New Beginnings

Chapter 2: What is the "Surprise"?

The next day, I woke up to loud birds chirping a song that to nature lovers or people who are in a good mood may find relaxing. Nope, not me though. I had to sleep in a sleeping bag since the stupid moving truck took its sweet time to drive here, and in that moving truck were the beds! My neck was stiff, my back ached, and I had a splitting headache.

After taking some Tylenol, I walked to the kitchen and the stench of cleaner and eggs wafted through the door. It wasn't until my mom greeted me with a plate of food while holding the kitchen door wide open for me that I realized she had made breakfast. She never made breakfast before. I snatched the plate and smiled a grin that was supposed to say "thank you", but with the headache throbbing pain through my temples, it may have been lacking. To my surprise, the kitchen was already set up-ish... pots hung off hooks hanging on the wall, dishes were still in boxes on the table, food already cramped the fridge, the kitchen table and chairs already marked their spot in the center of the kitchen, and it almost looked homey. Almost. Then it hit me. The kitchen supplies were in the moving truck which means...

I sat my plate down on the table and raced towards the door. Sure enough, the moving truck was parked outside with my dad heaving boxes and furniture out of the truck. Why hasn't anyone told me?

I felt a hand lay on my shoulder which made me jump.

"You were sleeping so peacefully," my mother answered the question in my head. Then a spark of excitement bursted in her hazel eyes as she tucked a piece of her brown hair behind her ear and out of her exhausted face. "Oh, I can't wait to show you the surprise we have waiting for you! Actually it's not here quite yet, but it should be here tomorrow..." She kept talking but I zoned out. A surprise? What sort of surprise. The last time she said "surprise" was when she dropped the "we are moving" bomb. I just rolled my eyes, shook of her hand off my shoulder, and stomped out the door to see if my dad needed help.

He nodded at me in replace of a wave with heavy boxes tugging on his arms. I saw a glisten of sweat roll down his face.

I grabbed a box while I asked "Need a glass of water or something?"

"Sure, Angel." Angel was a nickname he hadn't called me since my temper tantrum on my eighth birthday. I felt embarrassed that he had called me that in front of my friends, so I told him to stop. But now it meant love. He still cared, and he hadn't betrayed me or humiliated me like my mother.

A smile crept on my face. "On it," I dropped the box next to the ones he had placed in the yard and headed back inside. In the kitchen, my food remained untouched. My stomach growled at the site. Yeah, I forgot about my food. I snuck a piece of bacon into my watering mouth. Bacon was my favorite, and I knew my mom meant well. I couldn't shake the hollow emptiness in my heart where Springfield lay. It was gone. My friends, Alice and Beth too. I knew they would forget me in terms of a new girl. My hand shook as I reached in a box for a glass as my eyes stung and threatened to cry. I slapped the glass down on the granite counter and poured water into it. Ice soon followed.

As I walked towards my dad, I noticed he was talking to himself. No, not to himself. He held his phone up to his ear.

"What do you mean they will be here a day late? I paid extra to have them here by tomorrow morning. Yes, I guess tomorrow night will do. Yeah sure, see ya then." He hung up. What was arriving tomorrow night? Was it that surprise my mom was squealing about?

My dad spotted me and gave me a sweaty hug. I tried to push away but gave up and laughed. He grabbed the glass and chugged it clean empty.

"We have a gift for you and Daniel." He explained after I pointed at the phone. "Back to work?" He asked.

After a day's work of lifting boxes out of the truck and into the house, our family were assigned the job of organizing and setting up their room. I had hammered nails into the walls for a place to put my book shelf when there was a knock at my door. Moments later my mom barged in.

"I know you blame me for moving like this, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with a little change" she sighed. Little. That word played in my head. There was nothing little about it! Anger swallowed me whole. I glared at her.

"Little! You call this "little"?" I swept my arm around he room resembling the move. "This ruined my life y'know! You ruined my life!" I yelled. A shift of hurt shined in her eyes. I didn't truly mean to be that heartless, and I already know she knew it and kicked herself for being so naive.

"Alyssa, I don't know how I can make it up to you." She waited for my response but there was none. "Please, sweetie, work with me here." She was desperate.

"I wish to be alone for a little bit," I finally broke the silence. With a little hesitant glance, her eyes shifted to the floor as she slowly closed my door behind her. I looked at my room and picked up a blue zebra print lamp out of a box. I surveyed the room I would live in for the next four years until I graduated. It was bigger then my old room. Baby blue wallpaper covered the walls, and the carpet was soft with multiple bright colors that collaged together. In the corner, a closet filled with vacant hangers and a spacious bottom I imagined my shoes would go waited to be filled. A door on the right lead to a complete bathroom with a toilet, sink, and shower.

The door opened and my bed slid inside the room with my dad on the other side. I was surprised he was tackling the challenge of moving heavy furniture alone.

"Why isn't Daniel helping you? Actually, why didn't you come get me to help?" I cocked my head a little and pondered as of why he is doing this alone.

"I am trying to make this easier on you and Danny." He gave me a faint, tired smile.

By the time the sun had set, I had most of my stuff in its place except for a few pictures and posters I needed to hang still and some boxes still untouched. I was summoned to the kitchen to eat by my brother. As I passed the living room, I saw my dad curled up on the couch snoring. Poor dad, be worked way to hard. I entered the kitchen to chicken nuggets, fries, and Mac'N'Cheese preset on a plate. My mom held it out for me. Boy, was I hungry.

Literally, I licked the plate clean. My mind wandered back to this morning. Both my mom and dad said something about a "surprise" for me and Danny. What could it be that is for both of us? My dad made it seem like it was alive or else why would he use "they" to that person on the phone? Would he use "they" to describe a thing? So many questions. It actually created more impatience for tomorrow night to come. Hopefully, I would not be disappointed like last time. Or worse!