The Roommate Down The Hall

Chapter 3: Brick Walls and Waterfalls

On the way home, I picked up some boxes and tape. I had already had some at home, however I needed more. When I got home, I told my mom and dad that I had finally found a place to move to. They were happy, as they should be. They both came up to help me pack up the remaining thing that I had in my room.  By ten o'clock, I had everything packed. I was going to sleep on the couch tonight. 

I couldn't sleep. I was very excited. My mind was just running wild. I couldn't believe that I was finally moving out. I was lying on the couch, when my phone went off. It was a number that I didn't know. The Hell? I squinted in the darkness and winced when I unlocked the phone and the bright light blinded me. The message pulled up and it was from Allison. It read:

"Hai it's Alli! Can't wait until you move in. I'll help you unpack. The boys will get everything here. Brandy says she cannot wait to meet you. See you tomorrow! "

I smiled at the message. she was sweet and I was glad that I already had one friend in that house.  Austin seems pretty nice too! I was glad that I had found that house. It was going to be great living there. And this is just what I needed following all the craziness that I have been going through...

"Thanks! I can't wait either. Tell her I'm excited to meet her too! Have Kyle or Austin text me for my address. Night!"

I snuggled into my makeshift bed, finally feeling the sleepiness set in.  The nervousness seemed to slip away with the text sending in cyberspace. I closed my eyes and went to sleep with a big smile on my face.

I had a dreamless sleep; however, it was a good one. In the morning, I crawled out of bed and dressed in shorts from PINK and a T-shirt that hung off of my shoulders. I didn't put on make up, and I didn't put much effort into my hair. I just threw it up into a pony tail. I figured no need to look that good if I was just moving things and going to be sweating. When I was done with that, I packed up my make up and my hair things. Then I looked around at the room that seemed to big for me now.  This is the room that I had grown up in. This is where I spend so many nights crying, feeling like nothing would ever go right. This is the room that I got ready in for every day of school. This would be the last piece of my childhood to let go.

I had a moment of fear and sadness. I was going to miss this place. I thought about all of the things that I had done in this room and even the house. I smiled at those.  My dad came up to my room to help get the boxes down the stairs. I was walking down the stairs when I felt my phone buzz in my pocket. Once again it was a number I did not know.

"Hey, It's Kyle. What's your address? We're on our way" 

"Sure Thing," I started, but them realized, "How do I know that this is really Kyle?"
 

"Well... I was on the couch when you came over yesterday, you are moving into the room on the third floor of the house and there is one other room down the hall that just so happens to be mine. If I was a creep, I would have had to stalk you pretty hard," he responded.

 Damn he was right. I laughed to myself. He seemed cool. He had just earned the address.

 I couldn't believe that I was really moving out. As I neared the end of the stairs, I started to get scared. These last few years, I had been dying to move out of the house, but not that it came time to actually do it, the years seemed to pass by so fast. I was downstairs waiting for the boys to get here when I saw my mom. She rushed over to me and hugged me so tight that I thought my ribs were going to cave in. She was practically cutting off my air. I tapped her shoulder. That made her loosen her death grip , but it didn't make her let go of me. I hugged her back and felt the prickling sting of the tears, threatening to spill.

"Mom, I'm just moving down the road."

 "I know that, but .. Just can't see you by just going upstairs anymore. I'm going to miss you... So much Ronni!" She blubbered out.
 

I felt the tears building up more and more. I was trying so hard not to let everything rush out. At least one of us should be strong. I always had to be.

 "Mommy, I'm going to miss you so much!" I whimpered, crashing into her.  "Even though I'm not just up the stairs, You can still call me or... or... Drive to see me. Or Skype." I explained with my voice breaking and a few tears spilling over and down my cheeks.

She looked at me and wiped the tears away with her magic touch and her warm smile that she has always had.

 "Veronica, BabyGirl, everything will be just fine. You will love living away.  Plus we both know how much you need this. You need a fresh start. And even if you don't, your room will still be here. You will always have a place here."

I love my mom so much. She is just great. She always knew just the way to make me feel better. She was a mother when she needed to be and a friend when she didn't. We would always spend nights curled up on the couch, eating ice cream and watching romantic movies. She was my best friend and I was leaving.

 I hugged her one last time, and then pulled away, fighting the tears again. Then Dad came into the room. My mother left the room, leaving me and my dad to talk. He walked over and smiled at me.

"You're all grown up. You're not my little girl anymore" he told me. 

I looked up at him, feeling 5 years old and 4'3.  All the memories that I had locked up, so I wouldn't cry, came crashing down on me like a tone of bricks. The walls that held back my tears, broke. I was really leaving. I wouldn't be living here anymore. I wouldn't be able to just go down the hall to see Mom. I couldn't go out to the backyard and play catch with my daddy. It was time to face the facts. I wasn't a little girl anymore. I hadn't been for a while and  I could never be again. I crashed into him and hugged him with all my might.

"DADDY! I DON'T WANNA GO!" I wailed out.  

He rubbed my back and I felt him chuckle."Yes, you do. you know that you do. like you said to your mother, You're not that far away."

 He was right. I wiped my tears and kissed his cheek.

 "Thank you Daddy, for everything. You and mom are the best. I love you guys so much."

 "We Love you too, Sweetheart."
 

He hugged me again and then the doorbell rang. I went to leave the room. When I got to the doorway leading to the hallway, I stopped. He had his back to me and I looked at him for a second.

 "And Daddy?"

 He turned and looked. His eyes were a bit red. He was trying to fight it.

"Yes?"

 "I'll always be your little girl," I whispered.

 That made him choke up even more and I saw a tear spill over. He smiled and pointed to the door.

"Better answer that."
 

And with that I left the room.

***

The Boys were here and it was time to get things up and moving. I checked my face in the Mirror in the hall. Then I opened the door to greet my new roommates and to move out of the house that I had grown up in. This was the hardest part and it was half way over. Everything would be good. This would now be the beginning of the next part of my life.