The Lost Smile

Moving In

*Sunday 10:00 A.M*

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The sun was out, not a single cloud in sight. It should’ve been a perfect day — but the air had that weird kind of cold that didn’t belong, like the wind already knew something Y/N didn’t.

“Mom… why do I have to move up here?” Y/N asked, her voice dragging with a whine. “I’m seventeen. I could’ve stayed in Louisiana with Grandma and gotten my own place once I turned eighteen…”

She slumped against the car window, watching trees blur by in the reflection. She didn’t want to leave Louisiana, that was the one place they stayed the longest and she got comfortable.

Anne, her mother, gave a soft sigh but kept her tone gentle. “Because, honey, your dad got a new job opportunity. And I want my child with me. If you still want to go home once you’re eighteen, your father and I will help you.”

Y/N didn’t respond right away. Her mother meant well — she always did. Anne wasn’t controlling, just… attached. She’d only had one child, and she wasn’t ready to let her baby go.

“Okay…” Y/N finally muttered, barely above a whisper. She didn’t want to argue. Not today.

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After what felt like forever on the road, the car finally rolled to a stop in front of a quiet little house tucked away in a suburban part of Washington. The sky was still clear, sunlight catching the edges of the trees — everything looked picture-perfect. Too perfect.

Y/N stepped out of the car, sliding her headphones over her ears as “Lovely” by Billie Eilish played softly. The chill in the air bit at her skin, and she tugged her hoodie tighter around herself.

She grabbed her backpack from the back seat and turned toward the trunk, pulling out one earbud when her dad spoke.

“Here you go, sweetie. The moving truck should be here later today with the rest of our stuff. Bring your bags in and go check out the house, squirt,” her father, John, said with a warm smile as he hefted a suitcase from the trunk.

Y/N gave a small nod, returning his smile before slinging her backpack over one shoulder. “Okay, Dad.”

She dragged her suitcase up the steps and into the house, letting her music fade into the background as she looked around. The living room was bigger than she expected — clean walls, tall windows, wooden floors that creaked just a little under her shoes.

“Not bad…” she murmured, a small grin tugging at her lips.

She wandered through the hallway, peeking into rooms one by one until she found what would be hers — the room on the left. She dropped her backpack onto the carpet and pulled out her Bluetooth speaker. A quick connection to her phone, a tap of the screen, and music filled the empty space, echoing softly through the house.

It felt… less lonely that way.

As she explored, she took it all in — three bedrooms, two bathrooms, two living rooms (one right in front, one tucked behind the kitchen), and even a home office next to the master bedroom. It was a nice house. Too nice, almost.