before it all happened. Max Tate and his family were planning on going on a trip to the northern beaches, after school was out, for two weeks, to visit relatives. First, on the agenda, was spring-cleaning. Max's lovely mother, Judy, was busy ordering everyone around the house to sweep this, dust that and throw away all the junk lying around, which was mostly belonging to his packrat dad, who protectively insisted they keep some of it.

Max, on the other hand, was happy to be working alongside his two wonderful parents, who seemed more opposite than most couples, but he never really cared. As long as they were all together, he was most happy, then again he was happy all of the time.

When lunchtime came around Max's dad cooked up a stack of hotdogs in warm buns drenched in mustard and relish. His mom brought him a Capri Sun while she sipped lemonade and his dad chugged on Pepsi. They all sat on the picnic table out on the back porch, ate, and talked and laughed for the rest of the afternoon. It had been a perfect day and Max couldn't have been happier. But soon all of that was about to change.

A few weeks later, things started getting sour around the Tate house. The vacation date was fast approaching and things weren't quite organized around work, school, and other things. It just didn't seem to be working out for them. Max had been so eager to go to the north beaches and learn to surf with his cousins Andrew, Jake and Ashton, and his Uncle Manny. Yet, at the rate things were going, it looked like he would probably have to wait until summer. This cheered him up somewhat, since summer was four months long, instead of a two-week spring break. More time to have more fun! But in the summer, things were anything but fun.

It started when his mom and dad began bickering at the dinner table about normal things, like household maintenance and car troubles. Then it grew worse. They argued about their jobs and the income each got and things of that nature. Finally, on a warm summer night in July, Max understood what he teachers really meant by "the Big Bang." He was sitting in his room, idly tweaking his beyblade and practicing his defensive strategies, when a noisy ruckus started downstairs between his parents. Max listened in horror as the two of them spat vicious insults and curses to one another, claiming rights on the house and on him, and blaming each other for wrongs in the past. Max shuddered as he heard a pot shatter, which created more of a heated battle. The blonde pre-teen leaned against the door of his room and slid to the floor, eyes filled with tears, choking on a large lump in his throat.

"Why? Why are they doing this? What could be so wrong that they would fight? I don't understand. We were all so happy not too long ago. I know I shouldn't pry, but I have to know why this is happening!" With much sorrow and contempt Max rushed out of his room, to the stem of the stairs but before he could burst into the kitchen and shout for them to stop, his mother drowned the house saying, "I want a divorce!"

Max froze, unsure if what he heard was right. The lump grew every second the words echoed in his head, choking him. His soul melted into tears and he fell to the floor weeping bitterly. Max blamed himself for what was happening, for he knew his parents loved each other very much. They had dealt with problems like this before, before he was born that is. Ever since had had come into the world it was a war between his parents about who would hold him, take care of him, pay for his schooling, for he was an only child. It was his fault that his parents were breaking up, and there was nothing he could do about it.

After the fight had ended, the sorrow never dissipated from his heart. A thick gloom had descended upon the Tate house. No one spoke to each other. No longer did they share a meal together at the table. There was no laughing, no singing, and no happiness, only sorrow.

It took two weeks for the divorce to follow through and Max's mom disappeared, for the judge decreed the rights for Max's father to care for him, for his mother had started the fights in the first place. She had always been a stubborn woman, always demanding her way and no one else's and that is what led the Tate family to its demise.

Months later, Mr. Tate got a call from the Chairman of the BBA, and close friend, Mr. Dickinson, being informed of a job opening in the far-off country of Japan. Seeing no reason to stick around in America any longer, Max's dad hung up the phone and uttered those dreadful words, "We're moving."

Max sighed and went to his room; a few empty boxes in hand. He slammed the door shut and locked it, threw himself on his bed and sobbed. In less than a year, Max's world had tumbled down into a hole so deep that it could never be retrieved; no matter how hard he tried. He shouted into his pillow, "Why, why, why is this happening to me? WHY!" No one answered. Max picked his head up and looked into his mirror at what he had become. The sparkle had faded from his eyes. The gleaming happiness had vanished, leaving gloom in its wake. His eyes were no longer bright like they once were...

...They were blue.