Moving towards destiny Ch. 1

‘..So, I’m 16 and like, the whole ‘quit acting like a kid’ thing is, like, really getting on my nerves.  Like, don’t tell me to act like an adult, or whatever, when I’m not an adult.  And, like teen years are difficult, and stuff and I know that…’

The TV was blasting some stupid reality TV show about the lives of teenagers across the country.  Some show.  Kids don’t really talk like that and quite honestly, I’m offended that they’d assume all teenagers sound that retarded.  Yes, teens have problems.  We’re loaded down with all sorts of angst, drama, puberty, rules, peer pressure, political pressure, parent pressure, and worst of all, school pressure.  But we don’t all sound like that twit blabbing on TV about how miserable life is as a teenager.  I mean, I have problems too but you don’t see me looking for some easy way out.  All of those teen issues, not really a national problem that needs to be televised. 

I tried to drown out the girl as I went through my old photos and postcards.  Gently, I placed each one in the box to keep from bending them.  I was barely listening to the girl as she started in on how miserable school was, but something she said caught my attention.

‘And like, teachers just don’t get it.  I have things to do, you know?  It's a full-time job being a teenager.  Once I actually get up, there are so many things that have to get done.  First I have to update my Facebook, check my texts, send texts, etc.  Then I need to cram for that test I forgot about.  Next I need to think of a good excuse for why I didn't do my English homework.  I have to check myself out in the mirror (several times) to see if I look pale enough to pretend to be sick.  If not, then I like have to choose a totally retro ensemble to make me look unique, but dressed like everyone else I know.  Then I have to arrange my hair so my teacher can’t see my eyes.  Like I said, it’s totally a full time job.’

If only those were my only problems.  She’s right about one thing though, it is a full time job being a teen. 

“Rei, come down here and help load the moving van!”  The voice screeched from downstairs.  I wondered if she ever got tired of hearing herself tell me what to do.  I wish she’d just back off and leave me to my inner reverie.  I really should get a journal.  My head is just too full of crap I don’t know what to do with.

“REILYNN ELISE WYSE!”  That old banshee is never gonna shut up.  Ughh…I guess I should go help her.

“I’m coming mom, just chill.” 

“Don’t tell me to ‘just chill’.  You’ve been in that room for an hour, now bring down whatever you have packed and load it up on the truck.” 

“I don’t think you want me to do that just yet” I responded idly. 

“I don’t care how much it is, just bring what you have, we can make another trip later this afternoon.”

“Ok, but don’t say I didn’t warn you” I muttered under my breath.

“What was that?” she asked quickly. 

“Nothing, I was talking to myself.” Woman has ears like a bat. I grudgingly grabbed my duffle bag of dirty clothes and my shoebox of post cards and pictures that.  Trudging down the stairs I passed my frazzled mother and headed towards the kitchen casually setting the duffle bag and shoebox on the counter.

My mother just eyed me warningly.  “Rei,” she said, pinching her thumb and forefinger on the bridge of her nose.  “Where’s the rest of your stuff?”

“Well, I told you that you didn’t want me to come down yet.”  She can’t say I didn’t warn her.  “I’ve been packing, just not at the pace you would necessarily approve of.”  I slipped a grin towards her, picked my stuff up again, and headed towards the moving van.  I loaded my duffle bag, taped down my shoe box and stuffed it in with the dirty laundry.  I really shouldn’t antagonize my mom when she‘s so stressed out but I can’t help myself; she’s such an easy target!

“Hey, mom, can I…” and before I could even finish my sentence she responded with her usual rant.

“No, you can’t stay up late, you have homework.  No, you can’t go to that party; there aren’t any adults there to watch.  Of course I understand; I was a teen once too.  I only do this because I love you.  Make sure you clean your room.  Make your bed; it looks like a rat’s nest!  Babysit your brother, I don’t care that he’s older than you.  You know how he gets into trouble.  Did I cover your question yet?”

