Chapter 2

Height of Hollywood

"How much longer Mom?"

"Almost there kids."

"Ugh." The girl returned to staring out the window.

"Whoa, look at these houses." Spencer looked out at the rows of suburban villas lining the streets. The 14 year old teen had never seen houses like these back in his old neighborhood.

"I know, and wait until you see our new house." The dad smiled from behind the wheel. "The place is a real looker."

"I still can't believe we're actually here in Hollywood." Spencer grinned, his face still pressed against the car window. "It's like a dream come true."

"Pffft," Jessica scoffed. "I can't believe we had to move all the way to California just because some distant cousin we didn't even know bit the dust."

The car instantly skid to a halt. Hugh, Jane, and Spencer all stared at her, surprised.

"Wha-Oh come on, I wasn't being serious." She crossed her arms, a little flustered. "I just don't see why we had to move."

"Sweetheart I know you're upset about moving, but I'm sure you and Spencer are going to love Beverly Heights." The mom tried to cheer her up.

"But Spencer only likes it because he wants to be a stupid movie director. Like that'll ever happen."

"Better than wanting to be a karate master. What is this, the 80s?" Spencer stuck his tongue out at his sister.

Jessica tried to take a swing at him, but her seatbelt prevented her from doing it quickly enough. Spencer ducked and continued making faces at her.

"Settle down kids, we're almost there."

"Ooh kids, you can see the mansion from here! Look, look!" Jane was practically bouncing in her seat.

Jessica and Spencer rolled down their windows and popped their heads out to get a look. "Oh. My. God." The two both exclaimed in unison.

The mansion was a large, abstract-looking building cobbled together with so many designs that it looked like it was taken straight from a post-modernist painting from the 90s.

"Wow, that's where we're living?" Spencer asked with a wide smile. It was the coolest mansion he'd ever seen. It was so original. So different.

"Yep. That's the place." Hugh said as he pulled the car up to the gated entrance. The house was enclosed by a musical-note themed fence and to the left of the gate entrance was the initials BJC written in large letters.

"Hey look." Jessica pointed toward the fence. There were enormous piles of floral bouquets, toys, candles, and pictures lined along the side.

"Oh that must be the fan memorial." Spencer edged his sister over to get a look at it.

The car entered through the gate and drove up the steep hill before parking in front of their enormous new house.

"Well kids, here we are. Beverly Heights, Hollywood." Jane exclaimed as everyone got out of the car. "Are you as excited as I am?"

"You bet." Spencer hurriedly said before he ran for the mansion doors.

"Honey, could you give me a hand with these?" Hugh struggled to move, carrying a large bundle of suitcases in his arms.

"Oh Hugh." Jane giggled.

Spencer opened up the large doors at the entrance and slowly walked inside. He flicked on the lights, which lit up several large ceiling lamps that illuminated the room. He was standing in a huge foyer decorated with an abstract pink-and-purple musical mod theme. There was a large staircase leading upstairs, decorative mini palm trees, and dozens of framed pictures of the late pop-star hung up on the walls.

Spencer walked up to one of the photos and examined it. "Really weird seeing pictures of someone who's just died everywhere."

"Ooph, okay Wright family." Hugh stumbled into the foyer carrying a load of bags. "The movers should be here any minute, so we can get started unpacking all of our stuff."

Jane and Jessica struggled to bring their bags into the house. The girl moaned, dumping her pile of suitcases on the floor.

"Great, and while you guys do that," Spencer walked over and unzipped one of the bags, taking out a digital camcorder, "I'll get started on documenting 'The Wright Family's Big Move—Day 1: Inside The Billy Joe Cobra Mansion'."

"What?! Forget it! There is no way you're weaseling out of helping us!" Jessica snapped, ready to pounce on him.

"I'm not weaseling out of anything. I'm capturing the beginning of our new lives." Spencer smiled, switching on his camera and getting a good shot on his sister's angry face. "These are memories that we're going to want to remember forever. Right Dad?"

"Right you are son. Good thinking." The dad smiled and waved to the camera.

Spencer grinned at his furious sister before going off to explore the house, camera in tow.

"Whelp, let's get started." Hugh picked up a few suitcases and began limping toward the staircase.

"Kill me." Jessica moaned in her head as she started dragging her heavy bags along the floor.