Chapter 2: Homecoming
The time has come to start packing up. The U-HAUL had just pulled up next the townhouse, and soon, Riley began to move clothes and decorations from the dresser to some cardboard boxes. Then she, alongside her parents, disassembled the furniture and brought them down the stairs and into the U-HAUL. Soon enough, everything was gone from Riley's bedroom. Joy said out loud "She's going home! So long, California!"
Riley got one last family hug before taking the last of her belongings. The U-HAUL had already left, so she put her things in the passenger seat of her car: a 2014 Subaru WRX in a glossy gray color. She took one last gaze at the townhouse before getting in the car, turning the key, and driving off to embark on the journey back home.
The California leg was quite nice for Riley. I-80 seemed to not have many people past Sacramento, and the scenery was quite nice through the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The Nevada leg was where things got difficult.
Barren deserts and monotonous towns along the way and not much to do. Between Argenta and Primeaux, Riley ran out of gas, so she pulled to the shoulder and cut the top off of one of the boxes she had in her trunk, and wrote "NO GAS" on it. She always carried a box cutter and a permanent marker. "What do we do? It gets to 100 degrees here, so die of heat stroke?" Fear exclaimed in front of the other emotions. "That's not likely to happen." Joy replied optimistically. The emotions just stood in front of the control panel, anticipating someone to come. "So what do we do now?" Anger randomly said. Nobody responded. Almost a half hour later, someone came to help.
He had a talk with Riley about where he's going, and Riley responded: "I'm going to Minnesota. I'm finally going to my true home after 6 years because my dad forced the whole family in California. He ruined my life for me and because that I've had depression the entire time." The helper poured gas into Riley's car while Riley kept talking. "I even tried running away before I realized I might not ever see home again. By chance, I did. My childhood home was on sale and I bought it. I'm on my way there." He teared up and looked into Riley's eyes and said "I am so sorry about that, and I am happy that you get to see home again. By the way, my name's Lilac. What's yours?" "Riley." she responded. Lilac and Riley exchanged information and social media accounts before he drove off into the distance. Riley restarted her car to see her gas was 80% full and she drove off too.
Riley booked a hotel in Salt Lake City and after getting there, spent some time at some local restaurants and shops before spending the night in the hotel. When she woke up, she immediately left and got back onto I-80.
The Wyoming leg was mostly boring farm fields and plains, and a break from the interstate on Rte 287 before getting back on the highway on I-25 in Casper. She stopped to get lunch there and thought it was fine. She continued North and got off the highway and onto some state routes before getting on I-90.
South Dakota was relatively uninteresting as it was again, mostly boring farm fields and plains, but all that boringness paid off. At the end, Riley pulled over to the side of the highway. There was a concrete sign. It said "Minnesota Welcomes You". She teared up at the sight of it and thought "I made it. I'm home." She got back in her car, and continued on, still crying from the sight of the sign, and when she saw the I-494 sign, she teared up again, and at the sight of her childhood home, she audibly cried, and her new neighbors welcomed her back home.