“Not even close.”  I couldn’t help but smile at her.  She’s such a goofball sometimes.  “Can I ask Caitla to come over and help me finish packing?  It’d get done a lot faster and you wouldn’t have to worry about someone watching over Andrew.  He’ll be too busy drooling over her to go too far.  You know, for an 18 year old, he’s awfully needy.  Are you sure he shouldn’t be tested for some kind of special ed. option at school?  Or at least meet with the school psychologist?  I mean, was he dropped as a kid or what?  I just don’t understand how someone gets into so much trouble with so little effort.  Why aren’t you fussing at him for not packing?  He’s not done either, you know.” 

Fingers snapped in front of my face and I paused to take a breath.  “Thanks,” I muttered.  Sometimes I get so wrapped up in my own head that the questions just start to pour out uncontrollably.  ‘Verbal Diarrhea’ is the phrase my teacher used, I think.

My mom stared at her feet for a moment, contemplating.  “Ok, call Caitla but if Andrew gets in trouble or doesn’t have at least his closet packed by the time I come home with supper, you’re both in for it.  Understand?”  She eyed me, trying to give me the evil stare.  Usually it worked wonders on me but I was too excited.  That argument was just a little too easy to win.  She must be tired.

“Thanks mom!”  I kissed her cheek, ran up the stairs two at a time, banged on my brother’s door and yelled, “Caitla is coming over so don’t be a jerk when she gets here, ok?”  I ran from his door without waiting for a reply, burst through my open door, leapt onto my rat nest of a bed and picked up my cell phone. 

“Mom says ok.  Get over here ASAP!”  I sent the text, snapped my phone shut and tossed it back on the nightstand.  I should probably go ahead and empty that thing out.  I grabbed another flattened box from under my bed, the roll of packing tape and started folding it into a 3-D shape.  Strapping the box down, I pushed it to the side and opened my bedside table drawers.  Without really looking at it, I grabbed a handful of stuff and tossed it into the new box.  Opening the second drawer, I repeated the same thing.  I headed to my dresser and continued the ‘grab and toss’ ritual. 

Three boxes and five empty drawers later, the doorbell rang.  “GOT IT!”  I screamed as I bolted past Andrew’s door.  Practically flying down the stairs, I peeked out the spy hole, spotted what I was looking for, flung the door open, and dragged my best friend into the house.

“Oh…my…gosh!  What took you so long?  I’ve been waiting forever.  I’m leaving in the morning, remember?”  I hugged my friend fiercely.  Don’t cry, don’t cry, don’t cry; I told myself.  What’s 800 miles?  Nothing when you have the internet, right?  I mean, we’ll talk, we’ll Skype; we’ll do something.

“Rei, Rei, calm down.  Seriously, it isn’t the end of the world.”  Caitla gently pushed me back and looked at my glistening eyes.  Her calm disposition and gentle smile soothed the ache in my chest.  “What all do you need to pack?  You can’t possibly be done.  The truck isn’t even half full.”  She winked at me.  “With all the stuff you have, that truck should be overflowing.”

“I’ll have you know I’ve emptied my bedside tables, my dirty laundry, and my dresser.”  I grinned proud of my accomplishments.  She looked at me skeptical, as usual.  “What?  I did.” 

“And your closet…?”  She eyed me with a doubtful expression.  I grimaced at her look.  She knew me just a little too well.

“Ok, so I haven’t started yet but that’s where you can help!  I don’t know how to organize a self organizing shoe rack, much less boxes of stuff from my closet.  Please?”  I begged.  There was no way I could tackle that closet and be finished by the time mom got home.  “I will be eternally indebted to you.”  Caitla sighed, shook her head, and grabbed my hand to drag me upstairs.

“How long until your mom gets home?”  She asked, knowing full well that’s why I needed her help.  Not for the first time, I wondered if she were psychic.  Either that, or I’m just that easy to figure out. 

“She had to run a few errands and then she was going to pick up some food.  So I guesstimate two hours.”  That’s stretching it, but I didn’t want Caitla to know how much time I’d already spent procrastinating this packing endeavor.

