Kiss Me Goodbye

A New Life, A New Start (Day 1)

Sunday, June 25

I pack up my bags, throwing in only the necessities. I need to get away from this place- and fast. They say that high school drama doesn't exist in small, Mid-West cities like mine, but that isn't true at all. In fact, some of the worst people live here, in Marshall, Michigan, a quaint little town where I've known practically everyone since birth. They say that there are different types of friends, good and bad, and it's just my luck that I got caught up with the bad ones. Now, I need to move away, to have a fresh new start, somewhere where I can leave the past behind and forget all the crap that has gone down in the past few weeks. I can't help it- I begin to cry, sitting down on my bed and collapsing in a heap.

I hear a soft knocking at the door and my mom's musical voice floats over to me. She is thin and frail, like a wispy twig that can easily be knocked over. She tucks a strand of short, brown hair behind her square glasses and looks at me, concerned. "Are you okay?" she asks.

I look up through my flood of tears and nod.

She looks at me sympathetically and retreats, leaving the door a crack open. I hear her walk down the stairs and say, "If you need me, let me know. You best be hurrying. We leave in half an hour."

I jump off my bed and get to work, throwing whatever I see into my almost-empty suitcase. I only need the necessities- I can buy all that I need where I'm going. Anyways, my Michigan summer clothes would strangle me in the stifling summer heat of California, or so I've heard. As I look for my favorite sundress, the one that I save for the rare sweltering hot days here, I kick aside my guitar in the closet. It lands on the wall with a twang and falls silent, but I ignore it. Nowadays, I don't want to have anything to deal with it. I see the scribbles drawn across the back in Sharpie and clench my teeth, willing the tears not to flow. I throw the dress I'm looking for into my suitcase and snap it shut, dragging it out the doorway. As I leave, a picture on the floor catches my eye. I bend down, picking it up, and the memories come flooding back.

My mom and dad have their arms around a smiling six-year old me. We are at Disney World in Florida, posing with Minnie Mouse. I clearly remember begging my dad for ears, but he wouldn't get them for me at all, saying they were too expensive. One day, once we were back at home, he came home from work toting a bag. Inside were a pair of Minnie ears. He was always so sweet and caring and didn't deserve to die of cancer. Heck, I didn't deserve this torture, losing first my father and then my friends. My hands clench and I slip the photo into my bag, bringing it with me.

I push the mess on the floor into the closet; I will clean it up when I get back two weeks later. I scamper downstairs, dragging my light suitcase with me, and the smell of homemade cookies greets me. My mother comes out of the kitchen, dressed in an apron and hugs me. "Oh, honey, I'll miss you!" she says, patting my back.

"I'll miss you, too" I say sincerely. She is probably the only thing about Marshall, Michigan that I will miss. "But I'll be back soon."

She looks at the time and starts, shooing me out the door, then takes me to the airport 20 minutes away. When I get off the car, she kisses me on the cheek. "Why are you running away from it?" she asks me. I freeze in my tracks. "You know that running away will only make them feel better about themselves."

"I'm not running away," I say through clenched teeth. "I just want to go visit Aunty."

My mom shrugs and sighs. "Whatever you say. Just be safe."

I smile and give her a one armed hug, then head through the sliding doors. I can feel her staring at me, so I turn around, smile, and wave. She seems almost resigned as she smiles back.

A few uncomfortable hours next to a silent stranger later, I get off the plane at Burbank Airport. I feel a bit confused. Shouldn't I be at the LAX? I check the itinerary and my ticket, but they both confirm that I'm supposed to be here. Confused, I head towards the exit. With my small carry-on and bag, I don't have to wait for the bigger luggage to arrive.

Pulling out my phone to call my aunt, I am suddenly tackled in a bear hug. I swing around, ready to pounce on my attacker, but jump in surprise as I see my cousin, Renee, smiling at me. "Alli!" she exclaims. "I've missed you so much!"

She is so bright and happy it brings a smile to my face. "I've missed you, too, Renee. It's been forever since I've last seen you." I wave happily at her mom and dad who are smiling at me from next to their car.

Renee keeps up a constant stream of chatter on the 40 minute car ride to her house. I smile and nod at everything she says, taking in her appearance. She has changed so much from the Renee I remember, and now she looks like the perfect example of a California girl- beautiful, blonde, and tan. She's so bubbly as she gossips about everything. "You'll have to meet my friends tomorrow," she says enthusiastically, and I agree.

We finally pull into a long, winding driveway on the border of a city named Thousand Oaks. It's awhile since I've been here, but everything still looks picturesque, as usual. The mature trees line the driveway and the hedge is trimmed to perfection. This is the more wealthy portion of the city, commonly referred to as Westlake Village. Close by, I can see a lake, glinting in the fading sunlight. Dusk is settling upon the city, random rays of sun streaming through the trees, while the sky is colored a beautiful purple-pink.

We eat a delicious homemade dinner in their mansion and Renee shows me to my room. She offers the guesthouse, but I'd rather not sleep outside and alone, so I get the extra room instead. It is furnished nicely with a queen bed made with a white comforter. There is a white desk in a corner with a sleek black plastic chair that looks rather uncomfortable to sit on, and a mirror covers an entire wall. Overall, it gives the impression of a hotel room. Renee looks embarrassed. "Sorry, Mom likes to dabble in interior designing," she says, gesturing to the pristine, white room.

I smile and roll my eyes. "It's totally fine!" I say, waving my hand away. I'm just glad to be able to have a place to stay.

She jumps on my bed and the comforter flies up from the impact. "So how's your life?" she asks. "I haven't heard from you in awhile."

I look down at my hands. "Life's been pretty bad," I mumble quietly, and she gets up off the bed and walks towards me.

"I'm sorry, hun. What's wrong?" She sounds genuinely sorry, but I don't want to tell her. Sensing my discomfort, she leaves the room. "Sorry if you don't want to talk," she says. "I'll be here if you need me, though."

I smile up at her, suddenly weary. All I want to do is sleep, so I change into my pajamas and crawl under the covers. It doesn't do well to dwell on the past, I tell myself. After all, this is why I'm here, right? Tomorrow, I'll get a second chance at life.

I call my mom to let her know I'm here, then immediately fall asleep. 

-- 

K so I know this was slow and all, but it's just the introduction. It gets more exciting next chapter, so if you've made it to this point, why not? Cheers :) 

vote and or comment? x mandy