Chapter 22: Moving day
"I can't believe your leaving..." Hanna said. Today is our moving day, Toby has already been down there getting the condo ready and working. It's been a month since we've made this decision And today Meyson and I are going. Caleb is driving the U-haul and Hanna and Aria and I are taking my car, then they're flying back next week.
"Hanna...we're going to talk every single day, video chat, text, call, I know you're going to make Caleb bring you here to visit, we're going to be back to visit. You guys won't have time to miss us.
"That's not the point Spence...we've been with Meyson every single day, do you understand how hard it's going to be not to hold her and love her everyday?"
"I know...and I'm sorry. But guys...we need this...i need this...Rosewood holds a lot of bad secrets, and I can't live looking over my shoulder. Plus, Toby loves his job already, now come on, we have a 10 hour drive to make"
I went inside to hug my parents one last time.
"Be careful, and call me when you stop...we'll see you in a few weeks for thanksgiving" she said. I nodded. My parents are going to come there for Thanksgiving, and then we're going to come here for Christmas.
"I love you mom" I said hugging her.
"I love you too baby girl" she said. I went over and hugged my dad.
"You gonna be ok with this?" I asked him.
"I am ok with this...it's just...hard to see you go" he said.
"I know dad." I said hugging him.
"The hardest part is saying bye" I reminded him.
"Ok, well you guys better get on the road" he said. I kissed his cheek. My mom put Meyson in her seat.
"Ok all set to go" I said. I hugged them both really tight.
"Be safe girls, and don't kill each other" my mom said. I smiled and got into the car and started driving.
"South Carolina, here we come" Hanna said.
We're stopping to see Emily in Maryland and we're going to stay there in her apartment for the night. Then from Maryland to South Carolina the next day.
"Ahhh!" Emily said running up to our car.
"Hey" I said. All of us hugged her at once.
"Where's aunties princess" she said going into the car to get Meyson.
She picked her up and kissed her face.
"Come on you guys, it's too cold out here to stand" Hanna said. We went inside her apartment. Emily didn't want to stay in a dorm because she didn't want to be judged for being a lesbian, she said that she had talked to someone and they said her old roommate had treated her weird. So Emily got her own place and says she loves it more then dorm life.
That night all of us were in her living room where we were going to sleep since we set up Meyson's pack and play in her one bedroom.
"So are you excited for this move?" She asked me.
"some parts yes...others no"
"Like what?"
"Like being alone all day...and not having everyone so close...but I'm excited for us to start our lives...and to not be scared of being watched"
"Yea...i remember my first weekend here and I actually walked out of here without feeling like I was being watched" Emily said.
"I can't wait for that" I said.
"I;m going to get more wine, who wants some?" Hanna said.
"I do" Emily and I said.
"Can you get me a water?" Aria said . She hasn't told the others about her being pregnant.
"Why?" Hanna said. I looked at her.
"I just...uh don't feel like drinking...you know above the influence"
"Just tell them now..." I said.
"Tell us what?"
"I'm,,,pregnant." she said.
"WHAT!?" Hanna and Emily both said.
"How long have you known!?" Emily asked me.
"I told Spencer first...I've known for a little over a month...I'm sorry for not telling you guys first...but I just wanted to wrap my head around it first..."
"Is Ezra happy?"
"We both are..."
"Then so are we" Emily said hugging her.
Hanna slammed the wine bottle on the counter and walked to the room where Meyson was. All of us looked at each other.
"Lets give her a few minutes" I said. The others nodded.
"So how far are you?"
"About 3 months..."
"Does your family know?"
"Yea...my mom is excited. I mean, they were pissed at first, but you I plan on staying in school until I give birth, then next year I'll do online Hollis"
I got up and walked to the room and saw Hanna watching a sleeping Meyson and she was crying.
"Han..."
"Go away Spence"
"No"
"Please" she said still crying. I sat next to her.
"What's going on?"
"It's just...all of you guys are moving on, and growing up..."
"So are you"
"No I'm not! I still want us to live down the street from each other, I still want to meet up at your locker in the morning, I still want to call you up or text you guys saying SOS...but I can't do that with Emily in Maryland, you in South Carolina, and Aria being baby momma!"