“Ok, so we have a little over an hour then, right?”  She grinned at me and just kept dragging.

“How do you do that?”  I stared at her completely amazed.  “How do you always know what I’m thinking?” 

“Rei, I’ve known you since seventh grade.  We’re sophomores in high school so I’ve had time to figure you out.  Not to mention, your face is incredibly easy to read.  It’s like you project your thoughts out loud.  I’m sure I’m not the only one that knows what you’re thinking.  Hey Drew!”  She yelled as we passed my brother’s room.  He peeked out the door, whispered a timid hello, and went back in. 

“Hey nerd, have you started your closet yet?  Mom says she wants it done before she comes home with supper.  You got like 45 minutes so you better get started!”   

“I thought it was two hours.  My, how time flies when you’re having fun,” Caitla laughed her musical laugh.  “Well, let’s get started.” 

An hour passed and already Caitla had half of my closet cleared and organized into piles in the middle of my bedroom floor.  We reminisced about middle school and all the things we loved about Connecticut.  We talked about how different things were between here and where I was moving. 

“They’re gonna make fun of me, I know it.”  I said glumly.  “Of all the places in the country my mother has to move and she moves us south.  Not just south but to South Carolina!  I mean, if we have to go south do we have to go to a state that has the word south in it?” 

“Well, would you rather live in South Dakota?”

“Why not?  It’d at least still be above the Mason Dixon line.”

“Honestly Rei, no matter where you move people are going to pick on you.  You just have that charm about you.  Something surrounding you that says, ‘Hey, pick on me!  I’m an easy target.’” 

“Gee, thanks…” I said sarcastically.  “You’re such a great friend.  How did I ever end up with you?”  I grumbled shoving her in the arm and sticking my tongue out at her.  She was right though.  Just like my mother, I was typically an easy target for jokes.  I took them and quickly dished them back out.  But this was different.  This was a completely separate style of thinking. 

“It’s like moving to a different planet, though.”

“Look at it like this; you are being given the perfect opportunity to reinvent yourself!  You could be really cool if you wanted to.  I mean, I like you and look how awesome I am.”  She smirked and waved her hands around her face like she was magically spreading her greatness.  I got up, walked over to her and pulled her up.  I gave her another huge hug and again told myself not to cry.

“Please don’t forget me.  Please?”  I begged in a whisper. 

“Not possible.”  She said with confidence and surety.  “Oh, watch out for the vampires.” 

“Wait, wait…the what?”  I stared at her, mouth hanging open. 

“The vampires.”  She said again as though she were talking about flowers.  “They’re everywhere down there.”

I just stared at her, some more.  I was speechless, which rarely happens to me.  “You’re serious?”  I said, still completely confused.

“Well, sure.  Haven’t you heard of televangelists?”  She grinned widely and laughed at me.

“Wow,” I scoffed.  “I thought, ‘if she’s being for real, I’m gonna have to have you committed’ or something!  Don’t mess with me like that!”

“Like I said, easy target,” she giggled.  I smiled at her and laughed along. 

We finished cleaning my closet and packing the piles on the floor.  After checking in on Andrew, who surprisingly had his room fully packed, we all went downstairs with boxes in our hands.  Together, my brother, best friend, and I loaded the last of our boxes into the U-Haul.  Just as the last of the boxes were being strapped down, my mother pulled into the drive.  We all ate, laughed, and enjoyed just being with each other.  After Caitla left, I blew up the air mattress in the living room.  I couldn’t sleep in my old room tonight.  I wanted to remember it with Caitla still there.  The emptiness started to cave in on me.  Mom and Andrew were passed out on their mattresses in their rooms.  Closing my eyes, I emptied my head of sad thoughts.  I’ll miss my friends and most especially Caitla, but she’s right.  Tomorrow will be the first day of a new me; the day I reinvent myself.  I smiled and quickly fell asleep.