1: Moving.

Sarina Gray stuffed the last few pieces of clothes into her bag, and zipped it closed. She looked around the room and sighed. The room was bare, other than a few pieces of furniture left--her bed, nightstand, dresser, and computer desk. Three suitcases laid on the floor, carrying all of what she owned inside.

She laid down on her bed. Her sheets, and her blankets, and her pillows were all packed away--but she was comfortable. This had been her room ever since she could remember, and now she’d have to move somewhere completely foreign to her. Even though she was terrified, she tried to take comfort that it would be better at her mother’s. Her father said that anytime she’d like to visit she could, and he’d immediately buy a plane ticket for her. She would leave her furniture here, since her mother already had another set Sarina could use, and then she could go back and forth as she pleased.

A soft knock at the door, and then her father opened it slowly and peaked his head in. “You ready?” he asked, glancing around her room.

Sarina was quiet for a minute, then finally replied, “I guess so.” She pulled herself out of the bed and threw one of her bags on her shoulder and her father got the rest of them. She lugged her bag down the stairs and outside to her mother’s car, her father right behind her. They threw all of her bags into the back of the small black car, barely being able to fit them all.

Her mother stood by the car, watching them with her arms crossed. Sarina always noticed that her mom got that way when dad was around. She always just seemed annoyed all the time, and short of patience. Sarina never quite understood why. Even when she’d asked her mom, the only reply she’d get was: “well that’s why we aren’t together anymore.”

“Do you want to go inside and double check you’ve got everything, Sarina?” her mom said when they’d finally gotten everything squished into the car and the door shut.

“I guess,” Sarina said quickly, and made way inside again, running up the stairs and taking two steps at a time. She peaked into her bedroom and her bathroom one more time, looking for anything she might’ve forgotten while soaking in the memories she’d had in the house one last time before returning downstairs. She was about to go outside, but stopped at the screen door and noticed her mom and dad talking angrily to each other. They were bickering too much to notice Sarina at the door listening.

“It’s not like you couldn’t have told her. I’m a whole state away. What could I have done?” her mother said quickly, her voice a bit shaky.

“Ellie, I respected you and did what you told me to do, I don’t understand why you’re angry with me?”

Ellie buried her face into her hands. She wiped at her eyes, and then lowered her face to the ground. “This… I don’t know why I’m angry. It’s just that this has gotten out of hand. I don’t even know how to…” she trailed off. They both stood quietly, not looking at each other.

Sarina, thoroughly confused, finally opened the screen door and walked slowly to them. They both looked at her, and she noticed her father’s face was weary and his eyebrows furrowed. Her mother’s eyes were glassy and she looked upset.  “Is everything okay?” Sarina asked as she came near them.

“Yes,” her father spoke swiftly, “you got everything?”

Sarina nodded.

“Well, I guess you’re off then,” he said slowly, his head lowering to the ground. He unfolded his arms and Sarina fell into his embrace. She wrapped her arms around him, too, and buried her face into his chest. “I love you, kiddo,” he said sweetly, showing her a smile.

“I love you too, dad,” she said softly. He seemed to shudder at the word ‘dad,’ but he brushed it off and squeezed her tighter.

“Right, so,” he started, trying not to get choked up, “remember I’m here still. And I’ll buy that plane ticket whenever you need it,” he said into her ear.

She nodded, her head still against his chest. They let go of each other and Sarina pulled open the passenger side door and climbed inside. She glanced at her parents. They were talking amongst themselves so she couldn’t hear them. She looked from them to the huge house she’d grown up in. She felt her eyes welling up, her eyesight began to blur, and she wiped the tears away, but they just kept coming. She ignored the fact that her parents were hiding something from her, because it just made her more upset. She figured when she got to her new home, and everything was put away--then she’d ask her mom what it was that they were so angry about. But right now she basked in her most cherished moments she could remember in that big house, replaying them in her head.

Her mother climbed into the driver’s seat next to Sarina.

Ellie heard Sarina sniffing and looked over at her, “Sarina,” she said softly, putting an arm around Sarina and bringing her into a hug. “I know baby, but it’ll be okay.”

Sarina nodded. “I know. It just sucks.”

“I know,” her mother said softly. She kissed Sarina’s forehead and then started up the car.

As they pulled out of the driveway, both of them waved to Sarina’s dad, and as they drove away from the house, Ellie held Sarina’s hand, squeezing it gently.

 

 

*              *              *

 

It was six hours later when Ellie finally pulled into the drive way. It was night time now, and Sarina looked up at the house in front of them. It wasn’t as big as dad’s, but it was cute. It was only one floor, but it had 2 bedrooms. Ellie always used the other room for a spare, but now, it’d be Sarina’s.

They’d talked for most of the way there. Sarina had told her mother about her friends, her non-existent love life, her school, and basically everything else ashe was leaving behind.

Ellie told her about her home, which Sarina had only visited a handful of times, and  didn’t really know anything about. Ellie lived in South Carolina, right near the coast. Ellie told Sarina about the new school she’d be going to--how it was right near the ocean. It was probably the one thing that excited Sarina about it.

Sarina pushed open the car door and stood up slowly. Her legs felt like jelly from sitting for so long. She walked slowly to the back of the car, trying to get feeling back into her legs. Ellie had already pulled open the back and was pulled out Sarina’s luggage. Unlike her father, who could grab two bags at once, it took the girls three trips to get everything inside.

“Here you are,” Ellie said, showing Sarina into the room. It was medium sized, and a bit bigger than her older room. The room was already made up, and had a few pictures and decorations on top of the night stand and dresser. What excited Sarina the most was the small entertainment center right in front of the bed with a small TV already in it.

“Thanks mom,” Sarina said, smiling and giving her a quick hug.

Ellie laughed and smiled, “I knew you didn’t have one so I picked one up for you.” She picked up Sarina’s last bag and gently threw it on the bed. “I know it’s late, but I’m starving. I was going to make some burgers, do you want one?”

Sarina nodded.

“Start unpacking, and I’ll call to you when it’s done.”

Sarina thanked her as she left the room, and then, like she did for most of that night, started unpacking her things.

Reviews

[Sabs]

Wow, I love your story so far! The flow is really nice and i can't wait to read your next chapter.