"Hanna...we're still all together."
"No we're not Spencer! No matter what you say, we're not together! We're going to get on a plane without you!"
"So what am I supposed to do! Stay in that place letting my daughter grow up there and then someone starts terrorizing her! You said it Hanna, you have a feeling we're not done with A, and guess what! We probably aren't done with them! Because we only caught 5 people! There's a 6th because someone took that picture!"
"I know that Spencer! But what about Aria and I?!"
"That is your choice! I would love you guys to leave that place also! But that has to be your guys' decision!"
"But your leaving us to fend for ourselves!"
"You don't think that If you call me or text me saying A is back that I wouldn't come back up in a heart beat! Because I would Hanna! So would Emily! So don't you dare say that we're leaving you to fend for yourselves!"
Hanna got really quiet. "I'm sorry...i didn't mean it..."
"No shut up Hanna! You have been acting like this since I told you guys I was moving! You didn't support Toby and I from the start! You didn't support Emily moving here, and your giving piss poor support to Aria right now when she just told you!"
Hanna stayed quiet still. I wasn't trying to be mean and yell at her. But this Hanna...it's getting on my nerves. She's supposed to be supporting us and being happy for us like we do for her.
"Because I'm the one left behind!"
"Your growing up too! You and Caleb are living together! Your in college! You have a job with big name fashion designer! You are following your dreams with the man you love! Now please tell me, how are you being left behind!"
"Guys..." Aria and Emily came up.
That's also when I noticed Meyson sitting up in her crib.
"Hanna...although Aria and I are happy with our families, and having kids, we would still love to be in your shoes...because you can go through college without real true responsibility like we do. You can go out when you want, you can go out to a party, or pick up and go somewhere when you choose. We can't do that. And aria please don't take this in a wrong way. But Hanna, you and Emily have the life. Because a baby, a child, it's hard. So instead of wallowing in your own sorrows, or being scared of fending for yourself, enjoy what you have. Be grateful for the time you have with us, and be grateful for Caleb..." I said. I walked out of the room and to my purse and got my secret emergency stash of cigarettes and went outside.
I couldn't believe what just happened. I lit the cigarette and took that first puff.
"When did you start smoking again?" Aria came out.
"Aria shit" I said walking away from her so she wouldn't have the smoke.
"I just...needed it...after that I need something...is Meyson ok?" I said.
"Yea Emily's playing with her."
"Do you think I'm making the right decision aria?"
"DO you?"
"Yea I do, but then all that...it's like I can't win!"
"Spence...i hate to see you leave...but you need this...this is you. I'm going to miss you like crazy, but you're right, this is right for you guys."
Hearing her say that, made me feel better. I put the cigarette out and walked to her and hugged her.
"Spence..." Hanna came out.
"I'll be inside" Aria walked inside.
"You were right..." she said coming up and taking a cigarette and my lighter.
"I shouldn't have said all that"
"No...thank you...because I needed it. I'm so sorry...i want you to know that I am happy for you and Toby, and I'm happy that you guys are starting your lives."
"Thank you" I said hugging her.
The next day, we woke up, said bye to Emily and started the rest of our drive. We got to the condo that night.
"Finally!" Toby came out and picked me up and swung me.
"I missed you" I said kissing him.
"So how's Emily?"
"She's good, she's going to come down when she has a long weekend"
"Come on you guys, we have unpacked enough things for you guys to be comfortable" Caleb said.
"I can't believe tomorrow night, we're going to be on our own..." I said to Toby.
The next morning we woke up and dragged ourselves out of bed.
"Ugh" Hanna said.
"Here" I said handing her a plate of french toast.
"So we got you guys two presents" Aria said.
"What?" Toby said.
They handed each of us a gift bag. I looked in mine and saw a coffee pot, and the same one was in Toby's
I automatically started laughing.
"You guys are bitches" I said.
"What? This way Toby doesn't have to suffer through your strong ass coffee!" Hanna said.
I'm going to miss my friends, but this is how it is now. We live in South Carolina, we're going to make this our home, our life. But Rosewood will still be our number one home, and our safe haven.